Ray Harford was virtually unknown when he joined Fulham’s backroom staff in 1981.
However, as the Club progressed and a steady stream of talented youngsters made their mark in the side, Harford's talents became more widely appreciated and he was the natural choice to succeed Malcolm Macdonald as Manager.
As a player, he had been a central defender with Charlton Athletic, Exeter City, Lincoln City, Mansfield Town, Port Vale and Colchester United, making a total of over 350 league appearances between 1964 and 1975. It was at Layer Road that he started coaching in 1975 before his move to Fulham six years later.
Harford took up the Fulham managerial reigns in financially turbulent times for the Club. With his best players often being sold to balance the books, Harford had to continually try and turn promising youngsters into competent First Teamers, a trick he pulled off in 1984/85 but could not repeat the following year.
He went on to manage Wimbledon, Luton Town, Blackburn Rovers, West Bromwich Albion and Queens Park Rangers.
In the summer of 1999, Harford was named first-team coach at Millwall. He spent a brief time as caretaker boss in 2000, before remaining on the club’s coaching staff.
In October 2002, Harford was diagnosed with lung cancer and on 9th August 2003, he died at the age of 58.
