Roy Race
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Roy Race | ||
| Date of birth | 21 October 1938 | ||
| Place of birth | Melchester, England | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| -1954 | Milston Youth Club FC | ||
| 1954 | Melchester Rovers Reserves | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1955–83 | Melchester Rovers | 245 | (200) |
| 1977 | → Pine City Pirates | 2 | (9) |
| 1983 | Walford Rovers | 21 | (45) |
| 1983–93 | Melchester Rovers | 256 | (236) |
| National team | |||
| 1963–1987 | England | 43 | (52) |
| 1986 | Basran | 3 | (6) |
| 1993 | England B' | 3 | (4) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1975–1983 | Melchester Rovers | ||
| 1978 | England (caretaker) | ||
| 1983 | Walford Rovers | ||
| 1983–1993 | Melchester Rovers | ||
| 1993 | England B' | ||
| 1994-1996 | AC Monza | ||
| 1996–present | Melchester Rovers | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
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Roy Race was a fictional footballer who appeared in the comic strips in the British boys' comic Roy of the Rovers during the 1970s, 80s and 90s. He was a striker, playing for Melchester Rovers and England. The strip first appeared in the boys' comic Tiger in 1954 and continued for 22 years before giving its name to a new weekly (and later monthly) comic magazine, published by IPC and Fleetway from 1976 until 1995, in which it was the main feature.
Roy Race has done it all as far as football is concerned. He has been in the game since 1954, won just about every major trophy in the game, either as a player, player manager or Manager. One trophy which has eluded him is the World Cup, although he has played for and managed England. He is now back managing Melchester Rovers, after a spell in Italy. Roy has had his downsides as well. He tragically lost his left foot in March 1993 and his wife Penny was killed in a car crash in Italy in 1995.[1]
The character is a fondly remembered childhood memory for several generations of British men.[2] His nickname was Racey.
Club career
Melchester Rovers
Roy Race was brought up surrounded by football. His father's few footballing medals and trophies from a mediocre career in the 1930s twinkled like stars on the sideboard and Mel Park, the grand old stadium of his local team Melchester Rovers, as Roy recalled "Stood like heaven at the end of the street." Not that young Roy needed any encouragement; football was in his blood. A fine all-round athlete, he was a naturally gifted footballer, making up for his lack of muscle with the subtle touches that had been missing from his father's own career.
In 1954 he was playing for Melchester Area Schools under-14s, a year later he signed schoolboy forms for Melchester Rovers, the only club he had ever wanted to play for. At sixteen, eight months later, Roy made his first appearance for Melchester Rovers. Roy and Blackie made together their first-team debuts against Elbury Wanderers in a game that ended in a 3–3 draw, with Roy scoring twice.
An injury to Rovers regular striker meant that the young apprentice was drafted into the side for the 1959 European Cup final. It was a dream, a fantasy, a fairy tale. Roy twisted and turned his big Spanish marker, leading the line like a man twice his age. With 10 minutes left, and the game goalless, he broke free on the edge of the area and let fly with the shot that made his name: "Racey's Rocket". It screamed into the net. Rovers were Champions of Europe and had a new hero.
Roy Race would go on to have the longest and most celebrated careers in world football. Within two seasons he was made captain, and together with his best friend and striking partner Blackie Gray won practically every trophy there is. Sadly injury always meant that Race was never able to appear in the World Cup finals or European Championships and hence he was always denied the chance to lead England to the highest footballing glory.
In 67/68 season Roy scores his 300th goal for Rovers and breaks a 30-year-old club scoring record. In 1976 Race married Rovers club Secretary Penny and a year later they gave birth to twins, Roy and Melinda, a further daughter was born in 1982 called Diana.
Roy Race became player manager of Melchester Rovers in 1978 leading Rovers to League Championship success in his first season, however an alarming drop in form and injuries resulted in Rovers getting relegated following the 1980-81 season. In a December issue of 1981 Roy was shot and seriously wounded by a lone gunman in his manager's office. A man by the name of Elton Blake was arrested for attempted murder and once Race had recovered from his coma he was able to lead Rovers to promotion back to the first division in their final games of that season.
Walford Rovers stint, return and accident
In 1983, following a heated argument with Rovers directors Race left Melchester Rovers for ambitious Walford Rovers. During Race's stint with the London side, the comic divided its attention to Melchester and Walford. However, the spat only lasted a short time and Race was able to return to his beloved Melchester Rovers.
Tragedy struck the Rovers in the summer of 1986 when a terrorist bomb in Basran killed eight team members: Noel Baxter, Vic Guthrie, Steve Naylor, Carl Hunt, Neville Jones, Kenny Logan, Jimmy Slade and Trevor Cassidy. Roy survived the attack and went on to build a new Rovers team that went on to win the 1987 Littlewoods Cup Final against Stambridge City. Race, who scored both Rovers goals, dedicated the win to those players.
The following season saw Rovers narrowly miss out on the double after winning the league, Rovers lost in the FA Cup final.
The 1988-1989 saw Mel Park suffer an 'earthquake' and subsides forcing Rovers play their 'home' games at Wembley Stadium. The disruption to the season saw Rovers struggle and end up in a relegation battle. The last game of the season saw Rovers needing to beat local rivals Melboro to avoid relegation. A Race inspired 3-1 victory kept the Rovers up.
The 1989-1990 season saw calls for Race to step aside and let a younger striker take over, Rovers signed Andy MacLaren for a British transfer record from Celtic. However Race continued to score goals and led Rovers to a FA Cup win against Weston Villa.
Race rejected an offer of an $8 million five-year contract to become manager of the USA international team. 1991-92 saw Rovers become League champions, with Race setting a new league goal-scoring record, notching up his 436th goal to seal the title.
The summer of 1992 saw Race appointed as player-manager of the England 'B' team and they went on to win a four-nation tournament against USA, France and Segovia.
The 1992-1993 season saw the dawn of the Premier League era, and also saw Race resign as manager live on Sky TV. Race continued to play under controversial new manager Ralph Gordon who after a string of poor results saw Gordon resign and Race reinstated as player-manager. On 23 March 1993, Race, on a scouting trip to watch a potential new signing, crashed his helicopter and was critically injured ending up in a coma.
Roy Race over the years, since 1954.
Managerial career
Race came out of his coma in September 1993 and learnt that his left foot has been amputated, ending his playing career (at the age of at least 51!). Race eventually recovered fully and became manager of Italian Serie A side AC Monza.
1995 saw a further tragedy shatter the Race family as Penny Race is killed in a car crash. The true circumstances of the crash remain a mystery to this day. Following her death Race quit Monza and football with depression.
1997 saw Race return as manager of Rovers just in time to save the Rovers from relegation to Division Two.
The 1997-98 saw Race bring in his graduate daughter Melinda to help generate funds and keep Race's financial backers the Vinter brothers off his back. Melchester Rovers finish the season fourth in Division One but win the Wembley play off final to gain promotion back to the Premiership.
1999 saw Rovers beat a Castlemere team managed by Johnny Dexter to win the FA Cup following extra time.
Honours
All of these records are fictional of course, and only date as far as 2000, the last fully completed season of the comic strip. Race enjoyed a 40-year playing career, all but one year of which was with Melchester, and scored an incredible 481 goals (by rough calculations) for his clubs and 52 for England – though he never graced a World Cup or European Championships as injury always seemed to get in the way.[3]
League
- Premier League (including (Old) First Division): 10 titles'
- 1957–58, 1959–60, 1962–63, 1967–68, 1971–72, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1999–00.
- (Old) Second Division): 1
- 1981–82
Cups
- FA Cup: 10
- 1959, 1961, 1966, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1984, 1990, 1995, 1999
- League Cup: 2
- 1986, 1987
- FA Charity/Community Shield: 2'
- 1974, 1977 (shared)
European
- European Cup: 4
- 1964, 1969, 1973, 1970
- Runner-Up (2): 1978, 1975[9]
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 4
- 1967, 1971, 1975, 1985
- UEFA Cup: 2
- 1979, 1985
International
- Intercontinental Cup/World Club Championship: 2
- 1964, 1969
- Summer International Tournaments: 9
- Australia 1966, Mexico 1969 (shared), Saladoria 1970, Australia 1978, Crete 1980, Scotland 1981, Vienna 1986, Crete 1989, Japan 1990
Individual
- Best young footballer in England: 1955-56
- Best footballer of all time: 2005 by Total Football Book (Nick Holt, Guy Lloyd) - 49 pts alongside Pele [4]
- Best comic footballer of all time: 2012 by flairweekly.wordpress.com (Tom Stewart)
National team career
Overview
Roy has both played for and managed England. He made his England playing debut in 1963 against Caragua and managed England in 1978. 4 October 1975 Race was included in England squad for the game against Brazil for next month, afriendly for the European Championships.
His first indication of management for England came in the London Evening Standard on 12th July 1977. It was after Don Revie had given up the £25,000 England job. Roy came out with the following quote: "My modest success as player-manager of Melchester Rovers has prompted many kind people to put my name forward as the next England manager., Before the campaign gathers momentum, I must state right away that should the F.A., in their wisdom, offer me the England job, I would be forced to turn them down. I don't think I am experienced enough as a manager. True, I have been with Melchester for 23 years...but I have only been player-manager for a short-time I think that the job should go to a non-establishment figure. (After 23 years I consider myself to be an establishment figure!) Come back Brian Clough...all is forgiven!"
The summary below documents Roy's England career[5]:
1962-1963
Roy makes his England debut against South American side Caragua. Roy's debut was on the same day Rovers played title contenders Wellingbury. Roy could not concentrate on his debut for fear of what was happening back at Melchester, and especially to Tom Dawson, who had been threatened with a transfer if his form did not improve. After some embarrassing moments, the England Team Manager told Roy that Rovers were winning and Tom Dawson had scored two, the Roy stamped his class on the game and netted twice in a 3-1 victory.
1969-1970
Roy was selected for England in the 1970 World Cup, Mexico. The picture below shows Roy playing against Brazil, in the qualifying stages.
Roy against Brazil in 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
1972-1973
Roy and Blackie play for England in 2-1 win against Italy (Roy 1).
1975-1976
Roy scores a hat-trick for England in 3-0 win against France in the European Nations Cup.
1977-1978
Roy takes over as Caretaker-Manager of England and after defeating Holland 5-1 turns down the full-time job.
1984-1985
Roy captains England against France in 1-1 draw (Roy 1).
1985-1986
Bobby Robson names Roy in his England squad for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. But before Roy joins the England party in Mexico, Roy feels duty bound to fulfill a commitment to take Rovers out to Basran in the Middle east for a friendly match. However, shortly after their arrival in Basran, the Rovers team were imprisoned by the leaders of a military coup. Their kidnapping meant that Roy missed the World Cup.
1986-1987
Roy scores both goals in England's 2-0 victory over Turkey in the European Championships qualifier. However, in scoring the second goal (below), Roy badly damages his right knee and there are fears he may not play again. But, he recovers and undertakes, on behalf of the prime Minister, a European tour of goodwill, taking in Holland, Germany and France.
Roy scores against Turkey in the Euro qualifier.
1991-1992
Roy appointed player-manager of England 'B' team and wins a four-nation tournament v USA, France and Segovia.
1966 World Cup
Just a month before the 1966 FIFA World Cup would be held in England, an end-season charity match saw international striker Roy Race twist his ankle badly. The England selectors could not take a chance on Race for the World Cup team. The most important tournament in Race's career was about to fly away.
Manager Ben Galloway took the Melchester Rovers team on a tour in Australia trying to ease Roy's pain over his missed chance on the 1966 World Cup. But he would play in an unofficial one: the many nationalities in Australia had given a wealthy sheepman a startling idea to start Australia's own World Cup. Rovers agreed to represent England and soon found themselves playing against a fantastic Italian team which they eventually eliminated in the first round. After eliminating a team who represented Poland, the Rovers successfully battled their way through the final where they lifted the cup beating the Bulgarians with Roy Race scoring the winning goal.
1970 FIFA World Cup
After missing out the previous three World Cups, Rovers captain Roy Race travelled to Mexico with the England squad alongside his teammates Geoff Giles and goalie Tubby Morton. With a month to the World Cup, England were already in Mexico, getting acclimatised to the unfamiliar weather conditions. In the meantime the rest of Melchester Rovers team would be getting prepared for their summer South America tour in Saladoria.
Reigning World Champions England faced Rumania in the opening game of tournament, having the three Rovers players in the first eleven. On 6 June, Roy Race performed his second World Cup match in a thrill-packed game against mighty Brazil but they didn't prove able to score. Eventually England made it to the next round but at some stage obviously they were defeated which let Roy Race and the other internationals get incorporated with the Rovers team in Saladoria and helped them win the international clubs' tournament.
Caps controversy
In his 1977 Profile he said that his dream was to play in the World Cup (1978) stating that his biggest disappointment was that he wasnt called up for England anymore. is dream was to play in the World Cup (1978) stating that his biggest disappointment was that he wasnt called up for England anymore.
In his 1983 profile[6] (and also in 1986, and 1990) Roy stated he had only one or two caps for England.
Roy Race represented his nation on several occasions collecting 8 caps (according to a soutce), including the legendary game against Johan Seegrun' s Netherlands 21 January 1978.[7] On the other hand, Roy Race’s England career is somewhat of a mystery, according to a source he won 43 caps scoring 52 goals.[8] According to his 1986 profile on ROTR he had only 1 or 2 international caps.
According to his 2014 official autobiography, he earned 42 caps and scored 9 goals.
Roy's England against Netherlands in 1978 at Wembley.
International goals
- National Teams:
England, Basran - England (1963-1987): 32 full international appearances.
Though Roy Race was close to be picked for the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, an injury kept him out of action and the selected squad. Nevertheless, he debuted in 1963 against a lowly South American side scoring a hat-trick. He missed out the 1966 World Cup but he was selected for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. This was his only World Cup appearance as the 1986 Basran massacre wouldn't allow Race to win the most illustrious trophy in the World.
His very last performance for England was displayed against Turkey in 1987 at Wembley Stadium and according to press the most spectacular goal that Race scored for England took place against Brazil in 1981. It is remarkable that with Roy in the squad England were defeated only in one game, the one that saw England out of the quarter finals of the 1970 World Cup.
- Basran (1979): 3 international appearances.
In the summer of 1979 Roy Race managed and played for the middle-eastern national team of Basran. He scored 6 goals in 3 matches and led Basran to the 1979 Middle-East Games. Upon his return to England he recommended Lofty Peak for the vacancy. Lofty Peak was appointed the new coach of Basran.
International matches
| National Team # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Goals | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England
|
April 1963 | Caragua, South America | Caragua | 3 | 3-1 | Friendly |
| England
|
June 1970 | Mexico City, Mexico |  Rumania
|
- | Unknown | 1970 FIFA World Cup |
| England
|
8 June 1970 | Mexico City, Mexico |  Brazil
|
- | 0-0 | 1970 FIFA World Cup |
| England
|
May 1973 | Rome, Italy |  Italy
|
1 | 2-0 | Friendly |
| England
|
August 1974 | ? | ? | ? | ? | Friendly |
| England
|
August 1975 | Wembley Stadium, London, England |  France
|
2 | 2-0 | European Nations Cup |
| England
|
November 1975 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Mulvania | 1 | 1- | Friendly |
| England
|
February 1978 | Wembley Stadium, London, England |  Netherlands
|
- | 4-1 | Friendly |
| England
|
June 1981 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Brazil
|
1 | 1-0 | Friendly |
| England
|
June 1983 | ? | ? | ? | ? | Friendly |
| England
|
February 1985 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | France
|
1 | 1-1 | Friendly |
| England
|
August 1985 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | France
|
? | ? | Friendly |
| England
|
June 1986 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | France
|
? | ? | Friendly |
| England
|
June 1986 | Wembley Stadium, London, England |  Turkey
|
2 | 2-0 | 1988 UEFA Euros Qualifier |
| National Team # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Goals | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England B
|
June 1992 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Italy B
|
1 | 3-0 | Friendly Tournament |
| England B
|
June 1992 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Segovia | 2 | 5-1 | Friendly Tournament |
| England B
|
June 1992 | Wembley Stadium, London, England |  United States
|
1 | 2-1 | Friendly Tournament |
| National Team # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Goals | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basran | June 1979 | National Stadium, Basran, Basran | Zatar | 1 | 1-3 | Friendly |
| Basran | June 1979 | National Stadium, Basran, Basran |  San Marino
|
3 | 5-2 | Friendly |
| Basran | June 1979 | National Stadium, Basran, Basran | Kiria | 2 | 4-1 | Midde-East Games Qualifier |
Comic World Cup
Several World Cups were held during Roy Race's career since 1954 and until last decade of the Roy of the Rovers story in 1998. Though Roy Race didn't participate in the final stages of the tournament, there were big names of the comic football world and Roy's rivals as well who made an impact and went down the history
Legacy
Race is considered one of the most popular and best football comic heroes of all time. On Sunday 12 December 1999, journalist Simon Turnball from the Independent newspaper wrote an article declaring Roy Race as footballer of the century and not Pele who was chosen at the time by IFFHS.[9]
Guardian selected him as the 6th best ever in November 2003.[10] On 29 June 2009, journalist and comic fanatic, Richard Copeman for Daily Mail described Roy as the greatest-ever 'fictional' centre forward.[11] On 18 November 2010 Dave Hartrick named Roy as the best footballer of all time, better than Maradona, Pele and the others.[12]
On 10 December 2010, Scott Murray, Tim Bradford, Doug Cheeseman and David Hills for The Guardian made a Top6 of the most memorable football cartoons, with Roy finishing 6th.[13] Scott Murray on April 14, 2011, described Race as the greatest cartoon footballer of all time.[14] On 26 January 2012, Tom Stewart picked his 10 Top10 of Fictional Footballers, picking Roy as the best ever (the other comic player of the list was Johnny Dexter).[15]
The football comic heroes blog selected him as the 8th best of all time in November 2014.[16] Andi Thomas of the Paster Magazine on October 21, 2015 picked Race as the best ever comic football player (among other imaginary ones), though stating that his favourite was Hamish Balfour.[17]
On 19 July 2016, Larry Ryan picked his fictional football XI with Roy (jersey number 7) as his GOAT.[18] On 9 March 2018, Greek journalist Antonis Karpetopoulos descibed him as the best English footballer of all time, highlighting that he scored goals better than Van Basten, Beckham and Maradona.[19]
Journalist Mark Carruthers on 7 February 2023, posted ultimate fictional football XI picking Race as a midfielder, and described as possibly the greatest fictional footballer of all-time and a true legend (the only comic player of the XI).[20]
Team 33 picked out some of the best fictional footballers to have appeared on screens or comics and Roy was the only comic football player.[21] James Mason, on 3 June 2021 picked the 3 The Greatest Sporting Comic Book Characters of All-Time, with Roy being among them (Flash Gordon and NFL SuperPro the others).[22] In 2018 Richard Benson called Roy as English Football's Greatest Hero.[23]
In December 2022, Gull, administrator of the champweareunited.proboards.com put him as the 2nd best of all time (Gorgeous Gus was top, and Grant 3d).
On 2 February 2023, the french sofoot.com website ranked him 31st in the Top100 of the best fictional footballers of all time (including cartoons).[24]
Best goals
In 67/68 season Roy scored his 300th goal for Rovers and broke a 30-year-old club scoring record. On 31 January 1976 in front of a record crowd, Melchester Rovers Reserves beat Kelburn Reserves 7-2 with Race (returning from injury) 6 scoring 6 goals.
In the "Spotlight On" feature in Gentleman's monthly in 1977, Roy said that his favourite goals were all of them so far (he had scored +400 goals by then).
On 16 July 1977 Roy set a career high with 6 out of his team's goals. He scored for Pine City Pirates in the away match against Springfield Sharks in the USA league (score 5-6).
According to the 1981 Holiday Special, Roy had many photos of his best goals, that highlighted his career with Rovers, such as the winning at Portdean, a 30-yarder against Swedish Zalmo in the European Cup (March 1981), and last-minute winning header against struggling Burndean (Rovers were flying high at the time, so probably it was in the 1980-81 season). All were snapped by Norman Nesbit, a phogragrapher with the Rovers chonicle. [25]
Roy's goal -a powerful shot with his left- against Brazil was described as one of the finest international goals ever scored at Wembley, according to the 1984 Holiday Special.[26] But Roy admits that the goal he remembers the most was one in a charity match for the local childresns hospotal in front of dozen specators in a park! He passed four 4 players and scored the winner, one minute before the end of the match.
In the 1987/88 season he scored his only career own goal in the last day of the season (Melchester Rovers - Carford City 1-1). In 91/92 that Roy would break Chippy Croker's goalscoring league record with 436 goals.
Personal life
Roy's grandfather was a Rovers player too, lifting the 1908 FA Cup. Roy married the Rovers' secretary Penny Lane in 1981 (engaged in January 1976). He had two twins with her, a girl and a boy named Rocky Race, also a footballer.
His weight was 12 stone 3 pounds in 1977 and he was driving a Lotus. In 1986 he lived in a 6 Bedroomed detached house.
As of 2014 Race lived and golfed at the leafy Upper Cobdon, near Melchester.
Roys' profile
1977
According to his 1977 profile in a "Spotlight On" feature in Gentleman's monthly in 1977[27](and this was repeated in the 1977 Christmas edition of the Roy of the Rovers comic):
- Biggest influence on career (1977): Ben Galloway (Rovers' General Manager) and Alf Leeds (Rovers' scout)
- Favourite player (1977): Blackie Gray
- Favourite song (1977): Melchester for the Cup
- Personality he would like to meet (1977): Pele
- Most difficult opponent (1977): Johnny Dexter (Hard Man) (Danefield United)
- Most memorable match (1977): His first for Melchester (1955 against Elbury Wanderers) and his first for England (1963 against Caragua)
- Other favourite team (1977): Melchester Rovers' Reserves
1983
By 1983 another "Spotlight On" feature was due[28] and the one reproduced below was featured in the 1983 Roy of the Rovers Annual:
- Favourite player (1983): Blackie Gray
- Personality he would like to meet (1983): Pele
- Most difficult opponent (1983): Johnny Dexter (Hard Man) (Danefield United)
- Favourite country (1983): Greece (Crete in particular). My wife told me to say that...
- Biggest disappointment (1983): 1981 Relegation and my wife's departure to Crete in 1981
- Other favourite team (1983): Melchester Rovers' Reserves
1986
his 1986 profile:
- Favourite childhood hero (1986): Blackie Gray
- Favourite other star (1986): Steve Wooten
- Favourite curent player (1986): Blackie Gray, Paul Sturrock, Peter Beardsley and Neil Webb
- Other favourite team (1986): Melchester Rovers' Reserves
- Biggest influence on career (1986): Ben Galloway (Rovers' General Manager)
- Biggest disappointment (1986): 1981 Relegation to second division
1991
The Holiday Specials usually featured information which had been featured in the comic or an annual before. However, the 1991 "Spotlight On" feature was produced especially for the 1991 Holiday Special. [29]:
- Favourite curent player (1991): Gary Lineker
- Other favourite team (1991): Melchester Rovers' Reserves
- Favourite heor of childhood (1991): Blackie Gray
- Most memorable match (1991): His debut for Melchester (1955)
- Biggest disappointment (1991): 1981 Relegation to second division
- Biggest influence on career (1991): Ben Galloway (Rovers' General Manager)
- Hopes for furure (1991): One Million Fans to watch Melchester at home over a season and the same number of ROY OF THE ROVERS readers
2000
As part of the celebrations for the Millennium a Roy of the Rovers Annual was produced. A number of profiles of the Race family were published for the Annual. Below is Roy's[30]:
- Favourite player (2000): Blackie Gray
- Biggest regret (2000): Losing wife Penny
- Personality he would like to meet (2000): Pele
See also
References
- ↑ ROY RACE - INTRODUCTION - royoftherovers.com
- ↑ Honeyball, Lee (2003-11-30). "The 10 best comic book footballers". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2007-01-19.
- ↑ "EXCLUSIVE: The Rovers Return! Iconic comic book hero Roy Race relaunched online... and Sportsmail has the first look (2012) - dailymail.co.uk". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
- ↑ Roy Race as good as Pelé - The Roy Race Talk In
- ↑ England Career - www.royoftherovers.com
- ↑ 1983 Profile - royoftherovers.com
- ↑ On this day: Roy of the Rovers, 21 January 1978 - greatnewsforallreaders.com
- ↑ - FEATURE - Roy Race and England (2023) - royoftheroversstorkyk.blogspot
- ↑ "The Diary: Forget Pele, Roy is still a Race apart (1999) by Simon Turnball - independent.co.uk". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
- ↑ The 10 best comic book footballers - theguardian.com
- ↑ - Daily Mail
- ↑ Roy of the Rovers stuff...literally - by Dave Hartrick
- ↑ The Joy of Six: Football cartoons - The Guardian
- ↑ "Roy Of The Rovers Ruined The English Game (2011) - sabotagetimes.com". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ↑ Top Tens: Fictional Footballers - flairweekly.com
- ↑ TOP 10 COMIC FOOTBALLERS - footballcomicheroes.blogspot.com
- ↑ The Five Best Ever Imaginary Footballers - pastemagazine.com
- ↑ Is the fictional footballer on the rise again? - irishexaminer.com
- ↑ Η επιστροφή του Ρόι Ρέις [Καρπετόπουλος Αντώνης, karpetshow.gr, 09/03/2018
- ↑ The ultimate fictional football XI - including stars from Ted Lasso, Dream Team, Escape to Victory and more - 3addedminutes.com
- ↑ WATCH: Who makes it into the ultimate Fictional Footballer XI? - offtheball.com
- ↑ The Greatest Sporting Comic Book Characters of All-Time, 3/6/2021
- ↑ The Return Of Roy Of The Rovers, English Football's Greatest Hero - esquire.com
- ↑ Top 100 : Footballeurs fictifs (de 40 à 31)- sofoot.com
- ↑ 1981 Holiday Special
- ↑ 1984 Holiday Special
- ↑ 1977 Profile - royoftherovers.com
- ↑ 1983 Profile - royoftherovers.com
- ↑ 1991 Profile - royoftherovers.com
- ↑ 2000 Profile - royoftherovers.com
