Ray Wilkins is no longer with us. Joel Slagle writes why the idea of Ray Wilkins remains relevant; and why it is important now more than ever, to recognize those that perform a yeoman’s work for their side.
Why do we study history? Teachers of the subject love this question. It usually features prominently in the first session of the term. It is usually a rhetorical prelude to an esoteric self-justification. I know because I sat through many such lectures, and, later, I gave a few of them myself.
So, when I heard the news that Ray Wilkins had passed away, it made me ponder the role of history in the life of a football fan. There are a number of Chelsea fans that came of age in the ‘70s and witnessed him captaining the side at the tender age of 18. However, there are many more who did not. Wilkins was just an assistant coach who got the sack unexpectedly back in 2010 or a name from the club’s history.
We study history because it is us inside out. To study it is to know what is inside an individual: his or her prejudices, joys, ambitions, fears, and pain are all there. And then that person is illuminated. Studying the past no longer becomes some sort of dry, didactic exercise. To learn of the past is to love in the present. It is an affirmation of connection and brotherhood. Which is what football is all about at its best, isn’t it?