Ray Stewart (Scottish footballer)

Ray Stewart

Ray Stewart at Upton Park, 25 September 2010
Personal information
Full name	Raymond Struan McDonald Stewart
Date of birth	(1959-09-07) 7 September 1959 (age 57)
Place of birth	Stanley, Perthshire, Scotland
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing position	Defender
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1976–1979	Dundee United	44	(5)
1979–1991	West Ham United	345	(62)
1991–1992	St Johnstone	17	(3)
1994–1995	Stirling Albion	2	(0)
Total		408	(70)
National team
1981–1987	Scotland	10	(1)
Teams managed
1998–2000	Livingston
2000–2002	Stirling Albion
2003–2004	Forfar Athletic
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Raymond "Ray" Struan McDonald Stewart (born 7 September 1959 in Stanley, Perthshire) is a former Scottish international footballer. During his career he played for Dundee United, West Ham United, St Johnstone and Stirling Albion winning the 1980 FA Cup with West Ham. Playing most of his career with West Ham he was renowned for his penalty taking abilities and his shooting, he scored 81 penalties. After his playing career ended he managed Livingston, Stirling Albion and Forfar Athletic.

Stewart played local football with Errol Rovers in the Dundee Sunday Boys' League before joining Dundee United in May 1973, turning down offers from other clubs including Glasgow Rangers. He made his debut days before his 17th birthday against Celtic where, playing as a midfielder, he was tasked with marking Kenny Dalglish. He was voted SPFA Young Player of the Year in 1979.

After three seasons with Dundee United he came to the attention of West Ham United. Turning down an initial bid of £175,000 he transferred to West Ham for a fee of £430,000 in 1979 making him the most expensive teenage footballer at the time. Stewart made his West Ham debut on 4 September 1979, playing as a defender, in a League Cup game against Barnsley. His first West Ham goal, a penalty, came on 29 September 1979 in a 2–1 home win against Burnley. In 1980 West Ham won the FA Cup. Stewart was West Ham's top scorer playing a vital part in their victory, including two goals in the fourth round against Leyton Orient and a last minute penalty winner in the quarter-final against Aston Villa. In the semi-final replay on 16 April 1980, against Everton, Stewart was moved into central defence replacing an injured Alvin Martin. The following season Stewart was a vital member of the team which won the 1980–81 Football League Division Two, playing 41 games and scoring five goals, all penalties. Renowned for his ability as a penalty taker he scored 81 out of 86 with only one miss on his home ground. His penalty taking technique involved him striking the ball with force with his right foot, with Stewart ending-up with both feet off of the ground. From his five misses he scored twice from the rebound. One of his penalties came in the 1–1 draw with Liverpool in the 1981 Football League Cup Final, West Ham however lost the replay.