Roy Bailey (footballer)

Roy Bailey

Personal information
Date of birth	(1932-05-26)26 May 1932
Place of birth	Epsom, Surrey, England
Date of death	1993 (aged 60)
Place of death	South Africa
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Youth career
	Tottenham Hotspur
	Crystal Palace
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1949–1956	Crystal Palace	118	(0)
1956–1965	Ipswich Town	315	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Roy Bailey (26 May 1932 – April 1993) was an English professional association footballer, who played as a goalkeeper. He made a total of 433 Football League appearances for Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town

Bailey was born in Epsom, Surrey, the fifth child in a family of thirteen. During World War II, he was evacuated to Somerset, and was educated in Weston-super-Mare, before returning to his native Surrey at the age of 15. He played for Tottenham Juniors; however, it was a long way to travel from Epsom to North London, so he joined nearby Crystal Palace as an Amateur. During his National Service, he served in Germany, where he represented B.A.O.R., also reaching the quarter finals of the Army Cup.

Bailey signed professional terms in June 1949 and made his League debut against Torquay United at the age of 17 when Palace lost 3-1. However, he did not make regular appearances until after his Army service. Bailey missed only one match in the 1953–54 season and was granted a benefit, along with Jack Edwards in 1954.

He was signed for Ipswich Town, by Alf Ramsey, on the day before the transfer deadline in March 1956, and came into the League side in the Easter local derby match with Norwich City at Carrow Road. He conceded two goals in the first three minutes. Despite this start, he soon displaced George McMillan as the Town's regular 'keeper, and won Championship medals in the First, Second, and Third Divisions of the Football League. He became a qualified M.C.C. coach and F.A. coach.

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