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Former Albion player Ray Treacy dies at 68

Former Albion player Ray Treacy has died at the age of 68.

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The Dublin-born footballer died last night following a short illness, West Bromwich Albion announced this morning.

Albion has today paid tribute to the inside-forward, who joined the club in 1961 - part of the same intake that included Tony Brown.

"The Dublin-born Treacy began his career in his native Ireland with Home Farm but joined the Albion as a youngster in 1961," said the club.

"A brave, sprightly inside-forward, his lack of stature at 5ft 9ins did not stop him offering a useful aerial threat too, but in an era when Albion possessed the likes of John Kaye and, of course, Jeff Astle, up front, chances to break into the first team were few and far between.

"Ray made his debut on October 8th 1966, scoring in a 2-2 draw at Sunderland's Roker Park in the absence of both Astle and Kaye, but their return for the next game saw Treacy back on the sidelines.

"One start and a handful of substitute appearances in the cup winning season of 1967/68 followed before a move to Charlton Athletic seemed to signal the end of his Albion career.

"But he wasn't done with The Hawthorns yet and after John Giles' side had won promotion in 1975/76, the call came for Treacy to return to the Black Country to add experience to the Throstles' front line, partnering the likes of Ally Brown and David Cross.

"Treacy enjoyed an incendiary start to his second Albion spell, scoring twice on debut as we drew 2-2 at Derby County, grabbing another as we turned a 2-0 half-time deficit against Spurs into a 4-2 win and then netting in our 4-0 mauling of Manchester United to make it four goals in his first four games.

"He wasn't quite so prolific thereafter but still played a pivotal role as Albion established themselves in the top division again, scoring six goals that season before, as Giles departed for Shamrock Rovers at the end of the campaign, Treacy elected to go with him. That did finally bring down the curtain on an Albion career of 24 starts, four substitute appearances and seven goals.

"Thereafter, Treacy, who also won 42 caps for the Republic of Ireland, enjoyed a playing and then managerial career in his native land, scoring the winner for Shamrock Rovers in the 1978 FAI Cup final and, in 1994, managing Rovers to the league title.

"Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. Rest easy Ray."

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