He died in Rossall Hospital, aged 74, after a short illness.

Charnley's long-time close friend and team-mate Jimmy Armfield described the £750 transfer fee that the Seasiders paid to Morecambe to bring him to Bloomfield Road in 1957 as one of the greatest bargains pulled off by the club in their entire history.

And Charnley's scoring record for Blackpool underlines that claim.
Charnley scored 193 league goals in 363 matches, which puts him third on the all-time scoring charts for the Seasiders behind only such greats as Jimmy Hampson and Stan Mortensen.

And it is the kind of goals-to-games ratio that most present-day strikers can only dream about.

Armfield paid a glowing tribute to the dark-haired centre forward, who was outstanding in the air, but also adept on the ground for a big man.

He said: "He was my room-mate for 10 years and one of my closest friends.

"The money Blackpool paid to Morecambe must go down as their best-ever signing – apart from Stanley Matthews, of course."

Charnley's talents were recognised at a national level when he was awarded his one and only England cap in the 1962-3 season.

Charnley's strike rate is all the more commendable, given that the vast bulk of his goals were scored at the top level, in what would now be regarded as the Premier League.

Armfield said: "Jack Charlton once told me that he hated playing against Ray."

For a full tribute, see Monday's Gazette.