ONE of Cornish football's gentlemen passed away at the weekend.

Ray Nicholls, who played for and managed Falmouth Town during his successful career, died on Sunday having been diagnosed with bone cancer at the start of December. He was 63.

David Ball, who played with Ray for 20 years and was also his assistant manager at Falmouth, said: "He was one of the few blokes I have played with who never upset anyone else. He was one of the most popular blokes in Cornish football and never had a bad word to say about anyone."

Ray played for Falmouth Town in the Western League era from 1980-82, making 74 appearances and scoring 10 goals.

He later had two seasons as Falmouth Town manager from 1994 to 1996, finishing fourth and third respectively in the South-Western League.

In his younger days, having returned from playing professional football for two years with Southampton, Ray spent the majority of his playing career in the successful Newquay side of the 1970s and 1980s.

Ball added: "Ray was a midfielder and I played at right back - he was the first person I looked to pass to because he was always available for you. He was exceptionally good on the ball and an excellent passer. He worked his socks off and like all good players, he had so much time and space."

"I had been visiting Ray regularly with my son Daniel, who is Ray's godson, but I received a call from his wife Jean on Sunday morning to say that he'd passed away. I am very sorry, he was an outstanding bloke."

Ray's playing career ended in 1991 when he broke his leg in a challenge with Falmouth Town's Graham Heard during a Cornwall Senior Cup final at Truro.

His management career then began with Newquay and it was his team in 1991/92 that denied Falmouth a fourth domestic treble with a Cornwall Senior Cup win at St Blazey.

When Trevor Mewton's spell at Falmouth ended in 1994, Ray was the ideal man to succeed him.

Ball said: "I remember Ray being asked to go to Falmouth, but he said he would not even consider it if it meant that they were going to sack Trevor. When they explained that Trevor was leaving anyway, only then did Ray accept. That's the sort of bloke he was."

His first season brought Town a SWL Cup win, their first trophy for three years. There was also a run to the fifth round of the FA Vase, a run ended by a heavy defeat to Belper. He resigned at the end of the 1995/96 season.

He also managed Cornwall to a South West Counties Championship in 2004, the only manager ever to do so.

Former Falmouth Town player Tommy Matthews, who played against him on numerous occasions, said: "Ray was such a graceful player who never looked in a rush while he played. He had a range of passing that most of us envied and the vision to distribute the ball in a disguised fashion that cut teams to pieces.

"He was a fierce competitor on the pitch but a real gentleman off it and always had time for a chat and was never “big” about himself. He was a leader and a team mate and later a successful manager who was able to attract the best players because they all wanted to play for Ray. Who wouldn’t when you saw the silky football that matched the man who led them?

"His passing is tragic for his family and friends and for all of us that either watched him play or were lucky enough to share the same field with him. Rest in peace Ray, you’ll always be remembered as someone very, very special."

Ray is survived by his wife Jean and two sons Adam, a consultant at Southampton Hospital, and Matt, a teacher at Bugle School, and his brother Graham. Details of the funeral have not yet been released.