Ray Wilkins passes away aged 61: Former club Chelsea lead tributes to ex-England captain

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Ray Wilkins has died aged 61 after suffering a cardiac arrest last week, with tributes now pouring in from the footballing world for a much-loved former Chelsea, Manchester United and England star.

The player-turned-pundit remained an active figure in football right up until his untimely death, having held coaching positions with Aston Villa and Fulham in recent years and regularly appearing on TV and radio to offer analysis and opinion on the game.

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A fine player at his peak and always a well-informed, articulate pundit, Wilkins will clearly be sorely missed by all those involved in English football and beyond.

BBC Sport have confirmed Wilkins’ passing in a London hospital, where he’d been treated for a cardiac arrest for the last five days.

Tributes are now pouring in on Twitter, while BBC Sport also quote a club statement from Chelsea, who said they were ‘devastated to learn of the passing of our former player, captain and assistant coach’, and adding: ‘Rest in peace, Ray, you will be dreadfully missed.’

Wilkins also played for Manchester United, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain in a distinguished career that saw him win 84 caps for England, whom he also had the honour of captaining on ten occasions.

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