| Ray Gooding | |
| Birth Date: | 16 February 1959 |
| Birth Place: | Hartlepool, County Durham, England |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Youthclubs1: | Coventry City |
| Years1: | 1976–1982 |
| Caps1: | 49 |
| Goals1: | 5 |
| Years2: | 1982 |
| Clubs2: | → Bristol City (loan) |
| Caps2: | 3 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 1982–1983 |
| Caps3: | 7 |
| Goals3: | 1 |
Ray Gooding (born 16 February 1959) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. He made 59 appearances in the Football League for Coventry City, Bristol City and Plymouth Argyle.
Gooding began his career with Coventry City, having been signed by Gordon Milne in 1976.[1] [2] He scored five goals in 49 league appearances over the next six years and spent a month on loan with Bristol City during the 1981–82 season.[1] Gooding joined Plymouth Argyle in 1982 and scored once in nine league and cup games before suffering a cruciate ligament injury.[2] [3] Having been forced to give up professional football, he played briefly for Bedworth United in non-league football before ending his career.[2]
Gooding returned to Coventry in 1988 when John Sillett appointed him to work with John Peacock as a football development officer in the community at the club's centre of excellence.[4] He went on to be responsible for young player recruitment and first met Richard Money when he was appointed academy director during Gordon Strachan's tenure as manager.[4] Under their stewardship, Coventry's youth team reached two FA Youth Cup finals.[2] [4] Gooding took redundancy in the summer of 2008 and became a member of Money's academy staff at Newcastle United.[2] [4] He later worked for Birmingham City as a recruitment officer and scout for their academy.[5] [6]