Ex-international Raymond King bedridden

Former youth international, Raymond King, is currently undergoing therapy at the General Hospital in Ijaye, Ogun state, following what is perceived as a disorder of the mind.

Tribunesport gathered from a family source that King had been showing signs of mental disorder at home for nearly a month before relatives were advised to take him to hospital for proper treatment.

“He had been acting strangely of late,” said the source.

“At first, we thought it was one of those illnesses but as his situation worsened as he started blood vomitting, we had to seek experts intervention.”

He added that it was still early in the day to ascertain if the former flambuoyant goalkeeper was improving since moving into the ward.

A patient at Ward 7 of the General Hospital in Ijaye, Abeokuta said, King’s relatives are asking for help from the public to save their son’s life.

“He has touched many lives as a player and later as a coach. We hope his fans and football authorities would be of tremendous help at this difficult situation of his.’’

King played school football across the South West states of Nigeria and graduated into the Flying Eagles of the 1979/80 set. He made his name playing for the Shooting Stars of Ibadan and was in goal during the team’s 1984 campaign for the then CAF African Cup of Champions where the team finished as runners-up to Zamalek of Egypt.

He later left the Shooting Stars and joined the defunct Abiola Babes of Abeokuta with whom he won the 1987 FA Cup title.

One of his former team-mates at Abiola Babes, Taju Disu told Tribunesport on Friday that ex-internationals would rally round King and ensure he regains his health.

“Raymond is part of us and we shall try and see his condition first and later ensure he gets the best of treatments,” he added.