Horatio Stratton "Raich" Carter (21 December 1913 – 9 October 1994)[1][2] was an English sportsman who played football for Sunderland, Derby County and Hull City, as well as representing England on thirteen occasions.

According to family legend, at the age of 3, Raich was promised a trial with Leicester City when he reached 17 by their scout George Metcalfe, a former South Shields player.

[6] On 23 April 1927, he made his England Schoolboy debut, scoring once in the 6–1 win over Wales at Eastville Stadium, home of Bristol Rovers.

His uncle Ted, who had been acting as his guardian since his father's death in March 1928, was not impressed and insisted he learn a trade to fall back on and also noted Carter was still too small and light for professional football.

On 27 December 1931 on a heavy pitch, Carter did not impress and was told by the Leicester City manager Willie Orr that he was too small.

On 10 October 1931 Carter made his debut for Sunderland reserves against Walker Celtic He retained his place a week later.

[14] He followed that up with victory in the 1937 FA Cup final, scoring the second Sunderland goal in a 3–1 win over Preston North End.

Amongst his many admirers was the great Stanley Matthews, who said about him "I felt [he] was the ideal partner for me... Carter was a supreme entertainer who dodged, dribbled, twisted and turned, sending bewildered left-halves madly along false trails.

[27] He guested for Huddersfield Town, Hartlepools United, York City, Derby County and Nottingham Forest.

Schoolboy ideas of a dual football-cricket career were discounted as Carter felt he would be unable to give his full attention to two sports and that cricket would probably involve moving away from home and his widowed mother and sisters and serving a residential qualification before being eligible to play for a first-class county.

[28] In July 1933 he made his debut in the Second Eleven Championship for Durham County Cricket Club against Yorkshire's Second XI at Headingley.

Batting at number 10, he top scored with 44 runs in a total of 145 and retained his place in the next game when Durham beat the touring West Indies at Ashbrooke, Sunderland, although he was dismissed for a duck.

[31] During the summer, Carter was a regular club cricketer playing mainly in the Durham Senior League for Hendon and Sunderland Police.

In the summer of 1936, due to loyalty to Hendon, he rejected interest from several clubs who wanted to employ him as their cricket professional.

Carter was interviewed for the position but there were two stumbling blocks, the length of the contract and Leeds' wish to make the appointment at the end of the season.

[34] Carter continued his playing career at Hull City,[35] winning the Division Three North title and reaching the Round 6 of the FA Cup in his first season and buying a young Don Revie.

Several clubs expressed an interest in signing him but he continued to train with Hull City, who retained his playing contract, until the directors asked him not to.

On 9 May 1958, the chairman, Sam Bolton announced Carter's contract would not be renewed, saying,"it was with regret that the decision had been reached" and there were tears in his eyes when he said it.

Carter saw it as necessary to issue short and sharp instructions to teammates in a loud voice to be heard over crowd noise.

[43] In an interview with the Hull Daily Mail in February 1949, Carter joked, "I used to be arrogant but I've matured and grown more tolerant; now I'm just conceited" .

[44] As a manager, Carter was a traditionalist with no real interest in coaching, believing in fostering a strong team spirit, being nurturing and, supportive of his players.

[47] Carter was noted as "silver haired" during his Derby County days and advertised Nufix haircream when at Hull City.

Immediately after the wedding, he and best man, Bobby Gurney had to leave the reception to join up with their Sunderland teammates in the Bushey Hall Hotel, Watford, where they were preparing for the FA Cup Final.

[51] On 27 June 1953, Rose Carter died in a Hull hospital, having suffered from rheumatic fever as a child and since childbirth a weak heart.

[52] On 3 January 1955, Carter married Patricia Dixon, a former Hull City office employee and Yorkshire netball player.

[54] In late 1958, the Carters opened a newsagent's shop in Anlaby Road, opposite West Park, in Hull.

Initially, business was slow due to a printing strike but improved in the summer of 1959 when they opened an ice cream parlour in a spare room in the premises.

Also named in his honour is The Raich Carter Sports Centre in the Hendon area of Sunderland, opened in 2001 near to where he grew up and loosely on the site of his hometown club's first ever ground.

The opening game at the new KC Stadium between Hull City and Sunderland in December 2002 was played for the 'Raich Carter Trophy'.