City signed the skilful winger from Wednesfield in September 1953. After a year in the reserves he made his first team debut in a 1-1 draw at Newport in October 1954 and played a further ten games that season alongside other promising youngsters like Reg Matthews, Gordon Nutt, Frank Austin and Barry Hawkings. When Jesse Carver took over as manager in the summer of 1955, it seemed that Sambrook might become a long-term fixture at Highfield Road. His style of play was ideally suited to the push and run brand of soccer that Carver introduced. Carver left after a few months and Ray’s performances started attracting the First Division scouts. Several offers were rejected but finally in January 1958, with City’s financial position in a parlous state he was sold to Manchester City for £15,000.

In total he played 99 league and cup games for Coventry and scored 25 goals. His best season was undoubtedly 1956-57 when he scored 14 goals from the wing and was one of the few bright spots in a miserable season which saw City finish 16^th in Division Three South.

At Maine Road he made a good early impression in City’s Division 1 side alongside stars like Bert Trautmann, Ken Barnes and Bobby Johnstone. He scored three goals in 16 games in his first season and was a regular during 1958-59 but he lost his place in 1959 and played only a handful of games over the next three years. In June 1962 he joined Doncaster Rovers but after only eight games he moved on again to Crewe but never played for their first team. After retiring from the game he had a variety of jobs including a spell working in Manchester nightclubs but was happiest after he and his wife Wendy moved to South Wales and when he was working for his local council training youth footballers.

He was a keen gardener and never had an ill day in his life but was diagnosed with cancer of the stomach just weeks before he died.

Penalties (1 - scored)
1955-56
14 April 1956 v Torquay United H, Division Three South, scored (keeper Jimmy Kirk)