Raya returned to Blackburn and made appearances in the Championship, but had to wait until the club’s relegation to League One to become first choice in 2017.
He proved instrumental for Rovers, instantly helping them to return to the second tier.
Jayson Leutwiler was back-up goalkeeper to Raya at Blackburn and saw the match-winning saves that have become so regular during the Spaniard’s time at Arsenal.
“He was able to make saves that would make you think, ‘wow this is a shot that one out of 10 times he would have saved it’,” said the former Canada international.
“But when it happens four, five or six times over the season, that’s just not a coincidence.”
Leutwiler played across England’s lower football leagues and believes playing at that level has great advantages to developing goalkeepers.
“You get exposed to smaller crowds, you get exposed to different pressures, they are difficult leagues, it’s more physical, you have to adapt a bit more,” added the 37-year-old.
“You could go to a great football pitch on a Saturday and the weekend after the conditions aren’t as great, maybe a smaller crowd and it only helps you to be more resilient when it gets to a bigger game at any level.”
Raya was then signed by Brentford for £3m in 2019, before Arsenal completed a £27m deal five years later, after a loan spell.
From that disappointing debut at Macclesfield, he has gone on to shine for club and country – being part of Spain’s victorious 2024 Euros squad and helping Arsenal win the Premier League for the first time in 22 years.
Now the Gunners, and Raya, will cap a dream double if they overcome PSG in Budapest, and leave his old colleagues proud of his achievements.
Carden said: “He had that confidence and that determination, but it didn’t stop him from being a good team-mate.
“Everybody who crossed paths with him at his time at Southport is delighted. It is a real credit to him.
“I don’t think anyone could have written that tale, which is why it’s such a good one.”
