You really can say all you need to know about some people, without saying too much at all. Be it about a person, or someone’s achievements. If we were to think of the world of football, and say that in the history of the game only NINE men have ever won the incredible treble of the World Cup, the European Cup/Champions League as well as the Balon d’Or (Golden Ball) award for the best player in the world during their careers, it must be quite the incredible list… Well, instead of Gerd Muller, Franz Beckenbauer (although, I am sure I will touch upon him later), Paulo Rossi, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho (I have actually done a blog on him before), Zinedine Zidane, Kaka, or even the great Lionel Messi, today I will talk about English football’s greatest ever player (in my humble opinion anyway). The great man sadly left us recently, so it seems as good a time as ever to talk about someone who had the sort of football career and life that even Hollywood may think was a little far-fetched. A man who came from humble beginnings in Ashington, Northumberland (around 15 miles from Newcastle) and went on to play over SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY games for Manchester United, it’s quite the story to say the least. But not only that, this is a man who overcame a most incredibly tragic and sad personal experience, physical injuries on top of untold mental trauma, helped rebuild one of the great clubs in football from quite literally the ground upwards, and had a huge part in his footballing nation’s greatest ever day, and above all else, and this has been the unequivocal sentiment since his sad passing, this is a man who in everything he did, did so with a touch of class and grace rarely seen in modern football or the modern-day world in fact. This was maybe the last true gentleman of football. Sir Bobby Charlton.
The story of Sir Bobby the football legend really began on January 1st 1953 when a 15 year old Charlton signed amateur forms with Manchester United. He would soon become a part of the famous ‘Busby Babes’ team across the 1950s and 60s, he also did his national service alongside his footballing duties for a period too. Charlton scored 12 goals in 17 appearances in his first season at the club, they also won the league championship in 1956/57 season and made it to the FA Cup final. Still only aged 19, Charlton became a firm part of the first team at United as they got to the semi finals of the European Cup in their first season in the competition (the first of any English side by the way). It was this European Cup run that would tragically change the course of Charlton’s life and Manchester United’s footballing history forever.
Charlton wasn’t just a star for club, but for his country also. He made his debut in 1958 in a 4-0 win against Scotland, and soon after scored both goals in a 2-1 England win over Portugal. He was later called up to the 1958 World Cup squad, but didn’t appear, before taking an active part in the England World Cup runs in 1962, 1966 and 1970. In 1962, England fell to eventual champions Brazil, with Charlton’s personal highlight being a goal in a 3-1 win over Argentina. The year after, a hat-trick in an 8-1 win over Switzerland took Charlton up to 30 goals for his country, and he soon was the outright top scorer after a goal against Wales in October 1963.
What was amazing about Charlton, was the fact that at this point, Alf Ramsey moved him back positionally. Jimmy Greaves was eventually moved to playing as the main center forward, with Bobby Charlton being moved to what would be called in the modern day an attacking midfield role. Bare in mind this was the England top scorer here, so it was bold to say the least of the manager to move him from the prominent forward role…
Charlton also played a part of the England Euro 1968 run to the semi finals, as well as in the 1970 World Cup where England got to the quarter finals before West Germany gained some revenge in a 3-2 win. It was at that point where Bobby decided to call time on his international career, his brother Jack did the same. Bobby Charlton ended his England career with 106 caps and 49 goals, having played large chunk of those games as a midfielder.
Of course, Sir Bobby was best known for his playing exploits for Manchester United and England (which I will focus the blog upon), but he did have a number of positions in football outside of both of those… Charlton played for a season at Preston North End in the third division after a year away from club football, followed by short spells with Waterford United in Ireland, and three lower league clubs in Australia in the years that followed. Bobby was actually the Preston manager in 1973, but after suffering relegation put back on his playing boots before leaving early into the 1975/76 season. He was also later a director at Wigan Athletic (briefly acting as their caretaker manager in 1983) before the next year, he was invited onto the board at Manchester United, a position he would hold for the rest of his life.
Going in to the World Cup on home soil in 1966, England were looking to better their quarter final defeat by eventual winners Brazil. Now coached by former Ipswich Town manager Alf Ramsey, the host nation began in rather frustrating fashion, a 0-0 draw. But coming up against 2-time former World Champions in Uruguay, maybe not a bad point all things considered. Nonetheless England responded in perfect fashion with a 2-0 win over Mexico with goals from Bobby Charlton and Roger Hunt, before 2 more from Hunt against France in the next game saw England top their group and advance to the knockout stages. A Geoff Hurst goal was enough to get past Argentina, setting up a semi final match with a Portuguese team boasting the then holder of the Balon d’Or, and a man who led Benfica to the European Cup in 1962, the great Eusebio. But… it wasn’t his night. The 26th July 1966 belonged to Bobby Charlton.
Two goals from the Ashington man and England were into the final. A glorious night for him, and whilst another man got the headlines a few days later, this was the game in which Bobby Charlton solidified himself as the best player in the world (a handball given against him aside…).
And so onto the final England went, and of course it had to be West Germany they were up against. England were without their star attacker in Jimmy Greaves, so the responsibility would fall to Geoff Hurst… And you know the rest there… But the match would put forward the enthralling prospect of an individual battle pitting Charlton against another all-time great, Franz Beckenbauer.
But of course, we know who had the last laugh, and the ultimate triumph followed. And what a source of pride it must have been for the Charlton household. The two brothers sharing in the perfect moment together whilst representing their nation.
But if that was the ultimate triumph in Bobby Charlton’s footballing journey, he sadly experienced the ultimate tragedy too.
On February 6th 1958, an aircraft carrying the Manchester United team (returning from a victorious European Cup match with Red Star Belgrade) crashed after it’s 3rd attempt to take off from the airport in Munich, Germany. Of the 44 people on board (made up of the team players and staff, as well as some fans and journalists), 20 died there and then, with 3 more passing later in hospital. There were just 21 survivors.
As for Manchester United, the team was of course destroyed by the disaster; 8 players died including star man Duncan Edwards, a further two players never played football again, and 3 members of club staff also passed away.
The manager Matt Busby was so badly injured that he spent two months in hospital, with assistant Jimmy Murphy taking charge of the team in the interim. The club was of course on it’s knees, but persevered in extraordinary fashion. A team of mainly reserve and youth players represented United from then on, with players signed from lower league clubs, non-league sides and on short team deals. There were also changes made upstairs at the club, with a new secretary and coach added… United one once more in the league the rest of that season, lost the FA Cup final and suffered a 4-0 defeat at San Siro against AC Milan to exit the European Cup. But really, none of that mattered, at all. The fact that Manchester United still existed, and that anyone survived the disaster was enough.
Football United around Manchester in the aftermath, Liverpool offered 5 players on loan deals, Real Madrid (with support from many other clubs) suggested United be awarded the European Cup that year, it was suggested Manchester City take United’s place should they not be able to fulfill their European games, but that was rejected (including by City themselves) and never happened, and there was even a proposal that the great Alfredo Di Stefano join the club on loan for the rest of the 1958/59 season, but an FA ruling blocked such a move. Real Madrid did though organize friendly and charity games for the clubs to help raise them some much needed funds.
Bobby Charlton suffered relatively minor injuries, but was the first to leave hospital and returned to England 8 days after the crash. He was still just 20 years old, and returned to playing on March 1st 1958 just under a month after the crash. He was seen as someone who could help rebuild the club from on the pitch, but given the circumstances maybe it was more a hope rather than expectation… Charlton went on the lead the club through a quite remarkable period, as The Busby Babes rebuilt the great Manchester United. They won the FA Cup in 1963 (Bobby winning the final at the 3rd attempt), and the club followed with league titles in 1965 and 1967 with Charlton winning the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1965/66.
And further success followed… from the ultimate tragedy in 1958, a decade on came their finest hour.
Law, Best, Charlton. A simply god-like trio that had Manchester United as the best team around once again. A trio that helped United on their way to the European Cup Final in 1968 against Benfica (led by that man Eusebio), a final that would take place at… Wembley Stadium.
United were without Dennis Law due to injury, whilst Eusebio led the line for Benfica. But in the end, destiny was finally on the side of an English club in the biggest match in European club football.
From tragedy and all that brings with it, to the ultimate win. For the same club. In 10 years. Manchester United, with Bobby Charlton as captain, lifted the European Cup a decade on from the Munich disaster.
Football. Nothing quite like it.
Overall, Bobby Charlton played 758 games for Manchester United, scoring 249 goals. He gained 106 caps for England, scoring 49 goals. He won with United a total of 3 league titles, an FA Cup, 2 Charity Shields, and of course, one glorious European Cup. Add to that the World Cup with England. The Balon d’Or in 1966 was just the peak of an array of individual honors to go with his trophies.
Quite the career, and quite the life, for quite the man.
RIP Sir Bobby Charlton. THE legend of Manchester United and England.
Josh.