Bobby Charlton KBE, CBE, OBE (born October 11,
1937) is a former English football player, one of the most
famous names in the game and a hero of the 1966 World Cup. He is
still considered by many to be England's greatest ever
footballer.
He was born in Ashington, a mining village in Northumberland.
One of his uncles was a professional footballer, Jackie Milburn,
but it was Charlton's mother who coached him at first. His elder
brother, Jack Charlton, went to work as a miner before also
becoming a professional soccer player.
As a teenager, Charlton was picked for the England schoolboys'
team, and as a result of his performance he was approached by
several soccer clubs, including Manchester United F.C. Under
manager, Matt Busby, he was groomed for greater things. Charlton
survived the Munich Air Disaster of February 6, 1958, which
killed eight members of the team; he had been thrown clear of
the wreckage. Three months later, he was playing in the F.A. Cup
Final.
During his career, Charlton scored 49 international goals for
England, winning 106 caps and a World Cup winners medal in 1966.
He also won the FA Cup (1963), European Cup (1968) and three
league titles (1957, 1965, 1967) with Manchester United, the
only club he played for, for whom he played 752 games and scored
247 goals.
After leaving United in 1973 he was player-manager for one
season for Preston North End and after another short but
unsuccessful spell in football management he joined the board at
Old Trafford. He was appointed an OBE in 1969 and a CBE in 1974,
and was awarded a knighthood in 1994.
He had a haircut that some considered very humorous (bald on
top, with the side bits grown long and combed over the top). His
brother Jack Charlton was also a football player and was a
defender at Leeds United F.C.. |
