RIP Sir Bobby Charlton

[Peter]

Thought this would cheer you all up:-

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67188823

 

[Von Broad]

Garry, I think Gordon Banks may be talking to Colin Bell, rather than Jeff Astle.  I think you are right about Emlyn Hughes.  Nice to think about Lee and Hunter in such proximity!

Gordon Banks is talking to Keith Newton in that picture (Not Colin Bell).


Left-to-right: Jeff Astle, Gordon Banks, Keith Newton, Francis Lee, Tommy Wright, (Not Emlyn Hughes), Bobby Charlton, ? , ?

Thanks, De Sisti!

Yes, thanks.
[I don't recall Keith Newton as a player at all.]

[Peter]

Northern boy - Blackburn and Everton.  Died in his 50s, sadly.

[Wowbagger]

I think I probably watched Bobby Charlton play on one occasion. I certainly went to Old Trafford. It would have been Charlton's last season with Man U.

The match was against Newcastle, and I remember very little of it. I recall Man U scoring first, and the crowd's reaction was something totally beyond my experience. We were swayed up and down the terrace with the crowd's movement. Probably the most memorable incident in the game was Jim Holton being sent off for headbutting Malcolm MacDonald. I'm pretty sure the score was 2 - 1. My google-fu isn't strong enough to find Holton ("Six foot 2, Eyes of blue, big Jim Holton's after you!") being sent off. I don't suppose it was that unusual an occurrence, given his reputation.

Assuming I've got the right match (and the one thing I am absolutely certain of is that Holton was sent off for that headbutt) then Charlton was in the team. Damned shame I can't remember him.

[Peter]

Manchester United won 2 - 1 at Old Trafford  and Newcastle won 2 - 1 at St James's. 

[Salvatore]

I saw him play in Paddy Crerand's testimonial on 26/11/1975 - the then current 1975 team (Coppel, Macari, Hill, Buchan etc) against the 1968 European Cup team. This is the 1968 team that night. I think there was one change from the actual 1968 team. Possibly David Herd for Bill Foulkes.


I remember one bit of action. Charlton was just in front of where I was standing and sent a ball into the box. I thought it had been overhit, but it sort of faded, and Denis Law leapt to head the ball narrowly over the bar.  The final score was 7-2.

According to the pres the next day: MANCHESTER UNITED 1968 Stepney; Brennan (Herd); Dunne, Crerand. Sadler, Stiles. Best, Kidd,  Charlton. Law, Burns.

[Peter]

Who won?  These things are usually arranged so that the recipient is on the winning side, I think.

[JellyLegs]

One of my football spectator regrets is that I was too young to see Sir Bobby Charlton play in the flesh and only have TV recordings to wonder at.  Truly one of the greats of a great generation. Rest in peace.

[Salvatore]

Who won?  These things are usually arranged so that the recipient is on the winning side, I think.

Not in this case. Here's the write-up from the following day's Scotsman

[Peter]

Thanks, Salvatore!  4 goals from David McCreery, who spent the bulk of his career at Newcastle.  The report paints a vivid picture of a lovely night.  Loved the bit about "testimonialee" Crerand making a disastrous mistake!

[Salvatore]

Lots of press reports reported it optimistically as the first step in a George Best comeback. He was due to start for Stockport County three days later.

My main memory is that the size of the crowd was unexpected, with the result that there was overcrowding outside (not enough turnstiles open?) and inside (it was more jammed where we were standing than for a  league match when OT was at 60,000 capacity - not all areas of the ground open?).

[De Sisti]

Courtesy of the "I grew up in Manchester" Facebook page, by Clare Gorton.
Colin Bell's testimonial match 1978 (Manchester v Merseyside).

[De Sisti]

Picture from John Davies on the We grew up in Manchester Facebook page.

In 1963, shortly after Manchester United's FA Cup victory, Sir Bobby Charlton was at Booth Hall Children's Hospital in North Manchester, where he engaged in charitable community work.

[Peter]

Lad in the next bed visited by Johnny Giles?

[De Sisti]

Lad in the next bed visited by Johnny Giles*?

How heartwarming to see someone make fun of a sick child. Your empathy is nowhere to be seen! 🙄

[JonBuoy]

Lad in the next bed visited by Johnny Giles*?

How heartwarming to see someone make fun of a sick child. Your empathy is nowhere to be seen! 🙄

I think Peter was making fun of Johnny Giles (whoever he is) and feeling sorry for the child.

[Peter]

Thank you, Jonbuoy.  Indeed, Johnny Giles played alongside Bobby Charlton in that final before moving to Leeds, where he was one of several players who helped that team to its unsurpassed level of violence.  De Sisti, I've been looking after my own sick child for twenty years now, so go and take your purity somewhere else.  I'm getting a bit sick of people sinking their teeth into me on this thread.

EDIT  Just realised it is YOUR thread.  But I'm still fed up.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

I was away camping in wild and wet Wales as we listened to the final on someone’s tiny, tinny-sounding white plastic Japanese transistor radio, underneath a canopy of dripping trees. I don’t recall thinking it a such a momentous occasion as it seems to have become!  Maybe if it had been Scotland..

It’s good to hear former Essex cricketer, Sir Geoff Hurst lives on.

[Von Broad]

It’s good to hear former Essex cricketer, Sir Geoff Hurst lives on.

Last man standing now from 66.
At least I think he is.....[I'll trust myself on this one without resorting to opening up another G search.]

[Genosse Brymbo]

It’s good to hear former Essex cricketer, Sir Geoff Hurst lives on.

Last man standing now from 66.
At least I think he is.....[I'll trust myself on this one without resorting to opening up another G search.]

Did I ever mention that sometime between 1975 and 1980 Geoff Hurst pulled a pint for me and my mates at the Sheet Anchor pub in Baldwin's Gate, just south of Newcastle-under-Lyme?

[Peter]

I don't think so.  I should mention it now, while Geoff's still around!

[Wowbagger]

It seems he's gone from Chelmsford to Cheltenham via Chelsea.

[Wowbagger]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/oct/25/bobby-charlton-goals-footballer-darts-snooker-gentleman

There's a photo of Bobby Charlton scoring another headed goal, v Liverpool in 1964.

[Von Broad]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/oct/25/bobby-charlton-goals-footballer-darts-snooker-gentleman

There's a photo of Bobby Charlton scoring another headed goal, v Liverpool in 1964.

Ha!
When I look at that photograph - only one thing comes to mind...
Quiz: what is it that came to mind.
Clue: Only people of a certain age are more likely to get it, because I'm not sure it's around anymore?

XXXX XXX XXX

[it's easy ]

[De Sisti]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/oct/25/bobby-charlton-goals-footballer-darts-snooker-gentleman

There's a photo of Bobby Charlton scoring another headed goal, v Liverpool in 1964.

Ha!
When I look at that photograph - only one thing comes to mind...
Quiz: what is it that came to mind.
Clue: Only people of a certain age are more likely to get it, because I'm not sure it's around anymore?

XXXX XXX XXX

[it's easy ]

Go on then, what is it?