Football has lost
Geoff Hurst leads tributes to World Cup legend Jack Charlton,who died aged 85
ENGLAND World Cup winner Jack Charlton was yesterday hailed as “one of the greats” by his 1966 hat-trick hero team mate Geoff Hurst.
Sir Geoff, 78, led tributes to the legend, who has died at the age of 85.
The former striker said of his old centre-half: “Jack was a great, lovable character and he will be hugely missed.
“The world of football and the world beyond the game have lost one of the true greats.”
The pair – plus Jack’s younger brother Bobby – were both members of the team that captivated the nation as they won football’s greatest trophy at Wembley Stadium in 1966.
Jack was one of the defensive keys to England’s sole World Cup triumph, which was watched by a record UK television audience of 32.3 million. In stark contrast to the multimillionaires of today’s game, he and his fellow players earned bonuses of £1,000 per man for the triumph.
The whole team celebrated their win at the Royal Garden Hotel in West London.
Jack woke up the next morning after sleeping on the floor of a random couple’s house in North London – with his winner’s medal in his pocket.
Later, in a nod to his mining roots, he kept the historic medal in a coal bucket at his home.
In recent years the ex-leeds United star, known fondly as Big Jack, had been battling dementia and lymphoma.
On Friday he died peacefully, with his family around him, at home in the county of his birth Northumberland.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years Pat, sons John and Peter and daughter Deborah, along with grandchildren and great-grandkids.
His heartbroken family said last night: “We cannot express how proud we are of the extraordinary life he led and the pleasure he brought to so many people in different countries and from all walks of life.
“He was a thoroughly honest, kind, funny and genuine man who always had time for people. His loss will leave a huge hole in all our lives but we are thankful for a lifetime of happy memories.”
In his playing career, central defender Jack was a one-club man, making 773 appearances for Leeds over 23 years and winning many trophies including the First Division title and FA Cup. The club said yesterday: “His contribution will never be forgotten.”
He had a “second career” as a football manager, leading Middlesbrough and
Sheffield Wednesday – then Newcastle United in his native North East.
In 1985 he became the
Republic of Ireland team’s manager.
That move turned him into perhaps the most famous
Englishman in all of Ireland as he proudly led the national side to the Euros in 1988 and then the World
Cup quarter-finals in 1990. During that World Cup in Italy he met Pope John Paul II, who told him: “I know who you are – you’re the boss.”
A statue commemorating Jack’s achievements still now stands at Cork airport. It shows him with his trademark rod and other fishing gear.
He was a lifetime fan of outdoors pursuits and it was said he had it written into his contract to manage Middlesbrough that he could take three days off each week for fishing and hunting.
When he bought a house in Ballina, Co Mayo, he made sure it allowed him direct access to the
River Moy’s prime salmon and trout angling spots.
It was said Jack was so popular across the Irish Sea that he never had to put his hand in his pocket for a pint.
He once said: “The truth is, it’s not unusual for me to be standing at a bar and a pint of beer will appear in front of me when I’ve already got one.
“Or I go to pay my bill and find it has already been taken care of. That happens. The Irish are very, very generous people.”
Jack was born in the coal mining village of Ashington, Northumberland, in 1935. He was the eldest of four brothers and his father was a miner.
Money was so tight that the siblings shared the same bed.
The Charlton boys were born into a football dynasty. Their mother Cissie Milburn, was the cousin of Newcastle United and England legend Jackie Milburn and five of their direct relatives also played professional football.
Jack married Pat Kemp in January 1958, with Bobby acting as best man.
The iconic image of Jack and Bobby hugging after the World Cup win is among the most famous in English football – but in later years the brothers fell out.
They were said to possess vastly different personalities, with Bobby