Ray left angry at snub for champs
AS one of the Boys of ’66, World Cup winner Jack Charlton ought to have received a knighthood, says ex-Republic of Ireland midfielder
Ray Houghton.
Charlton, who handed the ex-Liverpool ace his Ireland debut in his first match in charge against Wales in 1986, died on Friday aged 85.
While a number of England’s 1966 stars received knighthoods in the years after they lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy, Charlton did not.
“He was a larger than life character,” said Houghton.
“The word legend is used too much in football but not for Jack, for what he’s done domestically with Leeds, winning the World Cup which he should have been knighted for, I’ve still never understood that – I think that’s an absolute disgrace – and the fact that he did so well with Ireland.
“He changed everything about Irish football.
“Jack came in and changed the mentality, got us through two World Cups and one European Championship. His legacy is absolutely huge.”
Former boxer Frank Bruno tweeted: “Jack Charlton RIP. I worked with Jack many times over the years he could never remember my name and just called me ‘bigman’.”
Bruno added he was “a great after dinner speaker” and a “real character”.
John Aldridge, Houghton and McCarthy’s former Republic team-mate, tweeted: “Absolutely gutted that Big Jack has passed away! What a football man, loved and adored, specially in Ireland.”
Former Republic of Ireland defender Mark Lawrenson said: “We started qualifying for major competitions – it was a massive achievement.”
ENGLISH football has been left mourning a true legend of the game following the death of World Cup winner Jack Charlton.
The former Leeds defender, who was an integral part of the England side that beat West Germany at Wembley in 1966, died at his home in Northumberland on Friday at the age of 85.
He had been diagnosed with lymphoma within the last 12 months and had also been suffering from dementia. His family was by his side when he passed away.
Charlton will be best remembered for helping Sir Alf Ramsey’s side conquer the world on that famous day in July 54 years ago.
But his overall contribution to the game went way beyond this, following a remarkable career that will mark him down as a genuine giant of British sport.
An OBE who became one of the game’s true characters, Charlton spent his entire club career with Leeds United from 1950 to 1973 – making a remarkable 773 appearances.
It is a record that might never be broken.
Born in Ashington, Charlton is the brother of fellow World Cup winner and Manchester United legend Sir Bobby and grew up sharing a bed with him.
He was offered a trial by Leeds at the age of 15. Initially he turned the invitation down in favour of working down the mines.
But having flirted with becoming a police officer, he went on to accept the chance at Elland Road and started work on the ground staff before making his debut in 1953. It was the start of a remarkable career that saw him become the bedrock of the great Leeds team managed by Don Revie.
Charlton was a colossus for both club and country, helping Leeds win the First Division title in 1969 and FA Cup in 1972, as well as lifting the Jules Rimet Trophy in between.
He went on to become manager of his beloved Newcastle United in 1984, bossing the club he had supported growing up in the North East.
But his managerial career, which also saw him take charge of Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday, was defined by his time in charge of the Republic of Ireland.
Dressed in a distinctive tracksuit and flat cap, he led the squad to their first ever World Cup in 1990 – where they reached the quarter-finals, guaranteeing himself legendary status in the Emerald Isle. He retired in January 1996. Charlton is the third Leeds legend to die this year following the deaths of Norman Hunter and Trevor Cherry.
Mick McCarthy was appointed Republic captain by Charlton and went on to succeed the former defender as manager of the national side in 1996.
“It’s a real shock that he’s passed away and I’m very, very sad,” said McCarthy. “It was the happiest time of my career, he made it simple for me and I’ll always remember him for that.
“I wasn’t the best player in that team, nowhere near. But he saw something in me and I’ll never forget him for that.
“I remember the bloke who gave me the best time of my life in football, over
’88 and ’90, it was wonderful.
“I did speak to him very briefly the day after his birthday but it was difficult due to his health. I told him I loved the bones of him that day and I always will.”
Charlton, who married Pat Kemp in
1958 and had three children, will leave a huge void in the world of football and if one anecdote sums up what sort of man he was then it is this.
Several years ago he received a call on his mobile by mistake from a journalist.
Undeterred by the fact his phone shouldn’t have rung in the first place, Charlton answered and promptly spent the next 20 minutes indulging the person on the other end of the line by discussing the current state of football and life in general.
He had time for anyone. Now his own time had sadly come to an end, but the big man with an even bigger grin will never, ever be forgotten.