Bobby had experienced a lot in his career, chalking up 758 appearances for Man United and 106 international caps for England, beating the former record holder, Billy Wright of Wolves by one cap. In all this time Bobby was never sent off and received only two cautions, against Argentina in the 1966 World Cup Quarter Final and against Chelsea in the league. A truly remarkable record. I wonder what his opinion of the cursed VAR would have been? Bobby had been ill with Dementia for some years, including when VAR was forced upon football, so, to my knowledge he never gave an opinion.
Bobby and his brothers, Jack (of Leeds United fame, and manager of the ‘Republic of Ireland’) and Tom, who is lesser known, was born in Ashington in the North East of England and it was a footballing family. Bobby’s cousins, Jack Milburn played for Leeds United and Bradford City. Jimmy Milburn played for Leeds and Bradford Park Avenue (then a league club) and George Milburn played for Leeds and Chesterfield with Stan Milburn playing for Leicester City, Chesterfield and Rochdale. Bobby's mother’s, Cissie's (nee Milburn cousin, the Great Jackie Milburn was one of Newcastle United’s greats during the 1940s and 1950s. Jackie would often take Bobby and Jack (Tom I would imagine) to Saint James’s Park to watch Newcastle play (when he was not playing himself, usually through injury), probably standing on the Leazes End, which during the sixties would become Newcastle’s vocal end, and/or the Gallowgate End terraces.
Bobby was spotted by United chief scout, Joe Armstrong, and signed for Manchester United aged fifteen in 1953. His mother was worried about him taking such a gamble as in those days a career in football was full of uncertainties. He made his debut against, ironically enough, Charlton Athletic in 1956 aged 18. He scored a hattrick ironically again against Charlton in a later game. Bobby was one of Matt Busby’s famous team the ‘Busby Babes’ and played alongside players like Duncan Edwards - who coincidentally he did national service with - Tommy Taylor and Liam Whelan. Bobby played either midfield or forward and was famed for his shot, recorded at 89.9 MPH, beaten only by Peter Lorimer of Leeds United scoring 90 MPH, but he shot with a much lighter ball as early modernisation of footballs on health concerns had begun. The question is, could Peter Lorimer have hit the old leather ball like Bobby Charlton at 90 MPH? I doubt that very much, though Lorimer did have a ferocious shot.
Bobby survived the Munich disaster of 6th February 1958, being pulled out of the plane by United Goalkeeper, Harry Gregg. It took five years for Matt Busby to rebuild Man United after Munich and in 1963 we beat Leicester City 3-1 in the FA Cup Final, with two goals from David Herd and one from Denis Law. Bobby played in the victorious 1966 England World Cup winning team against West Germany, along with brother Jack, but was not captain that day - that honour fell to West Ham's Bobby Moore. A hattrick by Geoff Hurst of West Ham and a goal by Martin Peters also of West Ham gave rise to the Irons fans claiming not unreasonably, ‘West Ham won the World Cup in 1966’. A handy little boast and who could blame them!
Bobby retired from international football after the 1970 World Cup. Bobby also lifted the ‘Ballon d Or’, the European Footballer of the Year in 1966. Two years previous Denis Law became the first of the ‘Trinity’ to lift the prestigious award in 1964, and in 1968 George Best completed the compliment, placing Bobby in the middle, representative of his attacking midfield position.
Bobby Charlton played among great players at United, from Duncan Edwards until Munich, and the ‘United Trinity’ of George Best, Bobby Charlton and Denis Law. He also played against great players like the immortal Pele, Eusebio, West Germany’s Gerd Muller and Frans Beckenbauer. Until his dying day Bobby maintained Duncan Edwards was the finest, most complete player he had ever seen, including the greats mentioned. I was not fortunate enough to see Duncan play, born too late, but back in the day at Old Trafford I have heard old United fans, many now dead, claim “Duncan Edwards was the greatest player ever to grace a football field anywhere in the world”.
Bobby Charlton played among great players at United, from Duncan Edwards until Munich, and the ‘United Trinity’ of George Best, Bobby Charlton and Denis Law. He also played against great players like the immortal Pele, Eusebio, West Germany’s Gerd Muller and Frans Beckenbauer. Until his dying day Bobby maintained Duncan Edwards was the finest, most complete player he had ever seen, including the greats mentioned. I was not fortunate enough to see Duncan play, born too late, but back in the day at Old Trafford I have heard old United fans, many now dead, claim “Duncan Edwards was the greatest player ever to grace a football field anywhere in the world”.
For me, George Best was the greatest player I’ve ever seen, closely followed by Bobby and Denis, but I never saw Duncan. I would never doubt the word of those older fans, they knew their football, and if they and Bobby say Duncan Edwards, that’s good enough for me. All I know is I was privileged to see the ‘Trinity’. Just as many young fans today cannot envisage what these three players were like, similarly, I could not have witnessed Duncan, too young.
Bobby Charlton played his last game for Man United away at Chelsea in 1973. I was not at the game, too young for such a distance, and was familiarising myself at that age, twelve, with Old Trafford unaccompanied. I heard from the older lads who went to the game that United took over 20,000 fans that day taking over Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground, including their so-called ‘infamous’ Shed terraces. Chelsea won the match 1-0 but the ovation for Bobby from Chelsea fans as well the army of visitors was immense, so I am told.
Bobby captained our victorious team at Wembley in 1968 beating Benfica 4-1 scoring twice that glorious night. He took the captain's armband in the absence of Denis Law that night as Law was injured. In the ten years since the Munch disaster Bobby Charlton, Bill Foulkes and Matt Busby, Munich survivors, had finally achieved Matt's dream, the European Cup, becoming the first English team to win the trophy. In 1977 Liverpool ruined our song about “Man Utd, the only English team to win the European Cup”. I won’t swear, not the time but of all teams, Liverpool being the team to do it, why could it not have been a team such as Stoke City!
Bobby died surrounded by his family on Saturday 21st October 2023. The Munich reunion is now complete with Matt as manager. Bobby was the last survivor of the team, eight of whom perished that February day. On the same day of Bobby's passing Manchester United beat Sheffield United 1-2 at Bramall Lane. A shot from Diogo Dalot screeching into the top corner, a gaol Bobby Charlton would have been proud of. A case of one door closing another one opening? I doubt that, Diogo, but a great goal!
Bobby Charlton played his last game for Man United away at Chelsea in 1973. I was not at the game, too young for such a distance, and was familiarising myself at that age, twelve, with Old Trafford unaccompanied. I heard from the older lads who went to the game that United took over 20,000 fans that day taking over Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground, including their so-called ‘infamous’ Shed terraces. Chelsea won the match 1-0 but the ovation for Bobby from Chelsea fans as well the army of visitors was immense, so I am told.
Bobby captained our victorious team at Wembley in 1968 beating Benfica 4-1 scoring twice that glorious night. He took the captain's armband in the absence of Denis Law that night as Law was injured. In the ten years since the Munch disaster Bobby Charlton, Bill Foulkes and Matt Busby, Munich survivors, had finally achieved Matt's dream, the European Cup, becoming the first English team to win the trophy. In 1977 Liverpool ruined our song about “Man Utd, the only English team to win the European Cup”. I won’t swear, not the time but of all teams, Liverpool being the team to do it, why could it not have been a team such as Stoke City!
Bobby died surrounded by his family on Saturday 21st October 2023. The Munich reunion is now complete with Matt as manager. Bobby was the last survivor of the team, eight of whom perished that February day. On the same day of Bobby's passing Manchester United beat Sheffield United 1-2 at Bramall Lane. A shot from Diogo Dalot screeching into the top corner, a gaol Bobby Charlton would have been proud of. A case of one door closing another one opening? I doubt that, Diogo, but a great goal!
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| Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist. |
In the words of Arthur Hopcraft, Bobby was a true football man of the old school. Affected by survivors' guilt after Munich he brought class, dignity and gravitas to the sometimes beautiful game. RIP Bobby, we will never see the likes of you and Jack again.
ReplyDeletePlayed 4 games for Waterford in # 1976 . He got a share of the gate money ( crowds of 7 K ) . Bohs & others wouldn't play along , so that was # End game . Venables & Hurst also played L O I , the former for Pats . English clubs used to play pre season games here regularly , not so much today . Good result for Celtic V Atletico .
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