Bobby Charlton

Bobby Charlton

Sir Robert Charlton CBE is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, and was a member of the England team that won the 1966 FIFA World Cup. He played almost all of his club football at Manchester United, where he became renowned for his attacking instincts, his passing abilities from midfield and his ferocious long-range shot. With 249 goals, he is currently United’s second-highest all-time goalscorer, after his record was surpassed by Wayne Rooney in 2017.

About Bobby Charlton in brief

Summary Bobby CharltonSir Robert Charlton CBE is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, and was a member of the England team that won the 1966 FIFA World Cup. He played almost all of his club football at Manchester United, where he became renowned for his attacking instincts, his passing abilities from midfield and his ferocious long-range shot. His appearance record of 758 for United took until 2008 to be beaten, when Ryan Giggs did so in that year’s Champions League final. With 249 goals, he is currently United’s second-highest all-time goalscorer, after his record was surpassed by Wayne Rooney in 2017. His elder brother Jack, who was also in the World Cup-winning team, was a former defender for Leeds United and international manager. He left Manchester United to become manager of Preston North End for the 1973–74 season. He next accepted a post as a director with Wigan Athletic, then became a board of directors in 1984 and remains one as of the 2020–21 season. Charlton was born in Ashington, Northumberland, England on 11 October 1937 to coal miner Robert Charlton and Elizabeth Ellen \”Cissie\” Charlton. He was named in the England squad for four World Cups, though did not play in the first. At the time of his retirement in 1970, he was the nation’s most capped player, having turned out 106 times at the highest level. His uncles were Jack Milburn, George Milburn, Jim Milburn and Stan Milburn and legendary Newcastle United and England footballer Jackie Milburn was his mother’s cousin.

However, Charlton credits much of the early development of his career to his grandfather Tanner and his mother Cissie. He worked his way through the pecking order of teams, scoring regularly for the youth and reserve sides before he was handed his first team debut against Charlton Athletic in 1956. He survived the Munich air disaster of 1958 after being rescued by Harry Gregg. On 9 February 1953, then a Bedlington Grammar School pupil, Charlon was spotted playing for East Northumberlands schools by Manchester United chief scout Joe Armstrong. He went on to play for England Schoolboys and the 15-year-old signed with United on 1 January 1953, along with Wilf McGuinness, also aged 15. In 1968, he captained the Manchester United team that winning the European Cup, scoring two goals in the final to help them become the first English club to win the competition. In the same year, he also won the Football League First Division title with United in 1967. He also played 14 times for United in that first season, scoring twice on his debut and managing a total of 12 goals in all competitions, including a hat-trick in a 5-1 win over Shrewsbury Athletic in February 20th 2013. He won the league championship in the same season, but Manchester United were denied the title by the league champions.