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Bobby Charlton, England Soccer Great, Dies at 86

Robert Charlton was born in the coal-mining town of Ashington, England's northeast, on 11 October 1937, and his talent was evident at a young age. Jack, Bobby's elder sibling, stated, "Around the age of five, we realized Bobby was going to be an exceptional athlete." "He was constantly kicking a football or tennis ball against a wall, and when it rebounded, it adhered to him like a magnet." In 2007, Charlton wrote that his family subsisted on illegally obtained salmon and rabbit, while his father, also named Robert, gathered and sold beached coal to supplement his income. Due to his devotion to his fellow miners, his father missed Charlton scoring both goals against Portugal in the 1966 World Cup semifinal because he did not want another miner to compensate for him.

Charlton made his début for Manchester United's first team at the age of 18 in 1956. A champion of the Football League's First Division, he soon earned a regular position on the team. Due to comrade Harry Gregg's rescue, Charlton was able to survive the February 1958 Munich air disaster. He was the only survivor of the club's members. On his mother's side of the family, he had several uncles who were professional footballers: Jack Milburn (Leeds United and Bradford City), George Milburn (Leeds United and Chesterfield), Jim Milburn (Leeds United and Bradford Park Avenue), and Stan Milburn (Chesterfield, Leicester City, and Rochdale). Jackie Milburn, a legendary player for Newcastle United and England, was his mother's cousin. However, Charlton ascribed a substantial amount of his early career development to his grandfather Tanner and mother Cissie.

Charlton was one of the renowned Busby Babes, a group of outstanding footballers who emerged from the Old Trafford system in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s as Matt Busby implemented a long-term plan to restore the club following World War II. Before making his debut with the first team in October 1956 against Charlton Athletic, he tallied frequently for the youth and reserve teams.

Charlton was rescued in 1957 by colleague Harry Gregg and survived the February 1958 Munich air disaster; he was the club's last survivor. In order to return United players and staff from Zeebrugge Airport, the aircraft had to refuel in Munich. By the time refueling was completed and the call was made for passengers to re-board the aircraft, inclement precipitation had set in and snow had fallen heavily on the runway and around the airport. A stewardess advised the passengers to re-disembark while a minor technical issue was resolved after two aborted takeoffs caused concern on board.
After the team had been back in the airport terminal for less than ten minutes, when the call came to reconvene on the aircraft, a number of passengers became anxious. Charlton and teammate Dennis Viollet exchanged seats with Tommy Taylor and David Pegg, who determined that the rear of the plane would be safer.
On its next attempt to take off, the plane collided with the fence at the end of the runway, and a wing tore through a nearby house, setting it on fire. The wing and a portion of the tail separated and struck a tree and a forestry shack, causing the aircraft to spin along the snow until it stopped. The object was cut in half.

When United goalkeeper Harry Gregg (who had escaped the plane unharmed and launched a one-man rescue mission) discovered Charlton, he believed he was dead. Despite this, he grabbed Charlton and Viollet by the waistbands of their pants and dragged them away from the aircraft, fearing that it would explode. Gregg returned to the aircraft in order to aid the severely injured Busby and Blanchflower. When he turned around again, he was relieved to see that Charlton and Viollet, whom he had assumed to be deceased, had gotten out of their detached seats and were examining the wreckage. After suffering head trauma and a severe shock, Charlton was hospitalized for one week. Taylor and Pegg, whose seats he and Viollet had swapped prior to the fatal takeoff attempt, were among the seven companions who perished at the crash site. As his assistants attempted to salvage the remainder of the season, It was anticipated that he would assist with the club's reconstruction as Busby's assistants attempted to salvage the remainder of the season. He was still young at age 20.

After ten seasons, Manchester United reached the final of the 1968 European Cup. Even though other English organizations had competed in the competition during the preceding decade, the team that reached the final was the first to do so. As United's captain, Charlton ascended the trophy after scoring twice in the 4-1 victory over Benfica in extra time at Wembley. Charlton, George Best, and Denis Law composed the so-called "Trinity" that led United to the 1968 European Cup title after surviving the 1958 Munich disaster that wiped out the famed "Busby Babes" team. At United, he won three league championships and one FA Cup.

In the early 1970s, Manchester United was no longer one of England's top clubs and was frequently fighting relegation. Best refused to participate in Charlton's testimonial match against Celtic, asserting that "to do so would be hypocritical."

Before Charlton's final game for Manchester United on April 28, 1973 against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, BBC cameras for Match of the Day captured the Chelsea chairman giving him a commemorative cigarette case.

He was a professional English footballer who played as a left flanker, central midfielder, and attacking midfielder. In the same year that he won the Ballon d'Or, 1966, he was a member of the England team that won the FIFA World Cup as captain. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest players of all time. The majority of his professional career was spent at Manchester United, where he became renowned for his attacking instincts, midfield passing skills, ferocious long-range shot, endurance, and stamina. Only twice throughout his entire career was he cautioned: once against Argentina in the 1966 World Cup and once against Chelsea in a league match.
At the time of his retirement from the England national team in 1970, he had accumulated 106 appearances at the highest level.

In 1959, Charlton met Norma Ball at a Manchester ice facility. In 1961, Charlton married Norma Ball. Suzanne and Andrea are their daughters. Suzanne was a weather forecaster for the BBC during the 1990s. They had descendants, such as Suzanne's son Robert, who was named for his grandfather. In 2007, while promoting his forthcoming autobiography, Charlton revealed that he and his brother Jack had been involved in a long-running dispute. After a disagreement between his wife Norma and his mother Cissie (who died in 1996 at the age of 83), they rarely communicated. Bobby Charlton stopped seeing his mother after 1992 as a result of the dispute.

In November of 2020, Charlton received a dementia diagnosis. In a statement released on October 21, 2023, Charlton's family confirmed that he had passed away that morning. He had reached age 86. Geoff Hurst is the sole Englishman from the 1966 World Cup final who is still alive.

“Heartfelt sympathies are with his wife Lady Norma, his daughters and grandchildren, and all who loved him.The world of football will unite in its sadness at losing an undisputed legend,"

Excerpts

Charlton, Sir Bobby (2007). The Autobiography: My Manchester United Years
Reuters

In reply to sgtdjones

Article did not mention he captained the England team in the 1966 World Cup. The only one England won.

In reply to Overthrow

I just précised a summary of this individual.

In reply to sgtdjones

Got it. He was a very well respected footballer and a person. He never commented on Nobby Stiles playing on that 1966 England team. Felt he was not a fan of Stiles style of play.