Jack Charlton

About

Jack is an Honorary Irish citizen and an authentic footballing hero. He was respected as a no-nonsense, old fashioned stopper, and spent all his playing career from 1952 to 1973 with Leeds United, as well as, lifting the World Cup with England in 1966 after playing in every game of the tournament.

Jack Charlton (John “Jack” Charlton, OBE, DL) was born on 8 May, 1935 in the Northumberland village of Ashington. He is also a Freeman of the City of Dublin.

He was born into a large family with significant footballing traditions, and in 1950, aged just 15, a Leeds scout asked Jack to go for a trial against Newcastle’s youth team.

Charlton was respected as a no-nonsense, old fashioned stopper, and spent all his playing career from 1952 to 1973 with Leeds United, appearing in 629 League games. He won a League Championship, a Second Division Championship, the FA and League Cups, two Fairs Cups and umpteen runners-up medals. He was Footballer of the Year in 1967.

Big Jack played 35 times for England between 1965 and 1970 and he was only on the losing team twice. He won 35 England caps and played in every game of the successful 1966 World Cup campaign.

Charlton was also a successful manager at both club and international level. As manager of Middlesbrough he won the Second Division, earning him the Manager of the Year trophy in 1974. He later took charge of the Republic of Ireland national team, and led them to their first ever World Cup in 1990, where they reached the quarter-finals.

In 2005 Charlton was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2005, in recognition of his contribution to the English game. There is also a lifesize statue of him at Cork Airport in Ireland.

In 2006, Leeds United supporters voted Charlton into the club’s greatest ever XI.

One of the most respected figures in football, Jack Charlton is in demand as an after dinner speaker for his football anecdotes and memories.