13-08-62: Leicester City (a) 2-2 (HT 1-2) Crowd (6,965)

John Hawksby replaced Rod Johnson at Outside Right, time unknown, while the home side brought on George Heyes for Gordon Banks, John Sjoberg for Ian King and Ken Keyworth for James Walsh. Referee: W.M. Cooper

Programme:

Match Report (Courtesy Steve Bell)

Daily Express: 14th August 1962

CROWD JEERS CHARLES

King John is slow - and so unsure By ALAN WILLIAMS

Leicester City 2 Leeds United 2

KING JOHN CHARLES, £53,000 hero of Leeds United and Juventus, came back to British Soccer last night - to jeers, catcalls and a head injury. The jeers for the home-again star came from the Leicester City fans in last night's drawn friendly match. The 6,965 fans, who Leeds directors please note, paid reserve team prices totalling £741, barracked the Welshman three times near the end as he made some most out-of-character mistakes. Leicester fans were so polite in the first half as Charles unconvincingly eased his bronzed hulk around. It was a strictly half-pace showing by the Welshman. Don Revie, Leeds manager, said he was pleased with Charles' display and pointed out he had had only ten days' full training since returning from Italy.

Needs time

Clearly the Welsh giant is not yet fully match fit. It is equally apparent that after six years of Italian football he will need time to adjust himself to the more pacey, yet less precise, English game. A posse of photographers waited patiently behind the Leicester goal, but Charles seldom moved within range. Two searing headers, one wide and one saved - midway through the second half were his only moments of menace. Charles played deep for long spells trying to work some method into an eager Leeds forward line, but he was never able to establish any real authority. In straight first half duels Leicester centre-half Ian King was clear master. When Charles wandered, he was generally robbed by the quick, decisive Frank McLintock. At half time Leicester decided that twenty-two-year-old John Sjoberg should replace King, and he was never greatly extended. Charles cut his head going up with Sjoberg for a high ball. The injury needed two stitches and could keep him out of Saturday's League match at Stoke.

Promise

For the sake of British Soccer I hope Charles makes a bigger impression at Stoke if he plays, and of course the following week when Leeds fans are asked to pay at least 7s 6d, to watch their old hero. For the record, Leicester, with inside left David Gibson so full of promise, scored through perky Albert Cheeseborough (35 and 40 min.) Leeds goals came from Jim Storrie (19) and speedy Albert Johanneson (50).

Leicester City: Banks (Heyes); Chalmers, Norman; McLintock, King (Sjoberg), Appleton; Cheeseborough, Walsh (Keyworth), Cross, Gibson, Stringfellow.

Leeds United: Younger; Wright, Mason; Goodwin, Charlton, Smith; Johnson (Hawksby), Storrie, Charles, Bremner, Johanneson.