Charlton John (Jack)

1952-1973 (Player Details)

Centre Half

Born: Ashington: 08-05-1935

Debut v Doncaster Rovers (h): 25-04-1953

6’11/2” 12st 13lb

#9 in 100 Greatest LUFC Players Ever

“Big Jack” was part of the Elland Road scene for twenty-one years. A native of Ashington, he attended Hurst Park Modern School, represented East Northumberland Schools and played for Ashington YMCA and Ashington Welfare before joining Leeds as an amateur in 1950, turning professional in May 1952. His uncles George, Jim and Jack all starred for United and it was Jim who recommended the gangling Jack Charlton to Leeds. After National Service in the Royal Horse Guards, he occupied the Centre Half spot vacated by John Charles, who had switched to the attack. In October 1957 he played for the Football League against the League of Ireland. International honours seemed likely, but his career reached a plateau as he found himself in a struggling United team. He had a brief spell as Captain but gave it up because of his superstition of coming on to the pitch last. With Norman Hunter alongside, Charlton, a supreme header of the ball and excellent tackler, developed into the best Centre Half in England. He won a belated first cap in 1965 against Scotland when his brother Bobby, a household name with Manchester United, was in the side. The brothers played vital roles in England’s 1966 World Cup success and Jack won thirty-five full caps and scored six goals, as well as representing the Football League six times. He was Player of the Year in 1967. He figured in United’s early successes under Revie and won an F.A. Cup Winner’s medal in 1972, two days before his thirty-seventh birthday. The following year he became Manager of Middlesbrough and was named Manager of the Year in his first season as Middlesbrough swept to the Second Division title in 1973-74 by a record points margin. In October 1977 he took over as Manager of Sheffield Wednesday and revived their flagging fortunes before quitting in 1983. A brief spell as the boss of Newcastle United was followed by his appointment as the Republic of Ireland’s Manager. The first Englishman to hold the post, he steered them to the European Championship Finals in 1988, where his side pulled off a famous victory over England. Charlton finished runner-up in World Soccer Magazine’s Manager of the Year poll. To prove that rare Irish victory was no fluke, in 1990 he led the Republic to the World Cup Finals for the first time. They reached the quarter finals before losing to the hosts, Italy. Such deeds earned Jack the freedom of Dublin. He retired in January 1996 after the Irish just failed to qualify for that year’s European Championships in England. Jack was inducted into the English Hall of Fame in 2005 and is a TV Pundit and after-dinner speaker. In addition to being given the freedom of Dublin, Jack received an OBE, honorary Irish citizenship and is a Deputy Lieutenant of Nortumberland.