Bobby Charlton

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Lore & Background

Born in Ashington, Northumberland, Charlton made his debut for the Manchester United first-team in 1956, at 18, and soon gained a regular place in the team, during which he became a Football League First Division champion in 1957 then survived the Munich air disaster of February 1958 after being rescued by teammate Harry Gregg; Charlton was the last survivor of the plane crash from the club. After helping United to win the FA Cup in 1963 and the Football League in 1965 and 1967, he captained the team that won the European Cup in 1968, scoring two goals in the final to help them become the first English club to win the competition. Charlton left Manchester United to become manager of Preston North End for the 1973–74 season. He changed to player-manager the following season. He next accepted a post as a director with Wigan Athletic, then became a member of Manchester United's board of directors in 1984. At international level, Charlton was named in the England squad for four World Cups (1958, 1962, 1966, and 1970), though he did not play in the first. At the time of his retirement from the England team in 1970, he was the nation's most capped player, having turned out 106 times at the highest level; Bobby Moore overtook this in 1973. Charlton was the long-time record goalscorer for both Manchester United and England, and United's long-time record appearance maker – his total of 758 matches for United took until 2008 to be beaten, when Ryan Giggs did so in that year's Champions League final. With 249 goals, he was the club's highest all-time goalscorer for more than 40 years, until his record was surpassed by Wayne Rooney in 2017. He is also the third-highest goalscorer for England; his record of 49 goals was beaten in 2015 by Rooney, and again by Harry Kane in 2022.

In Their Own Story

On 6 February 1958, Charlton returned to England after eliminating Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup quarter-finals. The flight stopped in Munich for refuelling amidst worsening weather and heavy snow. After two aborted take-offs, passengers were advised to disembark briefly before re-boarding. Charlton swapped places with Tommy Taylor and David Pegg, moving to the back of the plane where they decided it was safer. During the next attempt, the plane clipped a fence, tearing through a house before spinning along the runway until it halted, cut in half. Charlton fell out of his detached seat; when Harry Gregg found him, he thought the player was dead. Gregg dragged both Charlton and teammate Dennis Viollet away from the wreckage just as seven teammates perished at the scene, including Taylor and Pegg. Duncan Edwards died a fortnight later. Charlton spent a week in hospital with cuts to his head but became the first injured survivor to leave, returning to England on 14 February.

Reader's Guide

Robert Charlton was born on 11 October 1937 in Ashington, Northumberland, England, to coal miner Robert 'Bob' Charlton and Elizabeth Ellen 'Cissie' Charlton. He was related to several professional footballers on his mother's side. On 9 February 1953, then a Bedlington Grammar School pupil, Charlton was spotted playing for East Northumberland schools by Manchester United chief scout Joe Armstrong. Charlton went on to play for England Schoolboys and signed amateur forms with United on 1 January 1953. He turned professional in October 1954. He made his first team debut against Charlton Athletic in October 1956 where he scored two goals in a game that finished 4–2. He played 17 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 away win over Charlton Athletic in February. United won the league championship but lost the 1957 FA Cup Final to Aston Villa. On 6 February 1958, Charlton was returning to England with the Manchester United team after a European Cup match in Belgrade. The plane crashed in Munich. Charlton, strapped into his seat, had fallen out of the cabin; goalkeeper Harry Gregg found him, thought he was dead, but grabbed him and dragged him away from the plane. Charlton suffered cuts to his head and severe shock, and was in hospital for a week. Seven of his teammates perished at the scene.

Did You Know?

• Charlton was the last survivor of the Munich air disaster from the club.
• He was cautioned only twice in his career: once against Argentina in the 1966 World Cup, and once in a league match against Chelsea.
• He scored two goals on his debut for Manchester United against Charlton Athletic in October 1956.
• He was one of eleven players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the European Cup and the Ballon d'Or.