1966 World Cup legend and Leeds United hero Jack Charlton today passed away at the age of 85.The big central defender was a huge pal of the great Mooro and in this video from commentator Clive Tyldesley reveals just what a top player our Bob was in recalling English football’s greatest hero.
It demonstrates for the umpteenth time there really was nobody like Mooro and will surely go down as one of the great tributes to the fabulous Hammers No 6.
Jack – always a humorous and to the point fella had been diagnosed with lymphoma in the last year and also had dementia.
One of English football’s most popular characters, he was in the team that won the World Cup at Wembley in 1966, alongside his brother Bobby. He made a record number of appearances for Leeds and achieved unprecedented success with the Republic of Ireland.
Clive Tyldesley making his own tribute on social media today said: “Jack Charlton delivered probably one of the most moving tribute to a teammate that I have ever heard, I was lucky to spend a lot of time with Jack during his years as an ITV pundit but this is a memory from an after-dinner speech hee delivered shortly after the death of Bobby Moore, his teammate and captain in that team that won the world cup.
England were in the final minute and leading 3-2, Jack and Bobby had just repelled another West Germany attack. The ball fell to Bobby and Jack recounted how shouted ‘Roast it” i.e kick it out of the stadium, ‘We are nearly world champions’ Bobby instead looked up and found a long searching pass while Jack shouted ‘NO!’
That pass as we all know fell to Geoff Hurst look it forward to make it 4-2 and it was all over. Jack took a sip of wine and said “I still wanted to bollock him, I still wanted to tell him don’t do that again then I realised he could do that and I couldn’t. He was different from me, I would never be as good as Bobby Moore”
A family statement read: “Jack died peacefully on Friday, July 10 at the age of 85. He was at home in Northumberland, with his family by his side.
“As well as a friend to many, he was a much-adored husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
ClaretandHugbh sends its deepest condolences to his family and friends. Another mighty oak of English football has fallen.
RIP #BigJack – my favourite memory of the Big Man pic.twitter.com/sBCpubfbyW
— Clive Tyldesley (@CliveTyldesley) July 11, 2020