| Acclaimed as one of the world's greatest soccer | | | | two goals in the final game, making his team |
| players ever and my personal soccer hero and | | | | Manchester United, the first English team to ever win |
| certainly one of England's finest players ever. | | | | the competition. |
| Bobby Charlton came from humble beginnings. The | | | | Until recently he had scored more goals for England |
| son of a Northumberland miner, Bobby came from a | | | | and Manchester United than, any other player, his |
| background of football, three of his uncles played for | | | | goal scoring records held and remained unchallenged |
| Leeds United and his mother's cousin, was the | | | | for 35 years after the end of his professional playing |
| famous Jackie Milburn super striker for Newcastle | | | | career. |
| United. | | | | Only very recently on the 22nd May 2008, did Bobby |
| But Bobby maintains that his mother was the biggest | | | | Charlton's record for most games ever played by a |
| influence on his football career, it was, she who first | | | | single player(258) for the Manchester United football |
| recognized his talent but was adamant that he should | | | | club, fall at the Champions League Final in Moscow to |
| also learn a trade. | | | | one of Manchester United's current players Ryan |
| It did not take him long to rise to national and world | | | | Giggs. |
| renown with Manchester United, as well as on the | | | | He retired from the England team in 1970; at which |
| international soccer fields of Europe, through his | | | | point he was England's most capped player, having |
| repeated inclusion on the English world team. | | | | played 106 times for his nation's first team. He left |
| He joined Manchester United after winning the | | | | Manchester United in 1973, to become |
| England Schoolboy Inter- national honors award, | | | | player-manager for Preston North End, taking Man |
| during the time he played for the England Schoolboys | | | | United team member and personal friend Nobby Stiles |
| he was spotted by Manchester United head talent | | | | with him as player-coach, after only one season he |
| scout Joe Armstrong, by which time Charlton at his | | | | discovered he was not suited to management. |
| mothers insistence had already embarked on an | | | | He then took on the role of director for Wigan |
| engineering apprenticeship. However, so great was his | | | | Athletic FC. He spent a little time playing in South |
| talent, that by the time he was just 17 in 1954 he | | | | Africa; he started several business ventures and |
| had already turned professional. | | | | opened soccer schools in the UK, Canada, USA, |
| He was a prolific goal scorer with an individualistic | | | | China, and Australia. A few years later in 1984 he |
| style of play, noted for his long runs and precision | | | | joined Manchester United's board of directors and as |
| with a soccer ball. By the age of nineteen he had | | | | of May 2008 still remains one. |
| already played in the FA Cup Final, he was a midfield | | | | Charlton began to go bald at the beginning of the |
| player with a powerful kick and a natural feel for | | | | 1960s and for a long while refused to admit the fact, |
| soccer, a striker with great skill, accuracy and | | | | he grew the hair on one side of his head long and |
| consistency. | | | | then combed it across the balding area in order to |
| He played as a forward for Manchester United from | | | | diminish the display of bald scalp. Famed for this hair |
| 1956 to 1973. After only two seasons he earned a | | | | do, that would often flop around when he was |
| regular place on the United first team; Charlton | | | | running and that he would have repeatedly recapture |
| played 14 times for United in his first season. During | | | | and push back over his head as he ran. This hair style |
| his second season he was lucky to escape with his | | | | even today is still referred to as "the Bobby Charlton |
| life, as he was one of only a few to walk away from | | | | Comb-Over" |
| the Munich air disaster of 1958. He suffered relatively | | | | He was made "Sir" Bobby Charlton in 1994, for his |
| minor injuries and was pulled from the planes | | | | "services as an ambassador for English football" he |
| wreckage by team-mate Harry Gregg, the crash | | | | was the first soccer player to receive the honor in |
| claimed 23 lives, of which eight were Manchester | | | | over 30 years. He was inducted to the English |
| United players. | | | | Football Hall of Fame in 2002. |
| In 1965 he helped United win the football league | | | | For the whole length of his professional career, he |
| Championship. In 1966 he won a gold medal playing | | | | was not once sent off the soccer pitch. Twenty |
| for the victorious English world soccer team and a | | | | years after his last professional appearance as a |
| second Football League title win with United the very | | | | player for United, "Sir Bobby" is still remembered and |
| next year. In 1968, he captained the Manchester | | | | revered as a supreme sportsman and gentleman |
| United team that won the European Cup; he scored | | | | footballer. |