JOHN
CHARLES
20
Aug 2002 09:00
West
Ham United are saddened to hear of the death of
former player John Charles, who passed away on
Saturday, August 17 after a long and brave battle
against lung cancer.
John, who
was just 57-years-old, made a total of 142 league and
cup appearances for the Hammers during the 1960s,
playing as a full-back alongside Bobby Moore on every
occasion, and was a member of the squads that
triumphed in the FA Cup and European Cup
Winners’ Cup of 1964 and 1965.
As a young
player, ‘Charlo’ as he was affectionately
known, captained the 1963 FA Youth Cup winning side
and won England youth honours before making his first
team debut at Upton Park at the age of 19, against
Blackburn Rovers in May 1963.
One of the
first black players to break through into top flight
professional football, John also had to live up to
the Leeds United legend of the same name when making
his introduction to the game!
A local lad
who supported the Hammers as a boy from his Canning
Town home, John was released by the club in 1971 at
the age of 26. He declined the chance to join east
London neighbours Orient, preferring instead to run
his own greengrocery market stall, but was a regular
visitor to the Boleyn Ground in recent years.
Former
Hammers favourite Brian Dear, who first got to know
Charlo when they were kids playing against each other
for West Ham and East Ham schoolboys, was an
extremely close friend of John’s and was at his
bedside when he passed away peacefully at 10.45pm at
home in Barkingside on Saturday night.
Said Brian:
“John was quite simply a lovely, lovely man who
was West Ham United through and through. It is
terribly sad news, but in a way it is a release, as
he had fought such a painful battle against cancer.
“The
last 18 months had been very hard for him, but he
fought the disease so bravely and I am just glad he
no longer has to suffer.
“I
have known John for over 40 years, he was a wonderful
friend and a very good footballer who was liked by
everyone at the club. Being one of the first black
players in football was never an issue for him, he
was just one of the lads who loved playing for the
club.
“He
will be missed by everyone who knew him.”
Tragically,
John’s younger brother Clive, who was also a
talented left-back with the Hammers in the early 70s,
is also suffering with cancer. However, the two
enjoyed a moving reunion last week when Clive
travelled from his home in the USA to spend some time
with his brother.
Our sincere
condolences go to John’s wife, Carol, and his
three children, sons Keith and Butch, and daughter
Lesley.
by Danny Francis
