John Charles (footballer born 1944)
Encyclopedia
John William Charles was a footballer
who played for West Ham United
as a defender
. Nicknamed ″Charlo″, Charles was the first black player to represent England at Under-18 level and became the first black player to play for a first division
West Ham United side when he made his debut in 1963.
. The family later moved to Ronald Avenue and he attended Pretoria School. He was the second youngest of nine children. His younger brother Clive
also played for West Ham and went on to coach the US National Soccer Team. His mother, who was white, came from Silvertown
and his father was a merchant seaman from Grenada
.
who recommended him to chief scout Wally St Pier
. Charles signed as a youth player in 1959 and signed professionally, aged 17 in 1963. He captained West Ham's Youth Cup winning side of 1963; the first black player to lead a first-class side to a major trophy. Charles made his debut for the first team in May 1963 against Blackburn Rovers
. Injury prevented Charles from being part of the West Ham teams which won the 1964 FA Cup Final
and the 1965 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final
. Nevertheless, playing most of his games alongside Bobby Moore
, he made 142 appearances for West Ham in all competitions scoring two goals; one a League Cup
game against Grimsby Town
, the other the single West Ham goal in a famous Manchester United
6-1 victory at Upton Park
in which Manchester United won the 1966-67 Football League trophy. From the autumn of 1969 until Spring 1970 injury restricted Charles to only five games. He left West Ham in the summer of 1971. He was offered a move to Orient
then managed by former West Ham player, Jimmy Bloomfield
, but because of a recurring hamstring
problem he retired from football aged only 26 to run the family's market greengrocer
's stall.
. In the 1990s, as people started to use major supermarkets more and more his business began to fail. Charles drifted into alcoholism and had mental heath problems. In 2001 he was diagnosed with cancer and died on 17 August 2002 aged 57.
He was survived by his wife, Carol and his three children, sons Keith and Butch and his daughter, Lesley.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played for West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
as a defender
Defender
Defender usually refers to a position in association football .Defender or The Defender may also refer to:-Film and television:* The Defender or The Bodyguard from Beijing, a film starring Jet Li...
. Nicknamed ″Charlo″, Charles was the first black player to represent England at Under-18 level and became the first black player to play for a first division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
West Ham United side when he made his debut in 1963.
Early life
Charles was born in Ordnance Road, Canning TownCanning Town
Canning Town is an area of east London, England. It is part of the London Borough of Newham and is situated in the area of the former London docks on the north side of the River Thames. It is the location of Rathbone Market...
. The family later moved to Ronald Avenue and he attended Pretoria School. He was the second youngest of nine children. His younger brother Clive
Clive Charles
Clive Charles was a football player, coach and television announcer. Charles began his career with West Ham United and finished it in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He later coached at the high school, collegiate and international levels in the United States.-Player:Charles was born in London,...
also played for West Ham and went on to coach the US National Soccer Team. His mother, who was white, came from Silvertown
Silvertown
Silvertown is an industrialised district on the north bank of the Thames in the London Borough of Newham. It was named after Samuel Winkworth Silver's former rubber factory which opened in 1852, and is now dominated by the Tate & Lyle sugar refinery and the John Knight ABP animal rendering...
and his father was a merchant seaman from Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
.
Football career
Playing for local side, West Ham boys, Charles was spotted by former West Ham United goalkeeper and scout, Ernie GregoryErnie Gregory
Ernie Gregory is an English former footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for West Ham United.Gregory played for West Ham Boys, and was noticed by Charlie Paynter during an English Trophy Final against Preston North End at Upton Park. He joined the groundstaff at West Ham United in 1936...
who recommended him to chief scout Wally St Pier
Wally St Pier
Stanley Walter St Pier was an English footballer and scout.-Career :St Pier arrived at West Ham United from Ilford in April 1929 making his senior debut in October 1929 against Leicester City. Spending most of his time as understudy to Jim Barrett, St Pier managed only 24 appearances for The...
. Charles signed as a youth player in 1959 and signed professionally, aged 17 in 1963. He captained West Ham's Youth Cup winning side of 1963; the first black player to lead a first-class side to a major trophy. Charles made his debut for the first team in May 1963 against Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
. Injury prevented Charles from being part of the West Ham teams which won the 1964 FA Cup Final
1964 FA Cup Final
The 1964 FA Cup Final was contested by West Ham United and Preston North End at Wembley. West Ham won 3–2, with goals from John Sissons, Geoff Hurst and Ron Boyce...
and the 1965 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final
1965 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final
The 1965 European Cup Winners' Cup Final was a football match between West Ham United of England and TSV 1860 München of West Germany. The final was held at Wembley Stadium in London on 19 May 1965...
. Nevertheless, playing most of his games alongside Bobby Moore
Bobby Moore
Robert Frederick Chelsea "Bobby" Moore, OBE was an English footballer. He captained West Ham United for more than ten years and was captain of the England team that won the 1966 World Cup...
, he made 142 appearances for West Ham in all competitions scoring two goals; one a League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
game against Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
, the other the single West Ham goal in a famous Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
6-1 victory at Upton Park
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
in which Manchester United won the 1966-67 Football League trophy. From the autumn of 1969 until Spring 1970 injury restricted Charles to only five games. He left West Ham in the summer of 1971. He was offered a move to Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
then managed by former West Ham player, Jimmy Bloomfield
Jimmy Bloomfield
James Henry "Jimmy" Bloomfield was an English football player and manager.Born in Notting Hill, North Kensington, London, Bloomfield started his career at non-league Hayes before joining Second Division side Brentford in October 1952...
, but because of a recurring hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
problem he retired from football aged only 26 to run the family's market greengrocer
Greengrocer
A greengrocer or fruiterer is a retail trader in fruit and vegetables; that is, in green groceries. Greengrocer is primarily a British and Australian term, and greengrocers' shops were once common in suburbs, towns and villages...
's stall.
Illness and Death
Charles admitted to being part of a strong drinking culture which existed at West Ham in the 1960s which gave rise to their slogan ″Win, Draw or Lose, we're on the booze″. By his own admission he was a borderline alcoholic when he finishing playing football. However at the end of his footballing career his business prospects looked good; Charles earnt £65 per weeks as a footballer with West Ham but on his first week on the greensgrocer's stall he earnt £200 and he open several grocer's stalls in KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. In the 1990s, as people started to use major supermarkets more and more his business began to fail. Charles drifted into alcoholism and had mental heath problems. In 2001 he was diagnosed with cancer and died on 17 August 2002 aged 57.
He was survived by his wife, Carol and his three children, sons Keith and Butch and his daughter, Lesley.