Charlie Hurley
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Charles John Hurley | ||
| Date of birth | 4 October 1936 | ||
| Place of birth | Cork, Ireland | ||
| Playing position | Central Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1953–1957 | Millwall | 105 | (2) |
| 1957–1969 | Sunderland | 402 | (23) |
| 1969–1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 43 | (3) |
| National team | |||
| 1957–1969 | Republic of Ireland | 40 | (2) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1972–1977 | Reading | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Charles John Hurley (born 4 October 1936) is an Irish former footballer who played mainly in the centre back position. Hurley is best known for his long career at Sunderland, where he was named the Black Cats' "Player of the Century" by their fans on the occasion of the club's centenary in 1979. Nicknamed 'The King', Hurley was a classy defender for both Sunderland and the Republic of Ireland. He ended his playing career at Bolton Wanderers and was later manager of Reading.
Hurley was born in Cork, Ireland and his family moved to Rainham in Essex, England when Charlie was seven months old. He later survived the Blitz, in which one of his best friends was killed, and as a teenager worked as an apprentice toolmaker. His first offer of a football contract was from West Ham but he turned it down as he could earn more for his family by continuing with his apprenticeship. However, at the age of sixteen he did eventually accept a contract offer from Millwall.
Hurley began his football career at Millwall in 1953, making his debut at the age of seventeen in a 2-2 draw away to Torquay United on 30 January 1954. He went on to make 16 league appearances in the season. He followed this up with 38 league games in 1954-55 and also played three FA Cup ties. At the start of the 1955-56 he was considered good enough to represent London in the first English team to play in a European competition. London beat Frankfurt 3-2 at Wembley in the Inter-City Fairs Cup and the headline in the Daily Mail was HURLEY HOLDS GERMANS. He was thus selected to play for Ireland at aged 20 but a cruciate knee ligament injury, whilst representing the army side on his national service, ended any such plans and put Hurleys' career into doubt. Rehabilitation involved rest and then twelve to eighteen hours work a day for six weeks. On his recovery Hurley swiftly returned to first-team action but for the rest of his career the Irishman had to be particularly careful when making a sliding tackle and required constant treatment on his left knee.
On Saturday 19 May 1957 Hurley made his long-awaited Irish debut against England in Dublin. The two sides had just met at Wembley and England had triumphed 5-1 with Manchester United's Tommy Taylor scoring three times. Hurley was selected to mark Taylor and was set for a baptism of fire. England needed just a point to qualify for a place in the following summer's world cup finals Sweden, whereas if Ireland were victorious it would set things up for a third and winners take all match against the sides. Only a last minute John Atyeo equaliser prevented Ireland from deservedly winning a game in which Hurley overshadowed Taylor, causing the Daily Mirror to comment: 'it was the Irish who produced the new great world-class footballer in centre half Charlie Hurley. Half the clubs in the First Division will soon be knocking on Millwall's door offering £25,000 for him.
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