John Charles
Charles in 1962
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William John Charles, CBE | ||
| Date of birth | 27 December 1931 | ||
| Place of birth | Swansea, Wales | ||
| Date of death | 21 February 2004 (aged 72) | ||
| Place of death | Wakefield, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Playing position | Centre back / Centre forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1946–1948 | Swansea Town | ||
| 1948–1949 | Leeds United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1949–1957 | Leeds United | 297 | (157) |
| 1957–1962 | Juventus | 155 | (108) |
| 1962 | Leeds United | 11 | (3) |
| 1962–1963 | Roma | 10 | (4) |
| 1963–1966 | Cardiff City | 69 | (18) |
| 1966–1971 | Hereford United | 173 | (80) |
| 1972–1974 | Merthyr Tydfil | ||
| Total | 715 | (370) | |
| National team | |||
| 1950–1965 | Wales | 38 | (15) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1967–1971 | Hereford United (player-manager) | ||
| 1972–1974 | Merthyr Tydfil (player-manager) | ||
| 1987 | Hamilton Steelers | ||
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* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
William John Charles, CBE (27 December 1931 – 21 February 2004) was a Welsh international footballer who played for Leeds United and Juventus. Rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Britain, he was equally adept as a forward or defender due to his strength, pace, technique, vision, ability in the air and eye for goal. He has since been included in the Football League 100 Legends and was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame.
He was never cautioned or sent off during his entire career, due to his philosophy of never kicking or intentionally hurting opposing players. Standing at 6 feet 2 inches, he was nicknamed Il Gigante Buono – The Gentle Giant.
His brother, Mel Charles and nephew Jeremy Charles, also represented Wales. His grandson, Jake Charles, currently plays for Barnsley FC, and has represented Wales at youth level.
Charles was born in the Cwmbwrla district of Swansea during late 1931. Charles would play football as a child, with younger brother Mel Charles who also went on to become a professional, later playing alongside each other for the Welsh national team.
While still at school, Charles joined the boys section of the local team Swansea Town, who later became Swansea City. When he left school at age 14 he was taken onto the groundstaff at Vetch Field, yet because of his young age Third Division Swansea never gave him a first-team call up. His only senior appearances came for the reserve side in the Welsh Football League.
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