There’s a new film that has been announced “Finding Jack Charlton” it covers the story of the player, the man and his ultimate final battle with dementia. Including interviews with his son John whom I remember when he lived in Great Ayton when Jack was at a Middlesbrough.
Here’s a link to the DVD
OFB
On July 11, when Big Jack died, I wrote...
"If you need any more reminders of why even 'legend' isn’t a big enough word in this case, you need only look back to the halcyon days of 1986-95. Or, for many of my fellow Boro fans, 1973-77. These years were timely and timeless, transcendent journeys, what we needed then and what we need to look back to now, for inspiration. Whether you liked the football or not, they were something of a visionary, and visionaries’, romance - and there aren’t many of those."
A few facts about Jack Charlton on his appointment as Boro manager that maybe some of you are not aware of.
He didn’t apply for the position of Boro manager and indeed didn’t receive a formal interview but was approached by the chairman though refusing to sign a contract, but laid down certain conditions about his appointment, one of which was that he be given 3 days off every week during the playing season to engage in his favourite pastimes of fishing and shooting. Another stipulation was that he should never be dismissed, but would leave the club on his own terms all for an annual salary of £10,000 even though the club were prepared to pay him more. He also demanded full control of the clubs affairs with no interference from the board of directors which some of them didn’t welcome and indeed voted to dismiss him after 3 years for arranging business deals and changing the club’s shirt strips without their approval. However his dismissal was overruled by the chairman and he stayed for another year before deciding to resign.
I can’t imagine many managers of a Second tier club today being able to dictate such terms. However Boro were desperate to sign him, a person with no managerial or coaching experience yet Jack was true to his word and Boro earned promotion. Apparently though he ordered his players to play for a draw away to their nearest challenger Luton Town so that Boro could become champions in front of their home supporters, but as we know Boro won 1-0 defying Jack’s orders.
But Jack was his own man and along with Brian Clough applied for the title of manager of the England team after the resignation of Don Revie. Clough was interviewed and probably scared the living daylights out of his demands, whereas Jack Charlton didn’t even receive the courtesy of a reply. He then vowed never to apply again for any managerial position.
Sorry, the 4th line at the end of the previous blog should read “Brian Clough probably scared the living daylights of the selection board with his demands”.
Charlton
Big Jack my favourite manager and I loved going to see the 73/74 promotion team and winning culminating in an 8 0 thrashing of Sheffield Wednesday.
It was probably more personal to me as I met Jack professionally a few times when we designed and built the TV Gantry in the South Stand also additional crash barriers.
He lived at Gt Ayton near to my brother in laws house a great manager for Boro
RIP
I Also met Brian Clough a few times at the Riverside but he was obviously in poor health at that time. A great pity he never managed Boro
RIP
A Great post Ken thank you
OFB
When I paid my first visit to Teesside, Big Jack had left and John Neal was already the manager. As I often stayed in the Weatlands, Great Ayton at the time, I walked down to see Jack's bungalow towards the station in Gt. Ayton.
I must admit that I feel more affection to the Neal era as I saw that team more often live. OK, Craig Johnston was there already in Jack's time, but him, David Hodgson and the latter's mate, Mark Proctor were my favourites when I was following the team more closely. And my all time favourite, Terry Cochrane.
My all time favourite manager is more difficult - I usually have a lot of favourite players but of course I admire Big Jack. But I was not able to know him during his time at Boro. I got to know him more when he was the Eire manager.
So my all time favourite manager is stll Mogga. Partly because he played for us, partly because the person he is. And he is the only Boro manager I have talked to (even though I might have said hello to John Neal in 1980).
Big Jack and Steve McClaren were the two most successful, though. Both made history as Boro managers.
Up the Boro!