Leeds Legend Charles Loses Battle

Charles passed away following a long battle against illness. He was admitted to hospital in January after feeling unwell prior to a scheduled appearance on Italian television.

He was taken to Milan's San Carlo hospital where he needed an emergency two-hour operation on his heart, after suffering a burst blood vessel in his leg. A private jet owned by Juventus brought Charles back to England, where he was transferred to Wakefield's Pinderfields hospital.

Undoubtedly the most accomplished footballer of his time and, in the opinion of many Welsh football fans, the finest footballer Wales has ever produced, John Charles was born in Cwmbarla, Swansea, on 27 December, 1931.

At the age of 15 he joined the local football club's groundstaff. Three years later, in 1949, spotted playing a game in a public park, he was enticed away to the professional English club, Leeds United, where their disciplinarian manager, Major Buckley, took young John under his wing.

Starting out playing in the heart of Leeds defence-unit as a centre-half, John later switched to centre-forward, a position in which he proved just as effective, scoring a club record of 42 goals in one season. In 1957, Juventus, at the time the giants of Italian football, decided that John Charles was the player they wanted... at any cost. To get their man, Juventus spent a (then) world record £65k, a figure almost double the previous record.

Il gigante buono ('The Gentle Giant'), as he was dubbed by the fanatical Italian crowds, became an instant hit scoring 28 goals in a country notorious for its defensive football. At one stage during his time with Juventus, John was voted Italy's 'Player of the Year'.

In 1958 John was a member of the Welsh team at the World Cup in Sweden - the only time Wales have qualified for the final stages of the World Cup. Wales progressed to the quarter finals where they met the favourites, Brazil. Unfortunately, due to some over-the-top treatment, dished out to him by defenders in earlier matches, John was injured and had to watch from the sidelines as 17-year-old wonder-kid, Edson Arantes di Nascimento, otherwise known as Pele, scored the only goal of the game

After five seasons with Juventus, where his silky skills played a large part in the club winning three Italian championships and an Italian Cup, Leeds United bought him back (in 1962) for a brief and unhappy spell. Later that year he was transferred back to Italy where he turned out for Roma. In 1963 he returned to Wales to play for Cardiff City before dabbling in football management with the smaller British clubs Hereford and Merthyr Tydfil.

In a career spanning almost 25 years with six clubs, during which time he represented his country 38 times, John Charles was never cautioned, an incredible feat considering the harsh treatment meted out to him by defences worldwide.

John eventually went back to Yorkshire to become a publican. In 1987 he became technical director at Hamilton Steelers in the Canadian soccer league.
He was awarded an OBE in 2001.

Leeds United issued a club statement which read: "We are deeply saddened by the death of John Charles. He was widely regarded as one of the greatest players the game of football has known.

"He rose to prominence with Leeds United in the 1950s and was equally at ease playing at centre-forward or centre-half. In one season he scored 42 league goals - a record that still stands to this day.

"A powerfully built man, John was truly a gentle giant and was loved and admired by all who saw him play. He was equally revered in Italy following his transfer to Juventus.

"He was a great ambassador for football and his death is a great loss to the game. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends at this sad time."