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English Football Legends Series

"If I were picking my all-time great British team, or even a world eleven, John Charles would be in it."
Jimmy Greaves

John Charles

Clubs: Leeds United, Juventus, Cardiff City, Hereford United

Position: Forward / Defender

Appearances*: 710

Goals*: 348

Honours: Serie A, 3
Italian Cup 2

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* League appearances and goals only

A tall, powerful footballer, equally adept at centre-half or centre-forward, but with a temperament that earned him the nickname, "The Gentle Giant".

Charles was born in Swansea and, at the age of 14, he joined the groundstaff at his local club, Swansea Town (later Swansea City).

Because of his young age though, he never played a senior game for the Third Division club.

Leeds United

However, while playing for a local youth team, he was spotted by a scout from Leeds United, and after a successful trial, he signed for the Yorkshire club.

His league debut came against Blackburn Rovers in April 1949, playing at centre-half.

Leeds continued to play him in that position for the next two seasons, but when asked to fill in at centre-forward in a match, he rattled in two goals, sparking a debate as to his best position.

Charles played as a defender until 1953/54, when he was moved forward. He responded with 42 goals that season.

In all, he scored 150 league goals in eight years at Elland Road, despite missing the bulk of the 1951-52 season through injury.

Juventus

In 1957, Charles became one of the first British players to join a foreign club, when he was sold to Juventus for a record 65,000 pound fee.

He was to prove a huge success in Italy, scoring 93 goals in 155 games, winning the scudetto (league championship) three times, and earning the adulation of the Juve fans.

Return to Leeds and later career

Charles returned to Leeds United in 1962, but found it difficult to adjust to life back in England, and he left after just 11 games.

He returned to Italy with Roma. However, his second spell in Serie A was blighted by injury.

He moved to Cardiff City in 1963, and was later player/manager of Hereford and of Merthyr Tydfil.

Wales International Career

Charles made his Wales debut as an 18 year old and, along with his brother Mel, was at the heart of the side that reached the quarter finals of the 1958 World Cup.

In total he played 38 times for his country, and scored 15 goals.

Honours

In a Italian poll in 1997, John Charles was voted 'the greatest foreign player ever in Serie A' - ahead of the likes of Maradona, Platini, van Basten and Zidane.

He was also the first non-Italian inducted to the Azzurri Hall of Fame.

Charles was awarded a CBE in 2001, and in 2002 was made a vice-president of the Football Association of Wales.

In 2003, he was granted the freedom of the city of Swansea.

He was an inaugural inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

Death and Legacy

In January 2004, shortly before doing an interview for Italian television, Charles suffered a heart attack from which he never recovered.

He was returned to Britain, where he died in Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, on 21 February 2004.

Leeds United have renamed The West Stand at Elland Road Stadium in his honour, while The South Leeds Stadium, home of Leeds United reserves, has been renamed the John Charles Stadium.

There is also a street named "John Charles Way" Close to the club's Elland Road ground.

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