When he made his professional debut, on the 4th April, 1953, he became the youngest player ever to play in the old First Division.
When he made his England debut, on the 2nd April 1955, he became England's youngest ever player.
He was a wing-half (defensive midfielder in modern terminology) but talented enough to play any outfield position. In one England under-23s game, he played centre forward and scored six goals.
His club manager called him "the best player in the world".
His assistant manager said of him "When I used to hear Muhammad Ali proclaim to the world he was the greatest, I used to smile. You see, the greatest of them all was an English footballer named XXXXXXXXXX."
The footballer in the picture is Duncan Edwards, of Manchester United and England.
On the 6th February 1958, the plane carrying Manchester United home from a European Cup tie against Red Star Belgrade crashed on take-off after a refuelling stop in Munich. 23 died, including eight United players, one of whom was Edwards.
He was 21 when he died in 1958. He would probably have played in the 1958, 1962, 1966 and 1970 World Cups. He would perhaps have been at his peak as a player for the 1966 World Cup.
When you ask football fans who England's best ever player was, you'll get answers like Stanley Matthews, Bobby Moore, maybe even Gary Lineker. Ask Manchester United fans who United's best ever player was and some will say Eric Cantona, some will say George Best. Many people would answer Bobby Charlton to both questions.
Charlton was a team-mate of Edwards and a survivor of the Munich crash. He played with Best and Denis Law and Bobby Moore, and he played against the likes of Pele, but he said that
"Duncan Edwards was the only player who made me feel inferior...I wasn't fit to lace his boots."
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2008-02-03 08:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-03 10:49 am (UTC)But no, try again.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-03 10:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-03 11:13 am (UTC)He was born in Dudley.
He was playing under-15s football when he was 11.
When he made his professional debut, on the 4th April, 1953, he became the youngest player ever to play in the old First Division.
When he made his England debut, on the 2nd April 1955, he became England's youngest ever player.
He was a wing-half (defensive midfielder in modern terminology) but talented enough to play any outfield position. In one England under-23s game, he played centre forward and scored six goals.
His club manager called him "the best player in the world".
His assistant manager said of him "When I used to hear Muhammad Ali proclaim to the world he was the greatest, I used to smile. You see, the greatest of them all was an English footballer named XXXXXXXXXX."
no subject
Date: 2008-02-03 11:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-03 11:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-03 11:54 am (UTC)More later...
no subject
Date: 2008-02-03 01:07 pm (UTC)On the 6th February 1958, the plane carrying Manchester United home from a European Cup tie against Red Star Belgrade crashed on take-off after a refuelling stop in Munich. 23 died, including eight United players, one of whom was Edwards.
He was 21 when he died in 1958. He would probably have played in the 1958, 1962, 1966 and 1970 World Cups. He would perhaps have been at his peak as a player for the 1966 World Cup.
When you ask football fans who England's best ever player was, you'll get answers like Stanley Matthews, Bobby Moore, maybe even Gary Lineker. Ask Manchester United fans who United's best ever player was and some will say Eric Cantona, some will say George Best. Many people would answer Bobby Charlton to both questions.
Charlton was a team-mate of Edwards and a survivor of the Munich crash. He played with Best and Denis Law and Bobby Moore, and he played against the likes of Pele, but he said that
"Duncan Edwards was the only player who made me feel inferior...I wasn't fit to lace his boots."