Jumat, 16 April 2010

15 Stadion Terbesar Di Dunia

Stadion terbesar adalah ikon olah raga yang paling populer, meskipun itu sepak bola ataupun yang lain inilah beberapa nama stadion dan fotonya yang terbesar di dunia, Indonesia juga mempunyai stadion yang besar dan juga masuk dalam 15 Stadion terbesar di dunia yaitu apa lagi kalau bukan GBK (Gelora Bung Karno) sayang meskipun stadion kebanggaan masyarakat Indonesia ini masuk di 15 Stadion terbesar di dunia, tapi prestasi Olah raganya masih kalah di banding dengan negara lain.

Inilah Stadion-Stadion Terbesar di dunia yang memiliki kapasitas penonton Lebih besar dari pada yang lainnya.

1. Rungrado May Day Stadium
Terletak di Pyongyang, Korea Utara dan mampu menampung 150.000 penonton

2. Salt Lake Stadium
Terletak di Calcutta, India dan mampu menampung 120,000 penonton

3. Estadio Azteca
Terletak di Mexico City, Mexico Mexico dan mampu menampung 114,465 penonton

4. Bukit Jalil National Stadium
Terletak di Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia dan mampu menampung 110,000 penonton

5. Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
Terletak di New Delhi, India dan mampu menampung 100,000 penonton

6. Melbourne Cricket Ground
Terletak di Melbourne, Australia dan mampu menampung 100,000 penonton

7. Camp Nou
Stadion ini di miliki oleh klub sepak bola BARCELONA, stadion ini terletak Barcelona, Spain yang mampu menampung 98,772 penonton

8. Est dio do Maracan
Terletak di Rio de Janeiro, Brazil mampu menampung 95,000 penonton

9. Wembley Stadium
Stadion ini adalah stadion kebanggaan warga Inggris terletak di London, England mampu menampung 90,000 penonton

10. Azadi Stadium
Terletak di Teheran, Iran stadion ini mampu menampung 90,000 penonton

11. Gelora Bung Karno Stadium
Stadion terbesar di Indonesia ini yang terletak di Jakarta, Indonesia mampu menampung 88,000 penonton

12. Luzhniki Stadium
Stadion ini terletak di Moscow, Russia mampu menampung 84,745 penonton

13. Telstra Stadium
Stadion ini terletak Sydney, Australia mampu menampung 83,500 penonton

14. Olimpiyskiy
Stadion ini terletak di Kyiv. Ukraine mampu menampung 83,450 penonton

15. Stadio Giuseppe Meazza
Stadion ini adalah stadion dari 2 klub besar di Italia yaitu Inter Milan dan AC Milan, tapi Untuk Stadion AC Milan Stadion ini bernama SAN SIRO, stadion ini terletak di Milan, Italia mampu menampung 82,955 penonton

sumber: http://ceef88.blogspot.com/2010/01/15-stadion-terbesar-di-dunia.html

STADION-STADION PIALA DUNIA 2010

11 Kandidat Stadion Piala dunia 2018

Posted by admin on Apr 29th, 2009 and filed under sepakbola indonesia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

11 Kandidat Stadion Piala dunia 2018


Indonesia sudah resmi mengirim permohonan ke organisasi sepakbola dunia FIFA untuk menjadi tuan rumah Piala Dunia 2018 atau 2022. Sebanyak 24 anggota Komite Eksekutif FIFA akan memutuskan negara tuan rumah 2018 dan 2022 pada Desember 2010.

Sejak digelar pertama kali 1930, Eropa sudah menggelar Piala Dunia 10 kali
dan Amerika Latin enam kali. Sedang Asia dan Amerika Serikat masing-masing sekali. Afrika sudah mendapat jatah karena Afrika Selatan menjadi tuan rumah untuk 2010 sedang 2014 bakal digelar Brasil.
Untuk menjadi tuan rumah, FIFA mensyaratkan ada satu stadion berkapasitas di atas 80 ribu tempat duduk untuk final dan 12 stadion lain berkapasitas minimal 40 ribu tempat duduk. Ini bisa menjadi masalah bagi Indonesia yang biasa membangun stadion-stadion kecil, meski untuk final sudah memiliki Gelora Bung Karno yang bisa menampung 88 ribu penonton.

Inggris

Peringkat Dunia: 8
Stadion: Wembley (80 ribu tempat duduk)
Tuan rumah: 1966

Inggris menjadi calon kuat tuan rumah karena infrastruktur dan sejarah kuat terkait sepakbola. Mereka sudah memiliki sederet stadion besar. Beberapa klub malah menyatakan akan memperbesar tribun jika ditunjuk menjadi stadion penyelenggara. Mereka juga negeri asal sepakbola dan kompetisi liganya paling bergengsi di dunia.

Rusia
Peringkat dunia: 9
Stadion: Luzhniki (78 ribu tempat duduk)
Tuan rumah: belum pernah

Rusia tampak menjadi salah satu calon kuat tuan rumah selain Inggris. Tapi jarak antar stadion sangat jauh–meliputi sembilan daerah waktu. Tapi mereka memiliki stadion besar. Di Moskow saja sudah ada delapan stadion.

Portugal dan Spanyol
Peringkat Dunia: Portugal 11, Spanyol 1
Stadion: Estadio da Luz (Portugal, 62 ribu tempat duduk), Santiago Bernabeu (Spanyol, 80 ribu tempat duduk)
Tuan rumah: 1982 (Spanyol).

Setelah Jepang-Korea menjadi tuan rumah gabungan pada Piala Dunia 2002, Spanyol dan Portugal mengajukan diri menggelar turnamen pada 2018. Ketua FIFA, Sepp Blatter, cenderung tidak setuju tuan rumah gabungan.

Spanyol memiliki deretan stadion besar, termasuk Nou Camp (98 ribu tempat duduk) dan Santiago Bernabeu (80 ribu tempat duduk). Mereka sudah memiliki tujuh stadion berkapasitas di atas 40 ribu tempat duduk. Sedang Portugal memiliki infrastruktur bagus peninggalan Piala Eropa 2004.

Qatar
Peringkat Dunia: 86
Stadion: Qatar Khalifa International Stadium (50 ribu tempat duduk)
Tuan rumah: belum pernah

Qatar sudah memperlihatkan diri mampu menggelar sejumlah acara olahraga besar. Mereka menjadi tuan rumah Asian Games 2006, sejumlah kejuaraan tenis bergengsi, turnamen golf akbar, dan sirkit MotoGP. Mereka sudah dijadwalkan menggelar Piala Asia 2011.

Stadion mereka bagus tapi kecil-kecil. Tim nasional biasa bermain di Stadion Jassim bin Hamad karena suasana bisa membuat tim tamu tertekan, padahal hanya berkapasitas 18 ribu tempat duduk. Mereka mesti membangun banyak stadion baru jika ditunjuk.

Yang melemahkan FIFA karena negeri ini hanya berpenduduk 1,3 juta jiwa. Tapi bos asosiasi sepakbola Asia, AFC, Mohammed bin Hammam, adalah orang Qatar dan ia sangat dekat dengan Blatter.

Australia
Peringkat dunia: 29
Stadion: Melbourne Cricket Ground (100 ribu tempat duduk)
Tuan rumah: belum pernah

Australia serius akan menggelar Piala Dunia. Mereka berpengalaman menggelar acara akbar seperti Olimpiade 2000, Piala Dunia Rugbi 2003, dan Pesta Olahraga Persemakmuran 2006. Tapi karena 2010 dan 2014 digelar di belahan selatan, kemungkinan Australia bisa menjadi tuan rumah pada 2022.

Mereka juga tidak memiliki masalah dengan stadion. Stadion untuk kriket atau rugbi-Australia sudah cukup besar.

Belanda dan Belgia
Peringkat dunia: Belgia 54, Belanda 3
Stadion: Raja Baudouin (Belgia, 50 ribu tempat duduk), Feyenoord (Belanda, 51 ribu tempat duduk)
Tuan rumah: belum pernah

Dua negara itu berhasil menggelar Piala Eropa 2000. Yang menjadi masalah adalah stadion karena saat ini ukurannya kecil-kecil. Tidak ada yang diatas kisaran 50 ribu tempat duduk. Selain itu, Blatter lebih suka kejuaraan digelar di satu negara.

Jepang
Peringkat dunia: 34
Stadion: Stadion Internasional Yokohama (72 ribu tempat duduk)
Tuan rumah:
2002 (bersama Korea Selatan)

yokohama_international2Kecil kemungkinan Jepang menjadi tuan rumah kembali karena mereka baru saja menggelar acara ini.

Meksiko
Peringkat dunia: 26
Stadion: Aztec (105 tempat duduk)
Tuan rumah: 1986, 1970

seoulMeksiko dua kali menggelar Piala Dunia: 1970 dan 1986. Pada 1986, tuan rumah semula ditunjuk Kolumbia tapi negeri itu mundur karena FIFA ketat persyaratannya.

Mereka memiliki sejumlah stadion besar, seperti Guardalajara yang berkapasitas 72 ribu tempat duduk. Mereka juga sudah berpengalaman menjadi tuan rumah sehingga bisa menjadi nilai tambah.

Korea Selatan
Peringkat dunia: 42
Stadion: Stadion Piala Dunia Seoul (64 ribu tempat duduk)
Tuan rumah: 2002 (bersama Jepang)

seoul2Saat menjadi tuan rumah 2002, mereka membangun 10 stadion baru yang berkapasitas di atas 40 ribu. Tapi persyaratan FIFA sekarang adalah, untuk final minimal 80 ribu tempat duduk. Tidak ada masalah bagi Korea Selatan membangun atau memperluas stadion yang ada sehingga memenuhi keinginan FIFA.

Amerika Serikat
Peringkat dunia: 22
Stadion: Rose Bowl, Pasadena (91 ribu tempat duduk)
Tuan rumah: 1994

psadenaMeski bukan “negara sepakbola” tapi Amerika sukses menggelar Piala Dunia dan saat itu stadion-stadionnya selalu penuh. Mereka menjadi calon kuat karena kekuatan finansial dan pemasaran. Asosiasi sepakbola Amerika juga yakin Barack Obama bisa meyakinkan FIFA untuk memilih mereka dalam turnamen 2018 atau 2020.

Amerika memiliki 25-35 stadion kelas dunia dan infrastruktur lain yang sangat bagus.

INDONESIA
Peringkat dunia: 144
Stadion: Gelora Utama Bung Karno (88 ribu tempat duduk)
Tuan rumah: belum pernah

Ada dua kelemahan Indonesia: infrastruktur yang tidak mamadai dan prestasi sepakbola yang buruk. Untuk final, memang sudah ada Gelora Bung Karno. Tapi stadion lain belum mencukupi meski PSSI optimistis mereka bisa mengatasi masalah ini dalam 10 tahun.

Selain itu, transportasi antar kota kurang bagus.

Yang kurang dari Indonesia adalah prestasi tim nasional, yang memalukan karena di tingkat Asia Tenggara pun sulit berbicara. Lihat saja peringkat dunia yang memprihatinkan itu: 144.

Sedang sisi positif adalah para penggemar sepakbola yang sangat besar. Final Piala Asia 2007, saat Irak menjadi juara, pun digelar dengan atmosfir sangat bagus di Gelora Bung Karno.

dan ini stadion indonesia dalam youtube
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cZ9w_GOX8M

Kamis, 15 April 2010

viking vs the jack mania

« on: October 28, 2009, 09:01:15 PM »


Perseteruan antar suporter Persija dan Persib sudah berlangsung lama, tepatnya sejak tahun 2000 yaitu bertepatan dengan Liga Indonesia 6 berlangsung. Di putaran 1 sekitar 6 buah bis suporter Persib datang ke Lebak Bulus dan masuk ke Tribun Timur. Mereka terdiri dari banyak unit suporter seperti Balad Persib, Jurig, Stone Lovers, ABCD, Viking dll. Saat itu yang terbesar masih Balad Persib. Meski sempat nyaris terjadi gesekan dengan the Jakmania, tapi alhamdulilah tidak terjadi bentrokan yang lebih luas. Justru suporter Persib bergerak ke arah the Jakmania tuk berjabat tangan. Gw inget banget yel mereka waktu itu : “ABCD… Anak Bandung Cinta Damai”. Selesai pertandingan suporter Persib juga didampingi the Jakmania menuju bus mereka. The Jakmania mengikuti dengan menyanyikan lagu Halo Halo Bandung.

Penerimaan the Jakmania membuat Viking berniat tuk mengundang datang ke Bandung saat putaran 2. Dialog berlangsung lancar karena seorang Pengurus the Jakmania yg bernama Erwan rajin ke Bandung tuk bikin kaos. Hubungan Erwan dengan Ayi Beutik juga konon akrab banget sampe2 Erwan pernah cerita kalo dia suka sama adiknya Ayi Beutik. Melalui Erwan jugalah Viking menyatakan keinginannya tuk mengundang dan menyambut the Jakmania di Bandung meski mereka sendiri masih khawatir dengan sikap bobotoh yang lain.

The Jakmania saat itu belum sebesar sekarang. Yang nonton di Lebak Bulus aja cuma di sisi Selatan tribun Timur. Jd bersebelahan dengan Viking. Nah ajakan Viking itu langsung kita bahas, dan kita memang sudah punya niat tuk melakoni partai tandang. Dibentuklah kemudian perencanaan, salah satunya dengan mengutus Sekum dan Bendahara Umum the Jakmania saat itu yaitu Sdr Faisal dan Sdr Danang. Mereka ditugaskan tuk melobi Panpel Persib dari mulai masalah tiket hingga tribun the Jakmania. Kebetulan Danang lagi kuliah di Bandung sehingga tempat kosnya jadi tempat kumpulnya the Jakers disana. Selain mereka berdua memang adalagi yang menawarkan diri tuk bantu seperti Sdr Budi Rawa Belong.

Jujur gw katakan kita memang belum pengalaman mengkoordinasikan anggota tuk nonton tandang. Tapi yang menjadi masalah justru bukan di koordinator tapi di anggota. Banyak anggota yang bandel daftar pada hari H nya. Jumlah yg tadinya cuma 400 orang berkembang menjadi 1000 orang lebih! Bayangin gimana repotnya kita nyari bis tuk ngangkut segitu banyak orang. Akibatnya kita berangkat baru jam 12 siang! Itu juga terpecah menjadi 3 rombongan. Satu bis berangkat lebih dulu karena akan ganti ban. Disusul 4 bus kemudian. Dan terakhir termasuk gw berangkat dengan 4 bus tambahan.

Keberangkatan kita sendiri juga masih diliputi keraguan apakah dapat tiket atau tidak. Tim Advance yg diutus mendapatkan kesulitan mencari tiket. 4 hari sebelum pertandingan terjadi kerusuhan di stadion Siliwangi akibat distribusi tiket yang kurang lancar. Ada seorang Vikers yang menganjurkan the Jak tuk hadir di acara khusus pertemuan tim dengan suporternya. Faisal, Danang dan Budi ambil keputusan tuk hadir di acara itu. Disana mereka sempat bertemu Walikota Bandung, Kapolres, Ketua Panpel dan Ketua Keamanan. Mereka semua menjamin bahwa the Jakmania akan bisa masuk dan tiket akan disiapkan khusus. Paling tidak itulah info yang gw dapet dari tim Advance.

1 bis pertama tiba di Stadion Siliwangi. Viking siap menyambut dan mempersilahkan masuk ke stadion, padahal tiket belum di tangan. Sayang hal yang dikhawatirkan Viking terbukti. Perlahan tapi makin lama makin banyak datanglah bobotoh nyamperin the Jak dengan sikap yang tidak simpatik. Melihat gelagat buruk ini Viking minta the Jak tuk keluar dulu ke stadion sambil menunggu rombongan berikut. Sembari menunggu, beberapa rekan ada yang melaksanakan sholat ashar dulu. Ketika selesai sholat, mulailah terjadi hal2 yang tidak diinginkan. Rekan2 kita mendapatkan pukulan disana sini dengan menggunakan kayu. Salah satunya (gw lupa namanya) tersungkur berlumuran darah yang keluar dari kepalanya. Melihat situasi ini the Jakmania kembali diungsikan menjauh dari stadion.

Rombongan besar 8 buah bis akhirnya tiba juga. Tapi karena terlambat, stadion Siliwangi sudah penuh sesak. Lagipula kita tetap tidak berhasil mendapatkan tiket. Panpel memang kelihatan salah tingkah dan berusaha mengumpulkan dari calo2 yang masih beredar di sekitar stadion, namun jumlahnya juga tidak memadai hanya 300 lembar. Sementara bobotoh yang masih berada di luar juga mulai melakukan serangan terhadap the Jakmania. Gw sempet coba menenangkan dan cekcok dengan seorang bobotoh yang ngambil dengan paksa kacamata anggota kita. Bobotoh itu bilang kalo dia kesal sama anak Jakarta karena mereka juga diperlakukan dengan tidak simpatik di Jakarta ketika menyaksikan pertandingan Persijatim vs Persib di Lebak Bulus. Mereka tidak mau tau kalo Persijatim tu beda dengan Persija. Seingat gw kejadian ini sempat direkam foto oleh wartawan dari Tabloid GO dan terpampang jelas esoknya di media tersebut. Dan kalo ga salah yang nyerang kita tu pake kaos Stone Lovers dan Persib. Mungkin ada juga yang laen karena gw dah lupa dan kurang jelas.

Gw lalu ngambil inisiatif tuk nyari rombongan pertama yang dateng duluan dan mengajak mereka tuk gabung ke rombongan besar. Disana gw minta maaf ke semua anggota karena gagal membawa rombongan sampai masuk ke stadion. Di situ dari Panpel juga sempat minta maaf. Namun kondisi ini tidak bisa diterima oleh seluruh rombongan, bahkan mereka juga tidak mau berjabat tangan dengan 3 orang Viking yang masih setia mengawal meski pertandingan sudah berlangsung.

Ketika rombongan hendak pulang, tiba2 kita diserang lagi oleh bobotoh yang masih nunggu di luar stadion. Kondisi ini jelas tidak bisa diterima. Sudah ga bisa masuk masih juga diserang. Akhirnya kita balas perlakuan mereka. Jumlah bobotoh di luar stadion masih ratusan sehingga terjadilah bentrokan yang mengakibatkan pecahnya kaca2 mobil akibat terkena lemparan dari kedua kubu. Ketika polisi datang, keributan mereda dan the Jakmania mulai beranjak pulang. Sempat pula terjadi bentrok beberapa kali ketika rombongan berpapasan dengan bobotoh yg pulang karena tidak kebagian tiket.

Beberapa waktu kemudian ketika Tim Nasional akan bertanding di Senayan, Viking Jakarta berniat datang. Gw melihat gelagat kurang baik jadi gw minta mereka tuk selalu jalan berdampingan dengan gw. Ketika pertandingan selesai, ada sedikit cekcok antara beberapa orang the Jakmania dengan pendukung PSIS Panser Biru Jakarta. Gw kemudian meminta Sdr Aceng tuk ngawal Panser Biru hingga mereka pulang. Ketika gw hendak kembali ke rombongan Viking, ternyata mereka sudah diserang oleh sekelompok the Jakmania. Buru2 gw lari kesana dan ngambil lagi syal Persib yang sudah diambil. Viking gw kawal trus dibantu seorang anggota dari Tanjung Duren. Di depan, seorang anggota Viking yang mengalami serangan jantung dibawa naik taksi tuk pulang. Sisanya gw temenin sampe Polda Metro Jaya. Kalo ga salah ad Viking Depok yang namanya Rusdi. Sebetulnya menurut gw serangan the Jak saat itu tidak separah ketika kejadian di Bandung. Toh tidak ada satupun anak Viking yang cedera. Cuma sayang ternyata di antara mereka ada juga yg berasal dari Bandung dan entah apa yang mereka ceritakan disana, Viking langsung membalas ketika kita bertandang ke Cimahi melawan Persikab Kabupaten Bandung.

The Jakmania awalnya bebas bernyanyi dan memberikan dukungan ke Persija. Tapi Viking yang awalnya berada di seberang tribun kita mulai bergerak menghampiri tanpa ada satupun usaha pencegahan dari Panpel. Ketika dekat mereka langsung meneriakkan kata2 penuh kebencian disertai lemparan benda2 keras dan botol ke arah kita. Salah satunya mengenai Sdri Temi yang langsung jatuh pingsan. Gw coba menelpon Sdr Heru Joko Ketua Umum Viking tuk minta bantuan menghalau anggotanya. Heru saat itu bilang kalo dia masih di perjalanan tapi akan segera datang. Belakangan gw dapat kabar dari seorang wartawan kalo Heru ternyata sudah tiba sejak awal pertandingan …..Huh?!!! Ketika pertandingan usai, Panpel meminta the Jakmania bertahan dulu di tengah lapangan hingga suasana aman.

The Jakmania kemudian keluar stadion dengan pengawalan ketat. Diluar kita diangkut dengan truk polisi dan panser menuju jalan tol dimana bus2 kita sudah menunggu. Sampai disana kita mendapati bus kita dalam kondisi hancur berat. Salah seorang anggota yang usianya mencapai 70 tahun lebih ternyata sudah berada di dalam bis ketika penyerangan berlangsung. Dia jadi saksi bagaimana seluruh tas dan perbekalan diambil oleh Viking yang tidak bertanggung jawab tersebut. Gw langsung telpon lagi Heru Joko tuk protes keras kenapa dia tidak berusaha meredam amarah anggotanya dan kenapa dia berbohong mengatakan kalo dia belum tiba di stadion. Tidak ada penjelasan apapun yang memuaskan hati gw. Dan mulai saat itu gw pikir sangat sulit tuk berharap hubungan membaik bila pimpinan tidak berusaha tuk meredam api permusuhan ini.

Sejak saat itulah api dendam dan permusuhan terus berkobar di kedua belah pihak. Puncaknya di acara Kuis Siapa Berani di Indosiar. Acara ini diprakarsai oleh Sigit Nugroho wartawan Bola yang terpilih menjadi Ketua Asosiasi Suporter Seluruh Indonesia. Waktu itu Sigit sempat telpon gw dan minta supaya the Jak yg dateng jangan banyak2 tuk menghindari bentrokan. Gw tunjuk 20 orang peserta dab 3 orang cadangan sesuai permintaan Indosiar, plus 1 orang lagi bagian dokumentasi. Mereka cuma gw ijinin pake 3 buah mobil pribadi, karena kalo gw nyewa bis nanti banyak yang ngikut. Gw sendiri ga ikut acara itu karena harus kerja.

BOBBY CHARLTON

Bobby Charlton

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Bobby Charlton
Bobby2.jpg
Personal information
Full name Sir Robert Charlton CBE
Date of birth 11 October 1937 (1937-10-11) (age 72)
Place of birth Ashington, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing position Midfielder
Forward
Youth career

East Northumberland Schools
1953–1954 Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1954–1973 Manchester United 606 (199)
1973–1975 Preston North End 38 (8)
1976 Waterford 4 (1)
1976 Arcadia Shepherds 1 (0)
1978 Bangor City 1 (1)
1978 Newcastle KB United 1 (0)
1980 Blacktown City 1 (1)
National team
1953 England Schoolboys 4 (5)
1954 England Youth 1 (1)
1958–1960 England U-23 6 (5)
1958–1970 England 106 (49)
1961–1968 The Football League 8 (0)
1964-1972 Europe XI 2 (?)
1971-1973 World XI 3 (?)
Teams managed
1973–1975 Preston North End (player-manager)
1983 Wigan Athletic (caretaker manager)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton CBE (born 11 October 1937 in Ashington, Northumberland) is an English former professional football player who won the World Cup and was named the European Footballer of the Year in 1966. He played almost all of his club football at Manchester United, where he became renowned for his attacking instincts from midfield and his ferocious long-range shot. His elder brother Jack, who was also in the World Cup-winning team, was a former defender for Leeds United and coach.

He began to play for United's first team in 1956, and over the next two seasons gained a regular place in the team, during which time he survived the Munich air disaster of 1958. After helping United to win the Football League in 1965, he won a World Cup medal with England in 1966 and another Football League title with United the following year. In 1968, he captained the Manchester United team that won the European Cup, scoring two goals in the final to help his team be the first English side to win the competition. He has scored more goals for England and United than any other player. He had made more appearances for Manchester United than any other player (758[1]), a record superseded by Ryan Giggs at the Champions League Final in Moscow on 21 May 2008. However, Charlton still owns the club record for most league appearances with 606, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest English players of all time.

At the time of his retirement from the England team in 1970, he was the nation's most capped player, having turned out 106 times at the highest level. This record has since been eclipsed by Bobby Moore, Peter Shilton and then David Beckham.

He left Manchester United in 1973, becoming player-manager of Preston North End,[2] but decided management was not for him and left after one season. After assuming the post of the director at Wigan Athletic for some time, he became a member of Manchester United's board of directors in 1984[3] and remains one as of November 2009. He set goalscoring records for both the England team and Manchester United, with both records remaining intact some 35 years after the end of his playing career. He was knighted in 1994.

Contents

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Early life

Charlton was related to several professional footballers on his mother's side of the family: his uncles were Jack Milburn (Leeds United and Bradford City), George Milburn (Leeds United and Chesterfield), Jim Milburn (Leeds United and Bradford City) and Stan Milburn (Chesterfield, Leicester City and Rochdale), and legendary Newcastle United and England footballer Jackie Milburn was his mother's cousin. However, Charlton credits much of the early development of his career to his grandfather Tanner and his mother Cissie.[4] His elder brother, Jack, initially went to work applying to the Police Service before also becoming a professional footballer with Leeds United.

On 9 February 1953, Bedlington Grammar School pupil Charlton was spotted playing for East Northumberland schools by Manchester United chief scout Joe Armstrong. Charlton went on to play for England schoolboys, and despite offers that followed from several other clubs, the 15-year-old signed with United on 1 January 1953, along with Wilf McGuinness, also aged 15.[5] Initially his mother was reluctant to let him commit to an insecure football career, so he began an apprenticeship as an electrical engineer; however he went on to turn professional in October 1954.[6]

Charlton became one of the famed Busby Babes, the collection of precociously talented footballers who emerged through the system at Old Trafford in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s as Matt Busby set about a long-term plan of rebuilding the club after the Second World War. He worked his way through the pecking order of teams, scoring regularly for the youth and reserve sides before he was handed his first team debut against Charlton Athletic in October 1956. At the same time, he was doing his National Service in Shrewsbury, where Busby had advised him to apply as it meant he could still play for United at the weekend. Also doing his army service in Shrewsbury at the same time was his United team-mate Duncan Edwards.[7]

Joining the first team

Charlton played 14 times for United in that first season. They won the League championship but were denied the 20th century's first "double" when they controversially lost the 1957 FA Cup final to Aston Villa. Charlton, still only 19, was selected for the game which saw United goalkeeper Ray Wood carried off with a broken cheekbone after a clash with Villa centre forward Peter McParland. Though Charlton was a candidate to go in goal to replace Wood (in the days before substitutes, and certainly before goalkeeping substitutes), it was team-mate Jackie Blanchflower who ended up between the posts.

Charlton was an established player by the time the next season was fully underway, which saw United, as current League champions, become the first English team to compete in the European Cup. Previously, the Football Association had scorned the competition but United made progress, reaching the semi finals where they lost to holders Real Madrid. Their reputation was further enhanced the next season as they reached the quarter finals to play Red Star Belgrade. In the first leg at home, United won 2–1. The return in Yugoslavia saw Charlton score twice as United stormed 3–0 ahead although the hosts came back to earn a 3–3 draw. However, United maintained their aggregate lead to reach the last four and were in jubilant mood as they left to catch their flight home, thinking of an important League game against Wolves at the weekend.

Munich

The aeroplane which took the United players and staff home from Zemun Airport needed to stop in Munich to refuel. This was carried out in worsening weather, and by the time the refuelling was complete and the call was made for the passengers to re-board the aircraft, the wintry showers had taken hold and snow had settled heavily on the runway and around the airport. There were two aborted take-offs which led to concern on board, and the passengers were advised by a stewardess to disembark again while a minor technical error was fixed.

Back in the airport terminal for barely ten minutes, the call to reconvene on the plane came and a number of passengers began to feel nervous. Charlton and team-mate Dennis Viollet swapped places with Tommy Taylor and David Pegg, who had decided they would be safer at the back of the plane.

The plane clipped the fence at the end of the runway on its next take-off attempt and a wing tore through a nearby house, setting it alight. The wing and part of the tail came off and hit a tree and a wooden hut spinning along the snow until coming to a halt. It had been cut in half.

Charlton, strapped into his seat, had fallen out of the cabin and when United goalkeeper Harry Gregg (who had somehow got through a hole in the plane unscathed and begun a one-man rescue mission) found him, he thought he was dead. That said, he grabbed both Charlton and Viollet by their trouser waistbands and dragged them away from the plane in constant fear that it would explode. Gregg returned to the plane to try to help the appallingly injured Busby and Blanchflower and when he turned around again, he was relieved to see that Charlton and Viollet, both of whom he had presumed to be dead, had got out of their detached seats and were looking into the wreckage.

Charlton suffered cuts to his head and severe shock and was in hospital for a week. Seven of his team-mates had perished at the scene, including Taylor and Pegg, with whom he and Viollet had swapped seats prior to the fatal take-off attempt. Club captain Roger Byrne was also killed, along with Mark Jones, Billy Whelan, Eddie Colman and Geoff Bent. Duncan Edwards died a fortnight later from the injuries he had sustained. In total, the crash claimed 23 lives. Initially, ice on the wings was blamed, but another inquiry later declared that slush on the runway had made the plane's facility to achieve a safe take-off almost impossible.

Charlton was the first survivor to leave hospital. He arrived back in Manchester on 14 February 1958, eight days after the crash. As he convalesced, he spent some time kicking a ball around with local youths and a famous photograph of him was taken. He was still only 20 years old, yet now there was an expectation that he would help with the rebuilding of the club as Busby's aides tried to piece together what remained of the season.

Not unexpectedly, United went out of the European Cup to Milan in the semi finals to a 5–2 aggregate defeat and fell behind in the League. Yet somehow they reached their second consecutive FA Cup final and the big day at Wembley coincided with Busby's return to work. His words could not inspire a side which was playing on a nation's goodwill and sentiment, and Nat Lofthouse scored twice to give a "professional" Bolton Wanderers side a 2–0 win, including a shoulder charge over the line of the goalkeeper in possession, which today would have counted as a yellow card, not a goal, and even then considered by many as invalid.

Hero of United & England

At the same time, Charlton's emergence as the country's leading young football talent was completed when he was called up to join the England squad for a British Home Championship game against Scotland at Hampden Park. It would be the start of a long, prolific, record-breaking and globally respected career for his country.

Charlton was handed his debut as England romped home 4–0, with the new player gaining even more admirers after scoring a magnificent thumping volley dispatched with authority after a cross by the left winger Tom Finney. He scored both goals in his second game as England beat Portugal 2–1 in a friendly at Wembley; and overcame obvious nerves on a return to Belgrade to play his third match against Yugoslavia. Unfortunately, England lost that game 5–0 and Charlton played poorly. He was selected for the squad which competed at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, but didn't kick a ball, something at which critics expressed surprise and bewilderment,[citation needed] even allowing for his lacklustre performance in Belgrade.

Charlton began to settle back into his footballing life with Manchester United and England and enhanced his reputation as a scorer of great goals as well as a great goalscorer – rarely is a player regarded as both. In 1959 he scored a hat-trick as England demolished the USA 8–1; and his second England hat-trick came in 1961 in an 8–0 thrashing of Mexico. He also managed to score in every British Home Championship tournament he played in except 1963 in an association with the tournament which lasted from 1958 to 1970 and included 16 goals and ten tournament victories (five shared).

He played in qualifiers for the 1962 World Cup in Chile against Luxembourg and Portugal and was named in the squad for the finals themselves. His goal in the 3–1 group win over Argentina was his 25th for England in just 38 appearances, but his individual success could not be replicated by that of the team, which was eliminated in the quarter final by Brazil, who went on to win the tournament.

Further success with Manchester United came at last when they beat Leicester City 3–1 in the FA Cup final of 1963, with Charlton finally earning a winners' medal in his third final. Busby's post-Munich rebuilding programme continued to progress with two League championships within three seasons, with United taking the title in 1965 and 1967. In between, there was the pressing matter for Charlton of the 1966 World Cup for which England, as hosts, had not needed to qualify. A successful (though trophyless) season with Manchester United had seen him take the honours of Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year and European Footballer Of The Year into the competition.

By now, England were coached by Alf Ramsey who had managed to gain sole control of the recruitment and team selection procedure from the committee-based call-up system which had lasted up to the previous World Cup. Ramsey had already cleared out some of the older players who had been reliant on the loyalty of the committee for their continued selection – it was well known that decorum on the pitch at club level had been just as big a factor in playing for England as ability and form.[citation needed] Luckily for Charlton, he had all three.

Charlton had remained the attacking midfield player, with Ramsey planning to build a team around him. He was still scoring and creating freely and as the tournament was about to start, he was expected to become one of its stars and galvanise his established reputation as one of the world's best footballers.

1966: World Cup Glory

England drew the opening game of the tournament 0–0 with Uruguay, and Charlton scored the first goal in the 2–0 win over Mexico. This was followed by an identical scoreline against France, allowing England to qualify for the quarter finals.

England defeated Argentina 1–0 – the game was the only one in which Charlton received a caution – and faced Portugal in the semi finals. This turned out to be one of Charlton's most important games for England.

Charlton opened the scoring with a crisp side-footed finish after a run by Roger Hunt had forced the Portuguese goalkeeper out of his net; his second was a sweetly struck shot after a run and pull-back from Geoff Hurst. Charlton and Hunt were now England's joint-highest scorers in the tournament with three each, and a final against West Germany beckoned.

The final turned out to be one of Charlton's quieter days; he and a young Franz Beckenbauer effectively marked each other out of the game. England won 4–2 after extra time.

European glory

Charlton's next England game was his 75th as England beat Northern Ireland; 2 caps later and he had become England's second most-capped player, behind the veteran Billy Wright, who was approaching his 100th appearance when Charlton was starting out and ended with 105 caps.

In 1968, Manchester United reached the European Cup final, ten seasons after Munich. Even though other clubs had taken part in the competition in the intervening decade, the team which got to this final was still the first English side to do so. On a highly emotional night at Wembley, Charlton scored twice in a 4–1 win after extra time against Benfica and, as United captain, lifted the trophy. Weeks later he scored his 45th England goal in a friendly against Sweden, breaking the record of 44 set the previous year by Jimmy Greaves. He was then in the England team which made it to the semi-finals of the 1968 European Championships where they were knocked out by Yugoslavia in Florence but he did not play in the semi-final itself having picked up an injury in a friendly against Sweden. England defeated the Soviet Union 2–0 in the third place match.

In 1969, Charlton was awarded the OBE for services to football. More milestones followed as he won his 100th England cap on 21 April 1970 against Northern Ireland, and was made captain by Ramsey for the occasion. Inevitably, he scored. This was his 48th goal for his country – his 49th and final goal would follow a month later in a 4–0 win over Colombia during a warm-up tour for the 1970 World Cup, designed to get the players adapted to altitude conditions. Charlton's inevitable selection by Ramsey for the tournament made him the first – and still, to date, only – England player to feature in four World Cup squads.

World Cup 1970 and retirement from playing football

England began the tournament with two victories in the group stages, plus a memorable defeat against Brazil. Charlton played in all three, though was substituted for Alan Ball in the final game of the group against Czechoslovakia. Ramsey, confident of victory and progress to the quarter final, wanted Charlton to rest.

England duly reached the last eight where they again faced West Germany. Charlton controlled the midfield and suppressed Franz Beckenbauer's runs from deep as England coasted to a 2–0 lead. Beckenbauer pulled a goal back for the Germans and Ramsey replaced the ageing and tired Charlton with Colin Bell who further tested the German keeper Maier and also provided a great cross for Geoff Hurst who uncharacteristically squandered the chance. West Germany, who had a habit of coming back from behind, eventually scored twice – a back header from Uwe Seeler made it 2–2 after which Gerd Müller's goal finished England off. England were out and, after a record 106 caps and 49 goals, Charlton decided to end his international career at the age of 32. On the flight home from Mexico, he asked Ramsey not to consider him again. His brother Jack, two years his senior but 71 caps his junior, did likewise.

Despite populist opinion the substitution did not change the game as Franz Beckenbauer had scored before Charlton left the field, hence Charlton had failed to cancel out the German. Charlton himself conceded that the substitution did not affect the game in a BBC documentary. His caps record lasted until 1973 when Bobby Moore overtook him, and Charlton currently lies fourth in the all-time England appearances list behind Moore, David Beckham and Peter Shilton, whose own England career began in the first game after Charlton's had ended. As of December 2009, Charlton's goalscoring record still stands.[8]

During the early 1970s, Manchester United were no longer competing among the top teams in England, and at several stages were battling against relegation. At times, Charlton was not on speaking terms with United's other superstars George Best and Denis Law, and Best refused to play in Charlton's testimonial match against Celtic, saying that "to do so would be hypocritical".[9] Charlton left Manchester United at the end of the 1972–73 season, having scored 249 goals and set a club record of 758 appearances, a record which Ryan Giggs broke in the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final. His goalscoring record, however, is still intact by a comfortable margin.

His last game was against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and before the game the BBC cameras for Match Of The Day captured the Chelsea chairman handing Charlton a commemorative cigarette case.

International goals

Scores and results list England's goal tally first.[10]
Date Venue Opponent Result Competition Scored
19 April 1958 Hampden Park, Glasgow Scotland 4–0 British Home Championship 1 (1)
7 May 1958 Empire Stadium, Wembley Portugal 2–1 Friendly match 2 (3)
4 October 1958 Windsor Park, Belfast Northern Ireland 3–3 British Home Championship 2 (5)
22 October 1958 Empire Stadium, Wembley Soviet Union 5–0 Friendly match 1 (6)
11 April 1959 Empire Stadium, Wembley Scotland 1–0 British Home Championship 1 (7)
6 May 1959 Empire Stadium, Wembley Italy 2–2 Friendly match 1 (8)
28 May 1959 Wrigley Field, Los Angeles United States 8–1 Friendly match 3 (11)
28 October 1959 Empire Stadium, Wembley Sweden 2–3 Friendly match 1 (12)
9 April 1960 Hampden Park, Glasgow Scotland 1–1 British Home Championship 1 (13)
8 October 1960 Windsor Park, Belfast Northern Ireland 5–2 British Home Championship 1 (14)
15 October 1960 Stade Municipal, Luxembourg-Ville Luxembourg 9–0 1962 FIFA World Cup qualification 3 (17)
23 November 1960 Empire Stadium, Wembley Wales 5–1 British Home Championship 1 (18)
10 May 1961 Empire Stadium, Wembley Mexico 8–0 Friendly match 3 (21)
28 September 1961 Highbury, London Luxembourg 4–1 1962 FIFA World Cup qualification 2 (23)
22 November 1961 Empire Stadium, Wembley Northern Ireland 1–1 British Home Championship 1 (24)
2 June 1962 Estadio El Teniente, Rancagua Argentina 3–1 1962 FIFA World Cup 1 (25)
29 May 1963 Tehelné Pole, Bratislava Czechoslovakia 4–2 Friendly match 1 (26)
2 June 1963 Zentralstadion, Leipzig East Germany 2–1 Friendly match 1 (27)
5 June 1963 St. Jakob-Park, Basel Switzerland 8–1 Friendly match 3 (30)
12 October 1963 Ninian Park, Cardiff Wales 4–0 British Home Championship 1 (31)
17 May 1964 Estádio Nacional, Lisbon Portugal 4–3 Friendly match 1 (32)
27 May 1964 Downing Stadium, New York United States 10–0 Friendly match 1 (33)
11 April 1965 Empire Stadium, Wembley Scotland 2–2 British Home Championship 1 (34)
20 October 1965 Empire Stadium, Wembley Austria 2–3 Friendly match 1 (35)
2 April 1966 Hampden Park, Glasgow Scotland 4–3 British Home Championship 1 (36)
4 May 1966 Empire Stadium, Wembley Yugoslavia 2–0 Friendly match 1 (37)
16 June 1966 Empire Stadium, Wembley Mexico 2–0 1966 FIFA World Cup 1 (38)
26 July 1966 Empire Stadium, Wembley Portugal 2–1 1966 FIFA World Cup 2 (40)
16 November 1966 Empire Stadium, Wembley Wales 5–1 British Home Championship 1 (41)
21 October 1967 Ninian Park, Cardiff Wales 2–1 British Home Championship 1 (42)
22 November 1967 Empire Stadium, Wembley Northern Ireland 2–0 British Home Championship 1 (43)
3 April 1968 Empire Stadium, Wembley Spain 1–0 1968 UEFA European Football Championship qualifier 1 (44)
22 May 1968 Empire Stadium, Wembley Sweden 3–1 Friendly match 1 (45)
8 June 1968 Stadio Olimpico, Rome Soviet Union 2–0 1968 UEFA European Football Championship 1 (46)
7 May 1969 Empire Stadium, Wembley Wales 2–1 British Home Championship 1 (47)
21 April 1970 Empire Stadium, Wembley Northern Ireland 3–1 British Home Championship 1 (48)
20 May 1970 Estadio El Campín, Bogotá Colombia 4–0 Friendly match 1 (49)

After playing football

Charlton became the player-manager of Preston North End in 1973, taking United and England team-mate Nobby Stiles with him as player-coach, but his first season ended in relegation and although he began playing again he left at the end of the following season. However, he was awarded the CBE that year and began a casual association with the BBC for punditry on matches which continued for many years. In 1975 he scored 18 goals in 31 appearances for Waterford United.

In 1978 he made 1 appearance for Shrewsbury Town in a friendly against The Zambia national team at Gay Meadow, Shrewsbury.

He then joined Wigan Athletic as a director, and was briefly caretaker manager there. He then spent some time playing in South Africa.[11] He also built up several businesses in areas such as travel, jewellery and hampers, and ran soccer schools in the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia and China. In 1984, he was invited to become member of the board of directors at Manchester United, partly because of his football knowledge and partly because it was felt that the club needed a "name" on the board after the resignation of Sir Matt Busby.[12] He remains a director of Manchester United as of 2009 and his continued presence was a factor in placating many fans opposed to the club's takeover by Malcolm Glazer. Charlton led the Manchester United side in receiving the European Cup in 2008, 50 years on from the Munich air disaster – Charlton initially refused UEFA President Michel Platini's offer of a winners' medal, having not participated in the match itself.[citation needed]

Charlton helped to promote Manchester's bids for the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games and the 2002 Commonwealth Games, England's bid for the 2006 FIFA World Cup and London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympic Games.[13] He received a knighthood in 1994 and was an Inaugural Inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002. On accepting his award he commented “I’m really proud to be included in the National Football Museum’s Hall of Fame. It’s a great honour. If you look at the names included I have to say I couldn’t argue with them. They are all great players and people I would love to have played with." He is also the (honorary) president of the National Football Museum, an organisation about which he said “I can’t think of a better Museum anywhere in the world.”. On 14 December 2008 Charlton was awarded the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award.[14]

On 2 March 2009, Charlton was given the freedom of the city of Manchester, stating "I'm just so proud, it's fantastic. It's a great city. I have always been very proud of it." [15]

Charlton is involved in a number of charitable activities including fund raising for cancer hospitals [16], and the land mine clearance charity Mines Advisory Group [17].

Miscellaneous & family life

He met his wife, Norma Ball, at an ice rink in Manchester and they married in 1961. They have two daughters – Suzanne and Andrea. Suzanne was a weather forecaster for the BBC during the 1990s.

In 2007, while publicising his forthcoming autobiography, Charlton revealed that he has a long-running feud with his brother, Jack. They have rarely spoken since a falling-out between his wife Norma and his mother Cissie (who died in 1996 at the age of 84).[18] It would appear that the two brothers are again on speaking terms, as Jack presented him with his BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award on 14 December 2008. He said that he was 'knocked out' as he was presented the award by his brother. He received a standing ovation as he stood waiting for his prize.[19]

Charlton began to lose his hair in the early 1960s and for a while refused to go bald gracefully, sporting a style of stranded, isolated hairs which would often flop around when he was running before he would tug them back over his head. This style is today still known as "the Bobby Charlton Comb-Over".[citation needed]

Statistics

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
1956–57 Manchester United First Division 14 10 2 1

1 1 17 12
1957–58 21 8 7 5

2 3 30 16
1958–59 38 29 1 0



39 29
1959–60 37 18 3 3



40 21
1960–61 39 21 3 0



42 21
1961–62 37 8 6 2



43 10
1962–63 28 7 6 2



34 9
1963–64 40 9 7 2

6 4 54 15
1964–65 41 10 7 0

11 8 59 18
1965–66 38 16 7 0

8 2 54 18
1966–67 42 12 2 0



44 12
1967–68 41 15 2 1

9 2 53 20
1968–69 32 5 6 0

8 2 48 7
1969–70 40 12 9 1 8 1

57 14
1970–71 42 5 2 0 6 3

50 8
1971–72 40 8 7 2 6 2

53 12
1972–73 36 6 1 0 4 1

41 7
Total 606 199 78 19 24 7 45 22 758 249
1974–75 Preston North End Third Division 38 8 4 1 3 1

45 10
Total 38 8 4 1 3 1

45 10
Republic of Ireland League FAI Cup League of Ireland Cup Europe Total
1975–76 Waterford United League of Ireland







4 1
Total







31 18
Total England 644 207 82 20 27 8 45 22 803 259
Total Republic of Ireland







4 1
Career Total







834 277

Honours

International

Club

Manchester United

Individual