The Telegraph published this video item, entitled “Tommy Charlton, former footballer and younger brother to Jack and Sir Bobby” – below is their description.
The ‘Bob’ to whom Tom refers is Sir Bobby Charlton – England’s greatest footballer – and we are standing outside the back of 114 Beatrice Street. It is the terraced house among the parallel grid of mining homes in Ashington where Tom grew up sharing a bedroom – and just one big double bed – with older brothers Jack, Bobby and Gordon.
“What a privilege to come back and see the old place … oh my, this really takes me back,” says Tom Charlton, pointing at a nine-foot high row of bricks in which you can still see the outline of the coal holes through which a family’s fuel supply was once shovelled.
“That wall was where we would play. We’d be in the park all day and in the street at night. There weren’t a lot of cars and, when it got dark, the lights would come on with a 15-watt bulb. You’d select a door or a coal house to be the goals.
“Everybody played. Could be 20-a-side. It got pretty rough. Nine times out of 10 it was with a tennis ball.
Bob always had a tennis ball in his pocket. He’d walk to school kicking a tennis ball off the wall or the kerb, trapping it and playing keepy-uppy. That’s one of the reasons he was so skilful.”
Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer: just £1 for 3 months. Start your free trial now:
Get the latest headlines: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Telegraph.co.uk and YouTube.com/TelegraphTV are websites of The Telegraph, the UK’s best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.
#worldcup2022 #Football #England
The Telegraph YouTube Channel
Got a comment? Leave your thoughts in the comments section, below. Please note comments are moderated before publication.
