Football's Pioneers: John Charles

No, not ‘the gentle giant’, who played for Leeds United, Juventus and Wales, but the other John Charles, the one who made 142 appearances in all competitions for West Ham’s first team between 1963 and 1970, his playing career cut short by persistent hamstring injuries. Though less famous than his illustrious namesake, West Ham’s John Charles made his own significant contribution to the English game. Not only was he the first black player to represent West Ham at First Division level, he was also the first black player to star for England when capped for the Under-18s against Israel in 1962.

‘Charlo’ – or ‘Charlie-the One’ – was born in Canning Town in 1944; his mother was from east London, his father from Grenada. He was from a large family, the eighth of nine children. His younger brother, Clive, also enjoyed a successful career as a player and coach in England and the United States. John represented West Ham Boys, London and Essex and signed for the Hammers on leaving school in 1959.

Arguably, Charles’s greatest achievement in claret and blue was as the inspiring captain of the side that won the FA Youth Cup in 1962/63, driving his team on in an epic struggle against Liverpool in the final, overturning a 3-1 deficit from the away leg to win 5-2 at home (6-5 on aggregate). Charlo went on to establish himself as a regular first-team choice in 1965/66, playing – mainly at left-back – in the same side as Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters. A resolute defender, he was adept at persuading wingers to cut inside onto the wrong foot so as to maximise his chances of dispossessing them.

Ron Greenwood, West Ham’s manager, remembered him as ‘a perfect gentleman and a good club man, steady and reliable.’ Unfortunately, injuries began to take their toll, especially in 1969/70 when he managed only five first-team starts. Orient showed interest but he retired from the game at just 26-years-old. He could earn more selling fruit from his market stalls than he could as a professional footballer and built up a business that was successful for a number of years.

Though remaining in touch with good friends from his West Ham days, he left the world of football behind. Later, his business ran into trouble and he experienced various health problems. He sadly died with cancer in 2002 at the age of 57.