Product Description

The history of modern British football can largely be written through the stories of Jack and Bobby Charlton. Both were in the World Cup winning team of 1966, and each has remained deeply involved in the game ever since. This book traces the parallel lives of the Charltons, following them from their schooldays through to the present day.The brothers both played prominent roles in the finest hour of English football. Each played for the dominant club of their era, and summed up the style of their respective teams. Bobby was at Manchester Utd during their glory days under Sir Matt Busby. He survived the Munich air crash and went on to become a fast, graceful attacker who set grounds alight with his power, speed and athleticism in a team that played free-flowing, attacking football. Jack came to professional football late, working in a coal mine before Leeds signed him. Don Revie's Leeds side was renowned for its uncompromising and physical style, and Jack was himself a tough, durable and aggressive defender, who once caused uproar by admitting he had a "black book" with a list of footballing enemies who he would target on the pitch. The two retired from football in the same year, and since, the contrast between them has been marked. Bobby's forays into management at Wigan and Preston were distinguished only by their brevity, while "Big Jack" took the Republic of Ireland team to an unprecendented level of success, reaching the quarter finals of the World Cup in 1994. Bobby has been a key figure in the ongoing success of Manchester United over the past decade, working on recruiting players and as an FA diplomat. But, despite their continued successes, the relationship between the two has been strained, sometimes barely even polite, and the book investigates the reasons for this, including in-depth interviews with many of those the two have been in contact with over the years.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #540887 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
The Charlton brothers hold a unique place in the history of football, thanks not least to their roles in England's 1966 World Cup triumph, but, as journalist Leo McKinstry recounts in his biography Jack and Bobby--A Story of Brothers in Conflict, little has previously been written specifically about the pair and their sometimes volatile relationship.

The public image of the two is firmly established. Younger brother Bobby, the dazzling forward with all the natural ability, who would find a place at the heart of the football establishment as roving ambassador for Manchester United and England. And Jack the lad, the gangling hardman defender; a workhorse, and later, voluble, eccentric club and international manager, who could always be counted on for a quote. But while McKinstry reveals there is much truth behind the stereotypes, there has been tension too, with neither brother entirely comfortable with their ascribed roles.

Such reflections are weaved around a traditional biographical narrative, which follows the brothers from childhood through their respective playing careers with Manchester United, and Leeds, their England glory, managerial successes and failures to their current state of semi-retirement, and digs out some illuminating stuff along the way. Neither of the Charltons was prepared to cooperate with this book--but McKinstry has sought out the perspectives of friends, family and colleagues. The story of Bobby's struggles to find a career after playing, where business success outside of football was matched by managerial failure within it, reveals that a man who had so effortlessly drawn on his own sporting talent was all at sea among the less gifted. And Big Jack, the affable saint steering the Irish team out of obscurity, was a somewhat less cuddly character behind the scenes: according to his players, the boss was prone to very human weaknesses, not least an almost incredible "carefulness" with money, a trait that is the catalyst for some of the book's funniest, and oddest moments.

Such humour, enhanced by McKinstry's eye for the tiny details that betray personality and his ability to draw meaningful characterisations from a blend of familiar facts and fresh anecdotal material, lifts the book out of the ordinary. Jack and Bobby succeeds in offering affectionate but convincing portraits of two of English football's most revered and intriguing characters. --Alex Hankin

Review
Traces the parallel lives of Jack and Bobby Charlton from schooldays to the present day.

Sunday Telegraph
'elegantly written and exhaustively researched'

Customer Reviews

Excellent read for men of a certain age
This is the story of two of the outstanding personalities of post-war football in the British Isles, the Charlton brothers. Bobby is probably the most famous English player of all time. Jack's success came less easily but his strength of character and sense of humour has made him an enduringly popular figure in the game.

The book traces the brothers' parallel lives and careers from their humble roots in Ashington, Northumberland through to their millionaire status today. Their stellar playing careers are examined with Bobby recognised as a star at Manchester United from his earliest days surviving the Munich air disaster. Jack, on the other hand, spent much of his younger days with Leeds in the second division and did not make his debut for England until he was nearly thirty. They played together in England's World Cup winning team of 1966 and both won League Champioship and FA Cup winners medals with their clubs while Bobby went on to win the European Cup as well. Both international careers ended with the disappointment of elimination from the World Cup in 1970 at the quarter-final stage by West Germany.

Their lives go their separate ways after retirement with Jack, the qualified coach, going on to manage Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday and, briefly, Newcastle before the revelation of his ten years with the Republic of Ireland. Bobby, after an unsuccessful spell as manager of Preston became a successful businessman and - that rarity for an ex-player - football club director (of Manchester United).

However, the book is much more than a catalogue of the brothers' success. At its core is an examination of their different personalities and the frequent tension between them, particularly Jack's displeasure with Bobby's estrangement from their mother.

This is a thoroughly researched, unsentimental, well-written piece of work. A wealth of anecdotes from people who knew the Charltons well add insights. Many are humorous and most are told in the industrial language that is a professional footballer's lingua franca.

An excellent read, especially for us men of a certain age who can remember seeing the Charltons in action on the field.

Enthralling biography
Two icons for the price of one! This is a well written history of the Charlton brothers. Very well researched and told in an absorbing manner this is peppered with anicdotes and stories from people and players that were there. This is a balanced view that provides the strengths and weaknesses of both Jack and Bobby although on occasion the author does show his dislike of some peripheral characters and individuals which actually adds to the entertainment.

One of the better football biographies I have read, and I've read quite a few!

England's Finest Get The Book They Deserve
Leo McKinstry has written a very well-researched, insightful biography of these very different brothers. Both were and are wonderful footballers and ambassadors for the game, but couldn't be more different as people. Most football biographies are little more than a string of anecdotes, this book gets beneath the skin of the subjects and gives a real insight into their world and what made them the people they are. Highly recommended.