Jack Charlton has passed away

Roddy Doyle’s tribute:

-See Big Jack’s gone.
-It’s hard to believe.
-I feel like me da’s after dyin’.
-I know what yeh mean.
-The impact tha’ man had on us.
-An’ it wasn’t just the football.
-No – but the football as well. Remember when we beat England - Ray Houghton’s goal?
-I proposed to the wife at half-time.
-And Italia 90.
-The country was never the same after it.
-Thank %^*&.
-We had somethin’ to celebrate.
-The fact tha’ we were Irish.
-Exactly – the fact tha’ we were fuckin’ Irish. We took the flag back off the Provos.
-We were proud to be Irish.
-Because of an Englishman.
-There yeh go. It seemed like the end o’ the bad ol’ days, didn’t it? The economy picked up. Everythin’ seemed to get better.
-I don’t think the economists would see it tha’ way.
-%^*& the economists – we know the truth. Packie Bonnar saved a penno an’ we became a modern European country.
-Cos o’ Jack.
-Cos o’ Jack – exactly.
-The biggest thing he did, though – the most important thing.
-Wha’?
-He made us look differently at England an’ the English.
-That’s very true.
-Jack Charlton started the peace process.
-An’ he made us proud an’ very happy.
-That’s some legacy, isn’t it?
-Considerin’ he played for fuckin’ Leeds.
 
In a number of ways he was one of the genuine legends of football. As both player and manager he achieved great success and seemed like an honest, decent fella.
 
Listened to some great stories about him on the radio this morning.

An Irish guy came on and said it cannot be understated how big an impact he had in football becoming hugely popular in southern Ireland as it was mostly GAA at the time.

A more than decent managerial record at club level as well, you get the feeling his players would run through walls for him and that epitomised Ireland in the 90's.

A huge loss to football.
 
BrunoBear said:
You can measure the man on his impact on others. He seems to have been universally loved. All tributes are genuine, you can tell.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1281869993358118912
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Was out in the car and listening to the radio and I don’t think those of us who weren’t in the roi during his time as manager just realize the impact jack had not just on the football but the country itself.three or four messages were read out and everyone said his impact went beyond football and gave Irish people the confidence that they could compete with the rest of world.
 
dublinbluenose said:
Was out in the car and listening to the radio and I don’t think those of us who weren’t in the roi during his time as manager just realize the impact jack had not just on the football but the country itself.three or four messages were read out and everyone said his impact went beyond football and gave Irish people the confidence that they could compete with the rest of world.
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I knew he was loved but not revered the way he is! I wouldn't be surprised if their president went to his funeral in a state capacity!The RTE homepage is black
 
What a career he had. One of the most distinctive players of the 60's and 70's. Always put his head in where it hurt. A gladiator of the game.
He gave football fans in the Republic some great memories from his time as their manager and also vanquishing the notion among many in that country that football was only a garrison sport.
If there is a heaven Big Jack will have a pint of Guinness in one hand and a fishing rod in the other.
 
Many years ago we were in Filey and Jack was spotted walking along the front.
My Son who was about 11 at the time just said ' Dad it's Jack Charlton' and shot off.
Rather than being annoyed at the interruption Jack took time out to talk to my lad, we found some paper for an autograph and a very nice 10 minutes were had.
Good bloke
 
Winning the world cup as a player, being part of a great Leeds team and taking a small country like Ireland with no history of international success til he came along to the latter stages of tournaments is a record that very few people in football will equal.
 
A football giant of my lifetime and a terrific man by all accounts. A Leeds legend in the same way as Big John is for us, and an Englishman revered in Ireland...say no more. Thanks for great memories sir.
 
Listened to a Sky newsreader this morning who said her Irish grandmother had Jack's framed photo on the mantle piece alongside that of the pope.

That's some impact he had on ROI.
 
Very sad news. A true legend of the game.

A mainstay in a truly great Leeds side. Not many players will spend 20 years at the one club. A World Cup winner as a player and relatively successful as an international manager.

He’s the third from that great Leeds side to pass in recent months.
 
cskasofia said:
Can remember in the late 80's he was in the studio to summarise a live Old Firm game. When asked by Jim White who he hoped was going to win, he said he didn't know because some of his Republic of Ireland players were playing for celtic, but he was a Protestant!
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Been looking for that on YouTube and can’t find it :))
 
Some of the stories about him are brilliant.

Walking out at Giants Stadium to warm up vs Italy at USA 94. Sees the stadium full of Irish and green. Turns to Cascarino and says “Fooking ell Tony, you’re the only Italian here”.

Fell asleep during the audience with the Pope, woke up as the Pope had his hand up blessing the squad, stands up and waves back.
 
I met him prior to the Scotland v England game in 1985 at Hampden

My band were playing before the game and as we came off the field, he followed us and watched us warm down.

Normally we were given tickets from the police for games (tickets taken from drunks or troublemakers) but as it was this big a game we didn't get any.

As we walked away from the ticket desk he approached us and asked if we were looking for tickets

When I said yes and explained what happened , he pulled a whack of tickets from his pocket and gave everyone who was looking a ticket a brief for the Rangers end.

When I said to him that one of our guys was English and wouldn't survive 10 seconds in that environment , he gave him a ticket sat next to him in the Main Stand!!

A thoroughly decent bloke.
 
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