Bobby Charlton and Leicester City - Six Great Moments in A Legendary Career

[kushiro]

So many great tributes to Bobby Charlton this week, the best being David Squires' cartoon in the Guardian.

 

Here, let's take a look back from a different perspective. At several key points in his career, Leicester City were central to the story. Here's six of those moments:

 

 

1) Schoolboy Star

 

A remarkable picture of Bobby appeared on the front of the Manchester Evening News on March 6th 1953. His face would later appear in that newspaper hundreds of times, but this was the first. Completely by chance, their photographer chose him and two others from the two dozen who arrived in the city to take part in a schoolboys' trial match at Maine Road the following day.  

 

 

It was his first visit to the city. The coach that took him to and from the game passed Old Trafford while a match was in progress, and he longed to get off and head inside to see the action. He couldn't, of course. He had other priorities that day. But his time would come.

 

Look at what he's carrying in the picture - a book about the FA Cup. His time would come in that competition too, sadly for Leicester City.

 

The trial went well, and he was selected for the England schoolboys side. He played four internationals that season, the climax coming on May 7th v Scotland  - at Filbert Street.

 

 

 

It's very likely that his uncle Stan was there at Filbert Street that day. Uncle Stan - also known as Stan Milburn, the Leicester City full back. 

 

Bob's yer nephew - Stan Milburn.

 

30,000 people saw the game, with parties of schoolboys traveling from all over the country. The match finished in a goalless draw - a signpost for the future? No - completely the opposite. The Leicester City - Manchester United fixture would feature a series of goal bonanzas in the years ahead, with Charlton at the heart of the action.

 

 

2) Breakthrough Game

 

Bobby was signed up by Man United, and was a star of the team that won the FA Youth Cup five years running, including the final v Chesterfield in 1956 when he came up against a young goalkeeper called Gordon Banks. But it took him a while to break into the senior team.

 

Bobby was 20 and he had still not established himself in the side, but on December 21st 1957, after United lost at home to Chelsea, Matt Busby decided to ring the changes. Four players were dropped for the following match, at home to Leicester City. Bobby was one of those brought in, and he took his chance, scoring with what the match report called 'a fierce hook that sent the ball rocketing into the net'. United handed us a four nil thrashing.

 

The game was a turning point, the start of an amazing eleven game run in which he scored twelve goals. In the last of that run, he scored twice in the European Cup in Belgrade  - and we all know what happened when they stopped at Munich on the way home.

 

 

3) Goals Galore

 

Bobby seemed to enjoy playing against Leicester - especially at home. He would score again the following season as United won 4-1, then again in the one after that in another 4-0 victory. But we would soon get our own back. Look at this five year sequence of results at Filbert Street in the early 60s:

 

Jan 1960    Leicester 3 Man U 1

Jan 1961    Leicester 6 Man U 0

Apr 1962    Leicester 4 Man U 3

Apr 1963    Leicester 4 Man U 3

Feb 1964    Leicester 3 Man U 1

 

There are so many stories behind those scorelines. In 1960, fans were so desperate to see the game that gates were smashed and people poured into the ground without paying before police could restore order. The following year, that 6-0 was the worst defeat Bobby suffered in his whole career. Two years later in 1963, that 4-3 put us top of the table with just six games to play. 

 

Our famous Ice Kings side, who came so close to the Double, ended up with nothing. And of course,, it was Bobby's United that stopped us winning the FA Cup for the first time. This is such a great photo:

 

 

 

4) Charlton and Banks

 

November 13th 1965. One of the most freakish games ever seen at Filbert Street. We had 34 corners, numerous chances - and lost 5-0 to United.

 

Every goal they scored that day was a picture goal - especially Bobby's strike past England colleague Gordon Banks:

 

 

Later that season, Banks was the hero of a 2-1 win at Old Trafford. The press were hailing him as the best keeper in Europe, a very promising sign with the World Cup approaching.  In the summer, Gordon and Bobby were teammates as we lifted the trophy. Here they are together after a later England game:

 

 

 

5) The Sixties Dream Is Over

 

December 7th 1968 - a week after manager Matt Gillies quits, seven year old Gary Lineker makes his first ever visit to Filbert Street. He watches Leicester 1 Man U 1 and sees the man whose England goalscoring record he would later fall agonisingly short of.

 

Five months later, and after losing to the other Manchester team in the Cup FInal, there is a dramatic finale to the League season. We need to win at Old Trafford to stay up against a United team with nothing to play for. Nothing, that is, except the honour of giving Matt Busby a victory in his last game before stepping down after 24 years in the job. He'd done it all - the previous season Charlton's two goals had helped them to land the European Cup at last, and now on his farewell day, Bobby inspires United to a 3-2 win that condemns us to Second Division football after 12 seasons in the top flight. 

 

 

6) Charlton v Shilton

 

We've seen him score past Banks, and here we see 34 year old Bobby testiing our next great keeper. 

 

 

After a few barren years, United were flying again. They'd chosen Leicester boss Frank O'Farrell as the latest man to fill Matt Busby's shoes, and he had a fine start to his tenure at Old Trafford. That win against us kept them top of the League, and at 13.10 in the video there's a fascinating moment. The United fans taunt the away fans, singing 'Thank you very much for Frank O'Farrell' to the tune of the Scaffold hit from the late 60s.

 

Sadly for Frank, it all went horribly wrong. (By the way, don't miss the other highlight of that clip - Alan Birchenall's goal at 16.55).

 

Bobby's last game against Leicester was in November 1972,. He was involved in both United goals in a 2-2 draw at Filbert Street, but that result left them bottom of the table. The following month, O'Farrell was sacked. 

 

 

Well, that's Bobby's career from a Leicester perspective,

 

 

I never saw him play. If you did, I'd love to hear your memories.

 

Edited 27 October 2023 by kushiro

[Spudulike]

I was at his final appearance at Filbert St in the 2-2. I was still in my formative years as a lifelong fan and only have a vague recollection of the match. George Best also played and I remember the scarves with the slogan, 'E for B and Georgie Best', it was an advert encouraging an Egg for Breakfast. 

 

To be honest, the Man Utd razzmatazz passed me by as my hero's were Bloomfields boys in Royal Blue. 

[davieG]

1 hour ago, kushiro said:

Apr 1963    Leicester 4 Man U 3

I went to this but couldn't get in my brother manage to get in.

 

Spent the whole game outside with people sat on the exit gates/wall relaying what was happening. 37000 inside and must have been several thousands outside.

 

Keyworth and Law both got hattricks. Took us back to the top of the League with 5 games to go but it was all down hill after that and we never won again. Even so we were still massive favourites to win the FA Cup.

 

People often claim that Appleton sealed our fate by being picture holding the FA Cup in the winners rostrum.

 

Such a massive anti-climax to the season and where my long lasting pessimism re LCFC started.

 

[ultrafox]

3 hours ago, kushiro said:

 

Sadly for Frank, it all went horribly wrong. (By the way, don't miss the other highlight of that clip - Alan Birchenall's goal at 14.20).

 

I found Birch's goal that at around....17.00 

[Cal76]

1 hour ago, davieG said:

I went to this but couldn't get in my brother manage to get in.

 

Spent the whole game outside with people sat on the exit gates/wall relaying what was happening. 37000 inside and must have been several thousands outside.

 

Keyworth and Law both got hattricks. Took us back to the top of the League with 5 games to go but it was all down hill after that and we never won again. Even so we were still massive favourites to win the FA Cup.

 

People often claim that Appleton sealed our fate by being picture holding the FA Cup in the winners rostrum.

 

Such a massive anti-climax to the season and where my long lasting pessimism re LCFC started.

 

I was there too, and also couldn't get in. But you remember more about it than me!

[kushiro]

3 hours ago, ultrafox said:

I found Birch's goal that at around....17.00 

 

Thanks! I've edited it.

 

(Can't read my own notes  - 14.10 was the bit where Charlton shows us how two-footed he is).

[kushiro]

7 hours ago, davieG said:

 

Such a massive anti-climax to the season and where my long lasting pessimism re LCFC started.

 

Did May 2nd 2016 cure that?

[davieG]

6 minutes ago, kushiro said:

Did May 2nd 2016 cure that?

For a while but it still lingers I had no confidence we would win the FA Cup which has been a constant thorn in our sides. I genuinely thought  we end up with a record 5 defeats so much so that I made no effort to go to it. 
It then faded a bit until Rodgers almost killed my love of LCFC and football.

 

Enzo has become the Restorer 😃

[Stadt]

The club ought to approach Kushiro and get these stories in programmes, nobody at the club has the same knowledge and writing ability.

Edited 27 October 2023 by Stadt

[kushiro]

Just now, Stadt said:

The club ought to approach Kushiro and get these stories in programmes, nobody at the club has the same knowledge or writing ability.

Wow - thanks. 

[Scanchez]

22 hours ago, kushiro said:

So many great tributes to Bobby Charlton this week, the best being David Squires' cartoon in the Guardian.

 

Here, let's take a look back from a different perspective. At several key points in his career, Leicester City were central to the story. Here's six of those moments:

 

 

1) Schoolboy Star

 

A remarkable picture of Bobby appeared on the front of the Manchester Evening News on March 6th 1953. His face would later appear in that newspaper hundreds of times, but this was the first. Completely by chance, their photographer chose him and two others from the two dozen who arrived in the city to take part in a schoolboys' trial match at Maine Road the following day.  

 

 

It was his first visit to the city. The coach that took him to and from the game passed Old Trafford while a match was in progress, and he longed to get off and head inside to see the action. He couldn't, of course. He had other priorities that day. But his time would come.

 

Look at what he's carrying in the picture - a book about the FA Cup. His time would come in that competition too, sadly for Leicester City.

 

The trial went well, and he was selected for the England schoolboys side. He played four internationals that season, the climax coming on May 7th v Scotland  - at Filbert Street.

 

 

 

It's very likely that his uncle Stan was there at Filbert Street that day. Uncle Stan - also known as Stan Milburn, the Leicester City full back. 

 

Bob's yer nephew - Stan Milburn.

 

30,000 people saw the game, with parties of schoolboys traveling from all over the country. The match finished in a goalless draw - a signpost for the future? No - completely the opposite. The Leicester City - Manchester United fixture would feature a series of goal bonanzas in the years ahead, with Charlton at the heart of the action.

 

 

2) Breakthrough Game

 

Bobby was signed up by Man United, and was a star of the team that won the FA Youth Cup five years running, including the final v Chesterfield in 1956 when he came up against a young goalkeeper called Gordon Banks. But it took him a while to break into the senior team.

 

Bobby was 20 and he had still not established himself in the side, but on December 21st 1957, after United lost at home to Chelsea, Matt Busby decided to ring the changes. Four players were dropped for the following match, at home to Leicester City. Bobby was one of those brought in, and he took his chance, scoring with what the match report called 'a fierce hook that sent the ball rocketing into the net'. United handed us a four nil thrashing.

 

The game was a turning point, the start of an amazing eleven game run in which he scored twelve goals. In the last of that run, he scored twice in the European Cup in Belgrade  - and we all know what happened when they stopped at Munich on the way home.

 

 

3) Goals Galore

 

Bobby seemed to enjoy playing against Leicester - especially at home. He would score again the following season as United won 4-1, then again in the one after that in another 4-0 victory. But we would soon get our own back. Look at this five year sequence of results at Filbert Street in the early 60s:

 

Jan 1960    Leicester 3 Man U 1

Jan 1961    Leicester 6 Man U 0

Apr 1962    Leicester 4 Man U 3

Apr 1963    Leicester 4 Man U 3

Feb 1964    Leicester 3 Man U 1

 

There are so many stories behind those scorelines. In 1960, fans were so desperate to see the game that gates were smashed and people poured into the ground without paying before police could restore order. The following year, that 6-0 was the worst defeat Bobby suffered in his whole career. Two years later in 1963, that 4-3 put us top of the table with just six games to play. 

 

Our famous Ice Kings side, who came so close to the Double, ended up with nothing. And of course,, it was Bobby's United that stopped us winning the FA Cup for the first time. This is such a great photo:

 

 

 

4) Charlton and Banks

 

November 13th 1965. One of the most freakish games ever seen at Filbert Street. We had 34 corners, numerous chances - and lost 5-0 to United.

 

Every goal they scored that day was a picture goal - especially Bobby's strike past England colleague Gordon Banks:

 

 

Later that season, Banks was the hero of a 2-1 win at Old Trafford. The press were hailing him as the best keeper in Europe, a very promising sign with the World Cup approaching.  In the summer, Gordon and Bobby were teammates as we lifted the trophy. Here they are together after a later England game:

 

 

 

5) The Sixties Dream Is Over

 

December 7th 1968 - a week after manager Matt Gillies quits, seven year old Gary Lineker makes his first ever visit to Filbert Street. He watches Leicester 1 Man U 1 and sees the man whose England goalscoring record he would later fall agonisingly short of.

 

Five months later, and after losing to the other Manchester team in the Cup FInal, there is a dramatic finale to the League season. We need to win at Old Trafford to stay up against a United team with nothing to play for. Nothing, that is, except the honour of giving Matt Busby a victory in his last game before stepping down after 24 years in the job. He'd done it all - the previous season Charlton's two goals had helped them to land the European Cup at last, and now on his farewell day, Bobby inspires United to a 3-2 win that condemns us to Second Division football after 12 seasons in the top flight. 

 

 

6) Charlton v Shilton

 

We've seen him score past Banks, and here we see 34 year old Bobby testiing our next great keeper. 

 

 

After a few barren years, United were flying again. They'd chosen Leicester boss Frank O'Farrell as the latest man to fill Matt Busby's shoes, and he had a fine start to his tenure at Old Trafford. That win against us kept them top of the League, and at 13.10 in the video there's a fascinating moment. The United fans taunt the away fans, singing 'Thank you very much for Frank O'Farrell' to the tune of the Scaffold hit from the late 60s.

 

Sadly for Frank, it all went horribly wrong. (By the way, don't miss the other highlight of that clip - Alan Birchenall's goal at 16.55).

 

Bobby's last game against Leicester was in November 1972,. He was involved in both United goals in a 2-2 draw at Filbert Street, but that result left them bottom of the table. The following month, O'Farrell was sacked. 

 

 

Well, that's Bobby's career from a Leicester perspective,

 

 

I never saw him play. If you did, I'd love to hear your memories.

 

Love this!

Great work, @kushiro.

[Foxdiamond]

One of my favourite early memories is a win at Old Trafford on 9 April 1966 with a brace from Mike Stringfellow. United goal from John Connolly. Bobby Charlton and George Best played though Law was absent. Still remember the surprise at the win. 

[kushiro]

20 minutes ago, Foxdiamond said:

One of my favourite early memories is a win at Old Trafford on 9 April 1966 with a brace from Mike Stringfellow. United goal from John Connolly. Bobby Charlton and George Best played though Law was absent. Still remember the surprise at the win. 

Cuttings from that game filled several pages in Bernie's scrapbook. He was there too and it seems he bought every newspaper after the game. Here's one from the  Manchester Evening News - just about readable if you zoom in:

 

 

 

Edited 27 October 2023 by kushiro

[Out Foxed]

1 hour ago, kushiro said:

Wow - thanks. 

we're extremely privileged to have you posting on here. 

[kushiro]

Here's the key section of that report:

 

 

That MEN Saturday footy edition was called 'The Pink', for obvious reasons.

[Spudulike]

Stringy was at the end of his career when I first became a regular. Always seemed to be playing injured but a very popular player with the previous generation. I went to his testimonial. 

 

C'mon without

C'mon within

You'll not see nothing like the mighty String. 

[BoyJones]

On 26/10/2023 at 12:52, kushiro said:

So many great tributes to Bobby Charlton this week, the best being David Squires' cartoon in the Guardian.

 

Here, let's take a look back from a different perspective. At several key points in his career, Leicester City were central to the story. Here's six of those moments:

 

 

1) Schoolboy Star

 

A remarkable picture of Bobby appeared on the front of the Manchester Evening News on March 6th 1953. His face would later appear in that newspaper hundreds of times, but this was the first. Completely by chance, their photographer chose him and two others from the two dozen who arrived in the city to take part in a schoolboys' trial match at Maine Road the following day.  

 

 

It was his first visit to the city. The coach that took him to and from the game passed Old Trafford while a match was in progress, and he longed to get off and head inside to see the action. He couldn't, of course. He had other priorities that day. But his time would come.

 

Look at what he's carrying in the picture - a book about the FA Cup. His time would come in that competition too, sadly for Leicester City.

 

The trial went well, and he was selected for the England schoolboys side. He played four internationals that season, the climax coming on May 7th v Scotland  - at Filbert Street.

 

 

 

It's very likely that his uncle Stan was there at Filbert Street that day. Uncle Stan - also known as Stan Milburn, the Leicester City full back. 

 

Bob's yer nephew - Stan Milburn.

 

30,000 people saw the game, with parties of schoolboys traveling from all over the country. The match finished in a goalless draw - a signpost for the future? No - completely the opposite. The Leicester City - Manchester United fixture would feature a series of goal bonanzas in the years ahead, with Charlton at the heart of the action.

 

 

2) Breakthrough Game

 

Bobby was signed up by Man United, and was a star of the team that won the FA Youth Cup five years running, including the final v Chesterfield in 1956 when he came up against a young goalkeeper called Gordon Banks. But it took him a while to break into the senior team.

 

Bobby was 20 and he had still not established himself in the side, but on December 21st 1957, after United lost at home to Chelsea, Matt Busby decided to ring the changes. Four players were dropped for the following match, at home to Leicester City. Bobby was one of those brought in, and he took his chance, scoring with what the match report called 'a fierce hook that sent the ball rocketing into the net'. United handed us a four nil thrashing.

 

The game was a turning point, the start of an amazing eleven game run in which he scored twelve goals. In the last of that run, he scored twice in the European Cup in Belgrade  - and we all know what happened when they stopped at Munich on the way home.

 

 

3) Goals Galore

 

Bobby seemed to enjoy playing against Leicester - especially at home. He would score again the following season as United won 4-1, then again in the one after that in another 4-0 victory. But we would soon get our own back. Look at this five year sequence of results at Filbert Street in the early 60s:

 

Jan 1960    Leicester 3 Man U 1

Jan 1961    Leicester 6 Man U 0

Apr 1962    Leicester 4 Man U 3

Apr 1963    Leicester 4 Man U 3

Feb 1964    Leicester 3 Man U 1

 

There are so many stories behind those scorelines. In 1960, fans were so desperate to see the game that gates were smashed and people poured into the ground without paying before police could restore order. The following year, that 6-0 was the worst defeat Bobby suffered in his whole career. Two years later in 1963, that 4-3 put us top of the table with just six games to play. 

 

Our famous Ice Kings side, who came so close to the Double, ended up with nothing. And of course,, it was Bobby's United that stopped us winning the FA Cup for the first time. This is such a great photo:

 

 

 

4) Charlton and Banks

 

November 13th 1965. One of the most freakish games ever seen at Filbert Street. We had 34 corners, numerous chances - and lost 5-0 to United.

 

Every goal they scored that day was a picture goal - especially Bobby's strike past England colleague Gordon Banks:

 

 

Later that season, Banks was the hero of a 2-1 win at Old Trafford. The press were hailing him as the best keeper in Europe, a very promising sign with the World Cup approaching.  In the summer, Gordon and Bobby were teammates as we lifted the trophy. Here they are together after a later England game:

 

 

 

5) The Sixties Dream Is Over

 

December 7th 1968 - a week after manager Matt Gillies quits, seven year old Gary Lineker makes his first ever visit to Filbert Street. He watches Leicester 1 Man U 1 and sees the man whose England goalscoring record he would later fall agonisingly short of.

 

Five months later, and after losing to the other Manchester team in the Cup FInal, there is a dramatic finale to the League season. We need to win at Old Trafford to stay up against a United team with nothing to play for. Nothing, that is, except the honour of giving Matt Busby a victory in his last game before stepping down after 24 years in the job. He'd done it all - the previous season Charlton's two goals had helped them to land the European Cup at last, and now on his farewell day, Bobby inspires United to a 3-2 win that condemns us to Second Division football after 12 seasons in the top flight. 

 

 

6) Charlton v Shilton

 

We've seen him score past Banks, and here we see 34 year old Bobby testiing our next great keeper. 

 

 

After a few barren years, United were flying again. They'd chosen Leicester boss Frank O'Farrell as the latest man to fill Matt Busby's shoes, and he had a fine start to his tenure at Old Trafford. That win against us kept them top of the League, and at 13.10 in the video there's a fascinating moment. The United fans taunt the away fans, singing 'Thank you very much for Frank O'Farrell' to the tune of the Scaffold hit from the late 60s.

 

Sadly for Frank, it all went horribly wrong. (By the way, don't miss the other highlight of that clip - Alan Birchenall's goal at 16.55).

 

Bobby's last game against Leicester was in November 1972,. He was involved in both United goals in a 2-2 draw at Filbert Street, but that result left them bottom of the table. The following month, O'Farrell was sacked. 

 

 

Well, that's Bobby's career from a Leicester perspective,

 

 

I never saw him play. If you did, I'd love to hear your memories.

 

I was at the game in November 65.

13 years old, I paid 7s to get in wing stand. No half prices, should have been 3s 6d, but the rest of the ground had too many queues and I didn’t want to miss the kick off. We got a right hiding. 

[WigstonWanderer]

On 26/10/2023 at 21:31, davieG said:

I went to this but couldn't get in my brother manage to get in.

 

Spent the whole game outside with people sat on the exit gates/wall relaying what was happening. 37000 inside and must have been several thousands outside.

 

Keyworth and Law both got hattricks. Took us back to the top of the League with 5 games to go but it was all down hill after that and we never won again. Even so we were still massive favourites to win the FA Cup.

 

People often claim that Appleton sealed our fate by being picture holding the FA Cup in the winners rostrum.

 

Such a massive anti-climax to the season and where my long lasting pessimism re LCFC started.

 

I went to this too as a 9 year old. Not sure if it was my first match. Memories are of incredible excitement with the crush of the crowd and the noise, the fact we won, and a Denis Law bicycle kick goal.

[Foxdiamond]

56 minutes ago, BoyJones said:

I was at the game in November 65.

13 years old, I paid 7s to get in wing stand. No half prices, should have been 3s 6d, but the rest of the ground had too many queues and I didn’t want to miss the kick off. We got a right hiding. 

And the next week we won 5-1 at Newcastle. Its a funny old game

[kushiro]

There's been loads of chat about this topic over on that other forum - lots of people remembering seeing Bobby in the 60s.

 

https://www.bentleysroof.co.uk/index.php?threads/can-you-remember-bobby-charlton-playing-at-filbert-street.22805/