Sir Alex Ferguson has expressed his heartfelt tribute to the late Sir Bobby Charlton, shedding light on their ‘personal connection.’
The revered Manchester United icon passed away on October 21, and his memory has been honoured in every Premier League match since, with a one-minute silence before kick-off. Prior to the first Manchester derby following the England legend’s passing, the former Manchester United manager penned a poignant eulogy in the match-day program.
Within his tribute, Ferguson recounts the first time he witnessed Bobby Charlton in action in 1958, merely two months after surviving the tragic Munich Air Disaster that claimed the lives of eight of Charlton’s Manchester United teammates. Ferguson remarked, “I first set eyes on Bobby Charlton when he made his debut for England against Scotland at Hampden Park in April 1958, just two months after surviving the Munich Air Disaster,”
Ferguson, then a Scotland fan, recalled the moment from the terraces, noting that Charlton’s memorable goal that day left an indelible impression on him. He went on to emphasize the unique character of that era’s celebrations, describing how Charlton calmly returned to the halfway line after scoring, receiving applause from his teammates, while the Scottish goalkeeper ran 40 yards to offer his congratulations.
The ‘personal connection’ between Ferguson and Charlton first emerged when the former Ballon d’Or winner expressed his support for Ferguson becoming the manager of Manchester United.
In his eulogy, the 81-year-old shared, “The personal connection between us began almost three decades later, when I was manager of Aberdeen, and Bobby was a director of Manchester United when they were looking for a new manager.”
Ferguson recalled that Bobby Charlton quickly made up his mind when Ferguson shared his vision for the job, endorsing his approach to developing the entire club and nurturing young talent. This endorsement marked the start of a strong partnership between them.
Ferguson also expressed his lack of surprise at the global outpouring of grief following Charlton’s passing. He acknowledged Charlton as the greatest English player of all time and praised his humility in success. He quoted his father’s belief that humility in success reflects greatness and underlined that Bobby Charlton was always humble and team-oriented.
Ferguson extended his sympathies to Lady Norma and the entire Charlton family, especially as they dealt with Bobby’s declining health.
Ferguson revealed that the past month has been exceedingly challenging for him, as he lost his wife, Lady Cathy, on October 6 after nearly 60 years of marriage. In the face of this personal loss, he expressed his gratitude to the club, its fans, and the entire community for their support and condolences.
As the mourning for Sir Bobby Charlton continues, Ferguson encouraged the public to remember and celebrate the remarkable memories he created and to draw inspiration from the example he set.
Manchester United performance and stats
Manchester United is currently 8th in the Premier League with 15 points.
In the last 9 games, it has won 5 times and lost 4 times. In its last match, Manchester United won 1-2 against Sheffield United.
It has a negative goal difference after scoring 11 goals and conceding 13.
Manchester United will play the next match in Premier League against Manchester City on Sunday 29th of October in Manchester. The prediction is Manchester City winning the match.