13 November 2023 , 19:49
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A short throw-in away from Prince William, John Shiels got the ball out at Sir Bobby Charlton’s funeral inside Manchester Cathedral.
The most important figure in the history of English football would have loved that. In sport, there has never been a more harmonious, more natural sight than Bobby and the ball. “He would say this is the best toy ever invented,” John said, holding the ball up to the congregation of a thousand mourners.
John, chief executive of the Manchester United Foundation and who worked with the first-ever Bobby Charlton Soccer School in the late Seventies, then recounted what his dear friend said he wanted every youngster who came along to the coaching sessions to feel like.
“I want every day to be like Christmas Day,” Sir Bobby would say. And indeed, the theme of the three wonderful eulogies - in keeping with the talk amongst the great players of the past who came to pay their respects - was about the sort of uncomplicated joy Charlton brought to football, to sport and to the lives of so many throughout his career and throughout his post-playing years. And, of course, to the lives of his beloved family.
The speech from his grandson, William Balderston, was particularly moving, particularly poignant, truly heartfelt. “Not even once,” William said wonderfully, “was there even a subtle brag about his achievements. He had a standard of modesty that everybody in the family strives to emulate.”
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He had a standard of modesty every professional footballer should strive to emulate, that is for sure. It almost felt right, felt appropriate, that the Premier League - with all its commercialism, all its hype, all its bluster, all its self-promotion, all its sound and fury over VAR - had taken a break before we said our formal goodbye to Sir Bobby.
David Gill, former CEO at Old Trafford and now a UEFA vice-president, reminded us in his lovely tribute that Sir Bobby had only been booked twice in a career comprising 758 appearances for Manchester United and 106 for England. “You can be a superstar and a fierce competitor whilst still being a gentleman,” Gill said. “Bobby’s name is synonymous with all that is good about the English game.”
And synonymous with all that is good about Manchester United Football Club … which is probably why it was good the Glazers were not represented amongst those inside the cathedral. In case anyone needed it - and it might even be that some younger generations perhaps do - the farewell to Sir Bobby was a reminder of the greatness of not just the man, but his football club.
Former Manchester United stars including Nicky Butt (L) and Roy Keane (R) attended the service (WireImage)
Sir Alex Ferguson was among the mourners (WireImage)Alex Stepney, Paddy Crerand, John Aston Jnr, Brian Kidd, Sammy McIlroy, Alan Gowling, Lou Macari, Willie Morgan, Martin Buchan, Bryan Robson, Mark Hughes, Brian McClair, Steve Bruce, Mike Phelan, Gary Pallister, Ryan Giggs, Peter Schmeichel, Andrew Cole, Roy Keane, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, Wes Brown, Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Ashley Young. The ex-players on the guest list, the players who tried to follow Charlton’s impeccable example.
And of course, Sir Alex - himself grieving his wife Lady Cathy - was there, paying a very simple, very touching honour to a man who became a mentor. “He was a fantastic man. I’m here at United because of Bobby Charlton. He supported me 100 percent. He was totally behind me and everything we tried to do with youth.”
And the significance of that comment is that Sir Bobby loved watching the young footballers of United’s golden generation play with their untarnished love of the game, a love of the ball. Yes, the ball came out at the farewell to Sir Bobby … and it could not have been more fitting.