Finding Jack Charlton.

The last time I saw him at the Riverside he waved like mad at me with a big smile on his face. Although he sat near me a few times, we didn't know each other and he obviously thought I was someone else. It even took someone sat near me to say 'is big Jack waving at you.'

I acknowledge him with a wave, thumbs up and a cheesy grin and have often pondered on that moment and wondered who he thought I was.

How could anyone not like him.
 
Very apt of the Pope to even call him ‘ The Boss ‘ such was his magnitude at that time . Very moving documentary which is often painful and deeply sad but excellently portrays the man as much as the manager . It’s a must watch as I smiled as much as I filled up . Very stirring
 
Well made and poignant film. It shows what an impact he had with Ireland. It must have been difficult going there as an Englishman in those days, but shows his character that he became popular. The very end with Jack suddenly recognising Blaydon Races was moving. It shows how awful dementia really is. Rest in Peace Big Jack.
 
I called my Dad 10 mins before it started to tell him it was on, he loved Jack Charlton and is from a similar era. Hopefully the dementia thing didn't upset him since he also has the onset of it. Lovely down to earth film, I liked the references to how he helped the Irish gain national pride, very true!
 
Heart warming and sad at the same time time, more so by the way he affectionately refers to “our kid” and yet they didn’t speak to each other till the end. I also thought it was sad towards the end when his wife said “it would have been nice to be a lady”........unfortunately probably a result of Big Jack staying true to himself and his roots and not playing for Man Utd.
 
tonybiriyani said:
Just watched it, absorbing, moving, very sad in parts, but a brilliant watch - so proud he was our manager.
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Our best manager, I loved that 74 team we have never had a team play with such unity since then where everyone worked hard for each other.
 
Erimus74 said:
You know he turned out about 6 times for the Boro, friendlies & a couple of reserve outings, scoring 3 goals

Our best ever manager, IMHO mind
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I remember going to the reserve match after he became manager and he was playing, stupidly large crowd for it if I remeber rightly. Totally agree our best manager, If Only never more apt for that 74 team and a few good additions e.g. malcolm macdonald would have scored bucket loads for us with how we played and the likes of Armstrong and Souness feeding balls through.
 
V ery sad watch, all the joy of his achievements with Ireland and yet as his wife sadly says (or a verfy similar comment) He is there but he isn't. She came over as someone managing with such dignity with such an awful decline in the man. The bit where they came in from a walk outside with the grandkids and she had to tell him twice he can now take his hat and coat off.
Very sad but also uplifting seeing the affection his family had for him, I have a family memeber who is being looked at for on set of demntia, and seeing them at 90 no-where near the level we see with Jack at the end I just wonder what is to be gained by saying they have the onset of it.
 
truck said:
V ery sad watch, all the joy of his achievements with Ireland and yet as his wife sadly says (or a verfy similar comment) He is there but he isn't. She came over as someone managing with such dignity with such an awful decline in the man. The bit where they came in from a walk outside with the grandkids and she had to tell him twice he can now take his hat and coat off.
Very sad but also uplifting seeing the affection his family had for him, I have a family memeber who is being looked at for on set of demntia, and seeing them at 90 no-where near the level we see with Jack at the end I just wonder what is to be gained by saying they have the onset of it.
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I'd not tell them tbh. Dementia took my Mam. She went into a decline after Dad died. One of the more distressing things was that she couldn't remember he'd died, so she'd sometimes say angrily that he'd walked out on us all. My old man was the nicest guy I ever met, a kind hearted, intelligent man who never laid a finger on any of us and always tried to do the right thing by everyone - we were his whole life. So hearing such words coming from her was difficult to cope with.

Awful, awful disease.
 
Not much to add, other than my own story of meeting Big Jack. My stepdad had paid for me and my mum to have a hospitality day at the Riverside and Jack was mingling and as he walked past, my mum grabbed him and introduced him to me, (she had never met him before) but she said to him, this is my son and would you mind shaking his hand so if he ever needs a story to break the ice with somebody he can tell them about the day he shook hands with an English World Cup winner. He shook my hand and said hey Paul nice to meet you kid, always look after your mam cos mams are the best people in the world. She then spent 10 minutes lambasting him about how dirty his Leeds team were and he just laughed and agreed.
Great man and it was an honour to have spent a little bit of time in his company.
 
truck said:
Our best manager, I loved that 74 team we have never had a team play with such unity since then where everyone worked hard for each other.
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I would argue the 86 team played with as much unity , but I did also love that 73-74 team
 
Pak_Doo_Ik said:
Not much to add, other than my own story of meeting Big Jack. My stepdad had paid for me and my mum to have a hospitality day at the Riverside and Jack was mingling and as he walked past, my mum grabbed him and introduced him to me, (she had never met him before) but she said to him, this is my son and would you mind shaking his hand so if he ever needs a story to break the ice with somebody he can tell them about the day he shook hands with an English World Cup winner. He shook my hand and said hey Paul nice to meet you kid, always look after your mam cos mams are the best people in the world. She then spent 10 minutes lambasting him about how dirty his Leeds team were and he just laughed and agreed.
Great man and it was an honour to have spent a little bit of time in his company.
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Nice story Pak, have you ever used that as an ice breaker
 
jam69 said:
I would argue the 86 team played with as much unity , but I did also love that 73-74 team
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How could I forget that team, :unsure: I am getting old, but 74 achieved a record promotion and more than held its own in the First Division the next season.
 
HarryVegas said:
I'd not tell them tbh. Dementia took my Mam. She went into a decline after Dad died. One of the more distressing things was that she couldn't remember he'd died, so she'd sometimes say angrily that he'd walked out on us all. My old man was the nicest guy I ever met, a kind hearted, intelligent man who never laid a finger on any of us and always tried to do the right thing by everyone - we were his whole life. So hearing such words coming from her was difficult to cope with.

Awful, awful disease.
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That is so sad, our position in that my mother died last year and it hit very hard, even now a year on they will break down in tears seeing mums picture. Feeling guilty for outliving her :(
 
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