It would have been the Durham Miners' Gala today. Grahame Morris explains why it still matters. And Jack Charlton is seen here marching at it. So supportive of the miners was he as manager of Newcastle United during the Strike that he could never become manager of England, or be knighted like his brother. So he became manager of the Republic of Ireland instead, taking it to the World Cup for the first (and second) time ever, and becoming the first Englishman since 1854 to be given the Freedom of the City of Dublin.
The past is another country. The morning after the 1966 World Cup Final, Charlton woke up on a living room floor in Dagenham, well over 20 miles from Wembley. He had no idea who the couple in the house were. He had no memory of ever having met them. But his winner's medal was still in his pocket.
No comments:
Post a Comment