Hi Dave, A few elements of your story are similar to mine. It's 1966, World Cup time. I'm 7 and beginning to become aware of football. Booby Charlton is my first favourite player, and by association Manchester are my favourite team. However, my Mancunian parents are always calling me their little Yorkshireman, me having been born in York, and it soon became unacceptable to me to support a Lancashire team. Once I learned Bobby had a brother Jackie, and that he played for a Yorkshire team, you can add another Leeds United fan to the list.
Big Jack tried to kill me at my first ever Leeds game. 1970 I think. Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace. At the end of the warm up, the practice balls are kicked back to the dugout. I'd been watching Jack, and he sliced his ball higher than high, and it's coming back down to earth directly at me. I'm just mesmerised by it, like a rabbit in the headlights. I can't defend myself, I can't get out of the way... Fortunately, lots of adult hands patted the ball away. That game was famous for a Gary Sprake handling error right at the end, gifting Palace a draw. John -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: 11 July 2020 10:23 To: leeds list <[email protected]> Subject: [LU] Big Jack RIP - massive influence on my life Was shocked but not surprised to hear of the death of another true Leeds United legend, but there is something different about this one. Jack is THE reason I am a Leeds fan , When I was around 4 or 5 years old being brought up in a ManU supporting household with an elder brother I heard a lot about Bobby Charlton. When I found out he had a brother, my young brain went, ' if my brother supports Bobby, I will support Jack, ' and hence a Leeds fan was born. I was lucky enough to meet Jack at the world cup in Spain in 82. We sat with him in a bar on a pier and chatted for a while. Of course I explained how and why I was a Leeds fan, which he found amusing, and I had him in stitches when I finished my story by saying " thank fuck you did not play for Crewe" He was a top bloke and was happy to chat A postscript to the story was as we left a group of young boys were outside the pier thing and one of us told them " Jackie Charlton is in there They all ran in shouting " Bobby Charlton, Bobby Charlton " , next thing we see is Jack and the TV bloke with him running off pursued by a gang of kids So as a Leeds fan of 45 years of active support, and going to Leeds university purely so I could get to games, and everything that flows from that (job I got, mates I have etc etc) are all down to big Jack. If i had never heard of him i could have been a scum fan and celebrated all those trophies or could have been the family rebel and followed City and celebrated all their trophies but FUCK EM ALL- being a Leeds United fan is special so THANKS JACK I owe you loads RIP Dave _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email [email protected] Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/ Dorigo's Right Buttock...
