Ahead of Sunday's Manchester derby, legendary former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has paid tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton after his passing last week.
United have decked out Old Trafford with banners to remember Charlton and will hold a minute's applause before Sunday's meeting with Manchester City, with former players from both sides set to appear on the pitch to pay respects to Charlton.
In the match programme, Ferguson penned a 1,000-word tribute to Charlton, revealing how the iconic goalscorer played a huge role in getting him a job at Old Trafford.
"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 recalled.
"I was there as a Scotland fan, stood on the terraces by the corner flag, and I remember Tom Finney playing as an outside-left against Alex Parker, who was a very good full-back. On one occasion, Finney got the better of Parker, took the ball to the byline and cut it back across the box for Bobby, who hammered it into the roof of the net from 16 yards out.
"In those days you didn’t have players jumping on top of each other when they scored, and Bobby just jogged back to the halfway line with a couple of slaps on the back from his team-mates.
"But the Scottish keeper sprinted out of his goal 40 yards to congratulate him, not just because it was a great goal, but also because of what Bobby had been through. Everyone in the stadium that day could see there was a bit of magic about him, but also some steel."
On his first meeting with Charlton, Ferguson added: "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.
"The directors came to meet me in Glasgow and asked what my vision was for the job. I said I would take the same approach I had at Aberdeen, by looking to build up the whole club, not just the team, and that I would do that by developing young players.
"As I was explaining this, I saw Bobby nudge one of the other directors and he said 'that’s what we want'. He’d made his mind up. From that moment on he was a tower of strength for me."
He continued: "It’s no surprise to me that we’ve seen tributes to Sir Bobby from everywhere in the world, on every TV channel and in every newspaper, because he was without question the greatest English player of all time. People loved him because of all those thunderbolt goals but it was more than that.
"My dad used to say that humility in success is a sign of greatness, and that was Bobby. He never used to boast about his own achievements; it was always about the team and the club.
"I am so sorry for Lady Norma, who was always by Bobby’s side, especially as his health declined, and my thoughts have been with the whole family these past few days.
"Unfortunately, I have also suffered the painful loss of my beloved wife, Cathy, this month, and I want to thank the club, the fans, and everyone who has sent me their condolences. The black armbands worn by the team against Brentford, and the flags at half-mast around Old Trafford were a wonderful tribute. Cathy supported me every step of the way through my career, and she was the backbone of our family.
"At such a sad time, there is tremendous comfort to be found in being part of the Manchester United community and we’ve all felt that spirit this week.
"We’re continuing to mourn for Bobby’s loss, but as we look forward to the derby this afternoon, let’s also celebrate the many wonderful memories he has blessed us with and be inspired by the example he set."
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This article was originally published on 90min as Sir Alex Ferguson pens emotional tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton ahead of Manchester derby.
