Two Brothers

The Charlton brothers, Jack and Bobby, played for Leeds United and Manchester United, respectively, and were integral to the success of English football in the late 20th century. The book explores their contrasting personalities, careers, and relationships, as well as the social and political context in which they played.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 11 August 2022
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

The Charlton brothers, Jack and Bobby, are the subject of a captivating and deeply moving book that has been shortlisted for the Football Book of the Year (Sports Book Awards). Written by acclaimed author and journalist David Wilson, the book chronicles the remarkable lives of these two football icons and their family, which played a significant role in shaping English football for decades.

Jack and Bobby Charlton were born in the coalfields of England and grew up in a working-class family. Despite their different personalities, they both had a passion for football and were determined to make it their career. Jack was open, charismatic, and self-confident, while Bobby was guarded, shy, and reserved. They were very different footballers, with Jack being a gangling central defender who developed a profound tactical intelligence, while Bobby was an athletic attacking midfielder who disdained systems.

The Charlton brothers played for two of the most iconic football clubs in English history: Leeds United and Manchester United. Leeds was known for its familial closeness and tactical cohesion, while Manchester United was known for its individualistic flair and clashing egos. Both brothers enjoyed great success as players, with Jack winning a league, a Cup, and two Fairs Cups with Leeds, while Bobby won a league title, survived the terrible disaster of the plane crash in Munich, and then at enormous emotional cost, won a Cup and two more league titles before capping it off with the European Cup.

Together, for England, they won the World Cup. Their managerial careers followed predictably diverging paths, with Bobby failing at Preston while Jack enjoyed success at Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday before leading Ireland to previously unthinkable heights.

The book is filled with fascinating anecdotes and insights into the lives of the Charlton brothers and their family. It explores the tensions between flair and industry, individuality and the collective, right and left, middle- and working-classes, exile and home, which characterized late twentieth-century English football. It also sheds light on the personal struggles and triumphs of the Charlton brothers, both on and off the pitch.

Overall, "Moving... chronicles two remarkable lives" is a must-read for anyone who loves football and wants to learn more about the history and personalities of one of the greatest football families of all time.

Weight: 666g
Dimension: 165 x 242 x 43 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781408714492