On this day back in 2004, William John Charles sadly passed away at the age of 72. Better known simply as John Charles or ‘Il Gigante Buono’, the Welshman was one of Serie A’s most successful imports whilst at Juventus.
Between 1957 and 1962, playing alongside legends such as Omar Sivori and Giampiero Boniperti, Charles and his Bianconeri side dominated Italian football.
Standing 6’2” tall and built like a brick out-house, Charles was almost lost to a boxing career in his formative years. Born in 1931, growing up in humble surroundings of the Swansea area of Wales, sport was all a child had to pass the time.
He played football with his siblings but also boxed at a local club. After being offered the chance of one-to-one training and taking the sport more seriously, his horrified mother decided it was best he played on muddy fields rather than on canvas inside a ring.
His father, though initially keen on a fighting career, also agreed. John lacked that killer instinct to be a pugilist, a trait that would soon become an admired quality throughout his professional football career.
In 1946, after having been spotted by a Swansea scout, the young Charles was offered a place as groundstaff at the club, with a view to progressing into the Welsh side. He never quite made it into the first team, Swansea were battling for promotion and the manager of the time was not keen on trying out untested youngsters.
However, after having been spotted by a Leeds official in 1948 whilst playing with friends, Charles came through a trial at Elland Road and signed for the Second Division club.
Due to his size, he was originally considered a defensive player but things would soon change.
At 17, he made his debut at centre-half after excelling in a friendly against the Queen of the South and from then on became a regular at the heart of the defence for the Yorkshire club.
In the 1952-53 season, with Leeds struggling, Charles was moved to the point of the attack and incredibly scoring goals came naturally. He netted 26 times in 28 matches and despite asking to go back into defence, manager Frank Buckley was not going to be swayed and Charles remained a striker, scoring a record-breaking 42 goals the following season.
Though hitting the net was no longer a problem for Leeds, the team’s performances were still poor and John handed in a transfer request. They received offers from Arsenal and Cardiff but both were turned down and the player remained at the club.
In 1956, after scoring 29 goals, Charles finally hauled his team into the top flight as Leeds were promoted to the Division One.
He bagged another 38 during his first season in England’s elite league but this time, when Juventus offered a huge £65,000 to take him to Italy, the transfer was too good to turn down and John Charles officially became a Bianconeri player.
In his first campaign in Turin he finished the league’s top scorer with 28 goals. He was an instant sensation and was voted Italy’s Player of the Year.
His remarkable attitude to some of the fouls and rough treatment he received on the field of play stunned the supporting public, earning him his nickname Il Gigante Buono (The Gentle Giant). Rather than hit back he often shook hands with his assailant and was one of the first ever to kick a ball into touch so an injured player could receive medical attention.
His earnings in Italy rocketed compared to what he could have received back in England, where a salary cap existed. He became a celebrity, socialising with film stars and living in a fantastic Turin villa, new cars and motorcycles parked up and down his driveway.
Despite huge domestic success, winning the Scudetto three times and the Coppa Italia twice, Charles was unable to bring European glory to Italy. In a Real Madrid-dominated era, the closest they came was a quarter-final match with the Spaniards, which Juventus lost 3-1 after a play-off in Paris.
After five years and 93 goals in 155 games, the Welshman and his family made the decision to go back to England.
In 1962, Leeds manager Don Revie paid £53,000 to bring Charles back to Yorkshire but the move was a failure. He could not re-adjust to the English style of play, struggled with fitness and the tough training regime, managing a mere three goals in 11 matches.
Roma tried their luck in bringing him back to the Peninsula and the big centre-forward made a return to ‘La Dolce Vita’ the following year. But again, the switch was unsuccessful with Charles only featuring on 10 occasions for the Giallorossi.
He moved once more at the end of his one and only campaign with Roma, and saw out his playing days back in Wales at Cardiff City.
He tried his hand at club management with Hereford United and Merthyr Tydfil but his lack of discipline, towards himself and his squad, meant he was no coach.
Failed business ventures ensued and Charles narrowly avoided a jail term after failing to pay tax arrears, a far cry from his lavish lifestyle whilst a Juve player.
However he did eventually receive the recognition he richly deserved.
In 1997, fans voted him Juventus’ finest ever foreign import, during the club’s centenary celebrations. He continued to receive numerous accolades including a CBE, the freedom of the city Swansea and the West stand at Elland Road bears his name.
And we shall also honour the great striker John Charles, a true Legend of Calcio.
