Tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton

Even though I am a Liverpool supporter through and through I will be the first to admit that the only words you can use to describe Sir Bobby are hero and legend. He was one of the greatest footballers ever. He was a real ambassador for English football.

I remember one season when I was a teenager, I went to a summer football camp. I went to two. One in Liverpool and you will not believe how much racial abuse I got. The following week I went to one with Bobby Charlton’s summer football school. I was warmly welcomed and I even met the great man. I told him what happened the week before in Liverpool and I had my Liverpool shirt on.

The first thing he did was speak to everyone publicly and said all are welcome and the slightest bit of racial abuse and you’d be sent home immediately. He openly said if anyone had such beliefs then they were to go to the front desk, get their money back, and go home. For that, I will always respect him and admire him. He could have very easily told me to go home but he said such attitudes were not welcome at his soccer camp or football in general.

English football has lost one of its greats.

May he rest in peace.