Sir Bobby Charlton: One of the game's greatest players - and his connection to the Falkirk cup-winning side from 1957

They came from all over the football world and all stressed his contribution to the game at every single level - as a player, manager, director, ambassador and friend. Everyone was full of praise for the man himself and emphasised his personal qualities of modesty, humility and kindness.

Over the years, I got to know members of the Falkirk cup-winning side from 1957 and was fascinated to hear their views of the great Manchester United and England forward. George Merchant was signed from Dundee in early 1957, and he recalled a game from April 1956 when Manchester United played Dundee at Dens Park in an end-of-season friendly. The 11,000 crowd had turned out expecting to see Matt Busby’s great team in action, having just finished the season as English First Division champions. It was more like a United Reserve team. It was maybe understandable as there was a Scotland-England match at Hampden on the following weekend. Big George had a field day, scoring a hat-trick in a 5-1 win for the Dens Park side. Alan Cousin, who was to finish his career at Brockville, scored one of the other goals. George recalled the night clearly and described in amazing detail the fantastic performance of a young 18-year-old United player by the name of Bobby Charlton. George’s view of the young Charlton was shared by the attending pressmen and one report stated: “Best of the United Reserves was Charlton (18) a forward of whom much is expected.” George recalled his pace and the ferocity of his shooting with either foot.

Alex Parker and Jimmy McIntosh saw the young Charlton in a series of games while they were all on National Service. Bobby was then known in the programmes as Lance Corporal Robert Charlton of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps - and Manchester United. The Army team was full of professional players and Alex and Jimmy played alongside some of the great players of their era, both at home and abroad. Alex was listed as Fusilier Alex Parker of the Royal Scots Fusiliers and Falkirk, while Jimmy was listed as Trooper James McIntosh of the Royal Scots Greys – and Falkirk.

Bobby Charlton was their teammate throughout that season and they were regulars in a tremendously strong squad. Others included Cliff Jones of Swansea and Gerry Hitchens of Cardiff, both of whom were to have stellar careers in the game. Jimmy recalled games against the French Army and Portuguese Army and facing players like Just Fontaine and Eusebio.

Bobby Charlton was the only “Busby Babe” in the Army squad that season as Duncan Edwards, Eddie Coleman and Bill Foulkes had all completed their National Service. Jimmy recalled Bobby as a very quiet, shy lad who possessed great natural talent. Jimmy played at right-half in many of the Army games and Bobby was at inside right, so he had a close-up view of his many skills and attributes. He recalled his tremendous pace and ability to read the game and of course his tremendous shooting ability. Bobby Charlton had already won England Youth caps and had appeared in an FA Cup Final and was clearly destined for further honours in the game. He never took it easy in games and Jimmy recalled one game at Old Trafford against an FA XI. In the FA select team forming the left-wing partnership were Bobby’s two team-mates and friends, Dennis Viollet and David Pegg. Bobby gave Jimmy and Alex some inside information on how to play his two colleagues and no player tried harder that night than Lance Corporal Charlton.

The Army team were trained by Walter Winterbottom, who was also the England manager, and no doubt he saw the potential in Bobby Charlton from an early stage in his career. Like many professionals, Bobby Charlton would play midweek for the Army and for his club at the weekends - if duties permitted.

My only personal encounter with Sir Bobby Charlton was at the opening of the National Football Museum in Manchester back in 2012. True to his reputation, he was modest, very humble and more than happy to spend time talking about “The Falkirk Connection” to Alex Parker and Jimmy McIntosh, immediately referring to the latter as “Tosh” and asking after both players. Here was probably the greatest player of his generation who had won every honour in the game and played against the legendary players all over the world, and yet he was delighted to recall the times and the adventures with two Scottish players he knew back in his Army days. He was a great example to all players and a really, really nice man.​

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