In one of the best websites that I look at – http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/swanseacity – I saw a reference to one of my all-time favourite players, Jeremy Charles, and it got me thinking “that lineage was something special, has it ended?”
Remember we’re not talking cricket – that oddly genetic sport with many examples of sons following great fathers – and there are still faint glimpses of passed-down of footballing talent between parents and their offspring. So the Charles-gene might have continued rolling.
Jeremy Charles was the hugely talented son of another excellent footballer Mel Charles. Mel played over 200 times for Swansea, before transferring to Arsenal and (don’t mention it) Cardiff, he also graced Wales 31 times, but it’s his son that I remember. Jeremy was an excellent Swansea player, that If he hadn’t had his career ended by injury, when at QPR, I am sure he would have gone on the write an even bigger imprint in footballing history, winning many more caps and hopefully one day returning to the Swans. In Alan Curtis’ book he says Jeremy Charles now works in hospitality/IT, but what he doesn’t reveal is whether or not he had any sons.
Jeremy’s uncle John was an even bigger legend. It will be hard for most young Swansea City fans to imagine, but his uncle John was considered to be one of the best players in the world at the time. Think of Gareth Bale today, but give him a physique like Mike Tyson and you’re not too far off. According to my old man – bless him up there – he said Wales could have gone on to win the World Cup with John Charles. Now my old man was on occasion one to exaggerate things but the way he described it if ‘the gentle giant’ hadn’t been kicked out of a game in one of the 1950’s World cups we were going to win the competition. He particularly blamed Hungary if I remember correctly. The children of John Charles would be too old to help Garry Monk out, but maybe he has grandchildren….a little digging revealed that he does.
Huddersfield Town youngster Jake Charles is the grandson of John. Born in February 1996 (he’s 18 years old), Jake is listed on http://www.theplayersagency.com as a winger/striker with “special talent” but to date has played just one reserve team fixture. Despite being born in England he has represented Wales at under 16 and under 17 level – good lad, John would be proud. (Another article that I dug up in one of the tabloids revealed of a different John Charles grandson getting arrested, but we can’t all be perfect can we).
If anyone knows anymore about the Charles lineage of the Charles, for example did Jeremy have any sons, are they good at football, or are there other grandsons of John out there ready to take Swansea to glory please comment on this story, I’d love to know more.
Swansea Blog 