Page 30 - Great Elizabethans

Bobby Charlton came from a family of fantastic footballers – but he was something extra-special, even for them! A member of the England football team that won the 1966 World Cup, he scored 49 goals for England, and is considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time.
A FOOTBALL FAMILY
On 11th October 1937, in the coal-mining town of Ashington, Northumberland, a woman called Elizabeth gave birth to a baby boy called Robert, named after his dad, Robert Charlton. Elizabeth (whom most people called Cissie) was known for her sparkling eyes and her mischievous sense of humour. Though she worked as a teacher, she loved football passionately and knew a lot about it. Her four brothers also loved football – in fact, they all played professionally. Jackie Milburn, her cousin, was a famous striker with Newcastle United too.
Cissie had wanted to be a football player herself, but back then, girls weren’t able to become professional football players. Instead, she encouraged young Bobby and his brother
Jack to play football, even though their dad was much more interested in boxing!
From an early age, it was clear that both boys were very talented, especially Bobby. But nobody knew that this little boy would grow up to become one of the greatest
footballers ever to play for England.
Jack was outgoing and mischievous, but Bobby was so quiet and well behaved that he was nicknamed ‘Little Lord Fauntleroy’!
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