Tony 'Bomber' Brown pays tribute to 'England's best' and 'great gentleman' Sir Bobby Charlton
Tony ‘Bomber’ Brown paid tribute to “England’s best” Sir Bobby Charlton after the Manchester United and England legend’s death, aged 86.
Albion record appearance maker and goalscorer Brown, 78, was a regular opponent of Charlton’s as the pair went toe-to-toe in midfield across the 1960s and early 1970s in fierce contests at The Hawthorns and Old Trafford.
Brown grew up a United fan having moved to Wythenshawe, in Manchester, after being born in Oldham. He would regularly watch Charlton gracefully carry the ball forward and unleash rockets from distance from the terraces at Old Trafford before he moved to the Black Country to embark on his own career.
There were tight, competitive draws and thrilling encounters between the sides. Legendary fixtures and scorelines included 5-3 and 4-3 United wins in the space of a few months after Charlton and England’s 1966 World Cup heroics, before a 6-3 Albion success in 1968 just prior to FA Cup success, United’s 7-0 rout in 1970 and a 4-3 Baggies success the following year, which featured a remarkable Brown Hawthorns hat-trick.
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Brown, who idolised Denis Law as a youngster, well remembers coming up against the swashbuckling United side led by the great Charlton, who would play 758 games, win three league titles, an FA Cup and European Cup with the Red Devils.
Baggies legend Brown told the Express & Star: “I played against him quite a few times, down here at The Hawthorns and up at Old Trafford, he was just a nightmare to handle.
