Soccer Saturday pundits paid glowing tributes to Sir Bobby Charlton after the football icon’s death was announced during the Sky Sports show.
The Old Trafford icon passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning, October 21. Charlton, who was 86, played 758 games and scored 249 goals during 17 years as a United player. He won the European Cup, three league titles and the FA Cup before serving as a club director for 39 years.
Charlton famously won the World Cup with England, scoring 49 goals and winning 106 caps for his country. The death of one of football's biggest icons has triggered a wave of tributes from across the game.
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Charlton’s death was announced at 4pm, midway through Saturday afternoon’s action. Presenter Simon Thomas first turned to Soccer Saturday regular and former Arsenal winger Paul Merson, who said: “In football, the term legend is used very loosely.
“An absolute legend is Bobby Charlton, one of the all-time greats of English football, there’s no doubt about it. He was before my time but I’ve seen enough videos and heard my dad talk about him enough to know he’s a legend. It’s hard to say words, an absolute legend, I’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about the man, ever.”
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Clinton Morrison concurred, saying: “I echo Merse’s words and I’m sending thoughts and prayers to his family, it’s a sad time. What a footballer and what a human being.
“I never got the opportunity to meet him but I have so much respect for him. What a footballer and what a gentleman. He will go down as a legend.”
Fellow pundit Tom Sherwood added: “[He was] such an inspiration for everyone at that great football club. I bumped into him a few times, he always had time for people. Not just a giant as a footballing man but a wonderful person as well and he’ll be sadly missed.”
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