107-498: William John Charles CBE (27 December 1931 – 21 February 2004) was a Welsh footballer who played as a centre-forward or as a centre-back . Best known for his first stint at Leeds United and Juventus , he was rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Wales. Charles is sometimes considered to be one of the greatest footballers in history. John Charles began his career at Leeds United, having moved there in 1949 from his hometown club, Swansea Town . He
214-470: A Super League III match between St. Helens and Wigan Warriors with Wigan winning 36 – 2. The highest attendance recorded at the Vetch Field was 32,796 for a fourth Round FA Cup match between Swansea Town and Arsenal FC on 17 February 1968. The highest recorded attendance for a league match at the Vetch Field was 29,447 in a game against Leeds United on 1 October 1955. The lowest recorded attendance for
321-527: A GBE (in recognition of his role as chairman of the Scottish War Savings Committee) and the award of medal of the order to Lizzie Robinson, a munitions worker. The order had been established primarily as a civilian award; in August 1918, however, not long after its foundation, a number of awards were made to serving naval and military personnel. Four months later, a 'Military Division' was added to
428-404: A broad riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commander and male Commanders wear the badge from a ribbon around the neck; male Officers and Members wear the badge from a ribbon on the left chest; female recipients other than Dames Grand Cross (unless in military uniform) normally wear it from a bow on the left shoulder. An oval eight-pointed star is worn, pinned to
535-538: A burning building containing explosives. In December 1922 the statutes of the order were amended; there having been a large number of awards for war work prior to this date, these amended statutes placed the order on more of a peacetime footing. For the first time numbers of appointments were limited, with the stipulation that senior awards in the Civil Division were to outnumber those in the Military Division by
642-475: A cabbage as popularly misbelieved in most of south Wales) that was grown on its surface at the time, the site was owned by Swansea Gaslight Company in 1912, when a professional football team was formed in the town. The site was in a good location and deemed surplus to requirements at the Gas Company, so the club moved in. Originally, the surface was made of compacted coal cinder and players had to wear knee pads for
749-449: A circlet bearing the motto of the Order; the reverse bears George V's Royal and Imperial Cypher. (Prior to 1937 Britannia was shown within the circlet.) The size of the badges varies according to rank: the higher classes have slightly larger badges. The badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames Commander, and Commanders are enamelled, with pale blue crosses, crimson circlets and
856-466: A citizen of a Commonwealth realm can convert their appointment from honorary to substantive, and they then enjoy all privileges of membership of the order, including use of the title of Sir and Dame for the senior two ranks of the Order. (An example of the latter is Irish broadcaster Terry Wogan , who was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the Order in 2005, and on successful application for British citizenship, held alongside his Irish citizenship,
963-493: A club record 42 goals in 39 appearances during the 1953–54 season. He remains the second highest all time goal scorer for Leeds after Peter Lorimer . In August 1957, he joined the Italian club Juventus for a then British record £65,000 transfer fee, almost doubling the previous record. The transfer was notable as Charles became one of the first British professional players to be signed for an overseas team after John Fox Watson led
1070-517: A club record £53,000 to secure the return of Charles to Yorkshire. As a result of the excitement this created, Leeds United raised admission prices for the start of the 1962–63 season. Charles second spell at Elland Road was less successful. After five years in Italy, he found it difficult to adjust to life and football back in Britain. After 11 games and three goals – a shadow of his former strike rate – Charles
1177-461: A debate as to where Charles should play in the team, but he remained at centre-half until the 1952–53 season. In October 1952, he was switched to centre forward and immediately started to score, with 11 goals in 6 games. In 1955, he was appointed club captain and during the 1955–56 season, Leeds won promotion to the First Division. Charles was in sparkling form, scoring 29 goals in 42 appearances. In
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#17328689462961284-457: A fairly unusual feature only found at Wembley as well, which was an underpass that allowed pedestrians to walk under the pitch. Originally just a mound of earth with some concrete and railway sleepers on top of it, the 'big bank' grew to be the largest area of the ground. During the late 1950s the supporters' trust paid for a roof to be installed, and during the 1970s, and 1980s the Bank became home to
1391-443: A gold central medallion. Officers' badges are plain silver-gilt, while those of Members are plain silver. From 1917 until 1937, the badge of the order was suspended on a purple ribbon, with a red central stripe being added for the military division in 1918. Since 1937, the ribbon has been rose-pink with pearl-grey edges (with the addition of a pearl-grey central stripe for the military division). Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear it on
1498-520: A league match at the Vetch Field was 1,311 in a match against Brentford on 26 April 1976. The greatest total attendance at the Vetch was 469,814 - which occurred in the 1948–49 season when Swansea Town maintained an undefeated home league record (20 wins, 1 draw and 0 defeats) and became Champions of the Football League Third Division (South). Pre-War, Swansea's highest average attendance
1605-514: A play area. The housing development would include two, three and four-storey homes. The streets would also be organised into safe but accessible "home zones" designed along communities in the Netherlands where vehicle speeds would be restricted. Parts of the Vetch Field could also be included in the overall development in a public display, planned for what was the centre spot of the old stadium. Swansea Council also hoped tenders would be received for
1712-488: A proportion of six to one. Furthermore appointments in the civil division were to be divided equally between UK and overseas awards. With regard to the Medal of the Order (but not the order itself), a distinction was made in 1922 between awards 'for gallantry' and awards 'for meritorious service' (each being appropriately inscribed, and the former having laurel leaves decorating the clasp, the latter oak leaves). In 1933 holders of
1819-527: A trial in September 1948. At his trial he impressed and duly signed for them at the age of 17, relocating to Yorkshire . Then manager of Leeds United, Major Buckley , selected Charles in a variety of positions including right-back, centre-half and left-half for Leeds Reserves. Charles made his first team debut as a centre back for Leeds in a friendly versus Dumfries club Queen of the South on 19 April 1949. Charles
1926-512: Is an image of Britannia surrounded by the motto, with the words "For Meritorious Service" at the bottom; on the reverse is George V's Imperial and Royal Cypher, with the words "Instituted by King George V" at the bottom. The name of the recipient is engraved on the rim. This medal is nicknamed "the Gong", and comes in both full-sized and miniature versions – the latter for formal white-tie and semi-formal black-tie occasions. A lapel pin for everyday wear
2033-529: Is named after Charles. The West stand at Elland Road is named "The John Charles Stand" and the entrance lobby to the Banqueting Suite attached to the back of the stand contains a bust of Charles, in memory of all he did for the club. A street near Elland Road in the Lower Wortley area of Leeds is named John Charles Way. Charles was married twice during his life. In 1953, he married Margaret "Peggy" White;
2140-931: Is not a member of the College of Arms , as are many other heraldic officers; and the Lady Usher of the Purple Rod does not – unlike the Order of the Garter equivalent, the Lady Usher of the Black Rod – perform any duties related to the House of Lords . Since the Second World War, several Commonwealth realms have established their own national system of honours and awards and have created their own unique orders, decorations and medals. A number, though, continue to make recommendations for appointments to
2247-532: The Bianconeri , spoke of the Welshman's nature as a person: "I would say he was from another world because of his human qualities. John was one of the most loyal and honest people I have ever met, a very special person. He managed to keep the whole team united, and any quarrels or arguments quietened down as soon as he appeared on the pitch or in the dressing room." Jack Charlton said of his former teammate, "John Charles
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#17328689462962354-656: The Football League , as part of its centenary season celebrations, included Charles on its list of 100 League Legends . In 2002, Charles became an inaugural inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame . On 29 November 2003, to celebrate UEFA 's Jubilee, he was selected as the Golden Player of Wales by the Football Association of Wales as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years. In 2004, Charles
2461-546: The Great Britain team against Ireland in 1955. Regarded as one of the greatest British footballers of all-time, Charles was a versatile footballer who was capable of playing both as a centre-forward and as a centre-back . As a striker , he was renowned for being a prolific goalscorer, as he was capable of scoring with either foot, courtesy of his powerful and accurate shot; due to his height, physique, and strength, as well as his heading power and accuracy, he also excelled in
2568-541: The Order of Canada . On the other hand, the Australian Honours System unilaterally created in 1975 did not achieve bi-partisan support until 1992, which was when Australian federal and state governments agreed to cease Australian recommendations for British honours; the last Australian recommended Order of the British Empire appointments were in the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours . New Zealand continued to use
2675-685: The Swansea City youth team, and technical director of the Canadian team Hamilton Steelers , whom he became coach of midway through the 1987 season. Charles first played for the Welsh national team shortly after his 18th birthday. He played for Wales at the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden – the first time the nation qualified for the competition. It was also the only time all four of the Home Nations qualified for
2782-428: The 'Away' stand, it was a single tier terrace and held about 2,000. It was originally a double-decker stand, with seating above the remaining terrace, however the upper tier was first closed and then built over during the late 1980s, and early 1990s amid growing safety concerns. The stairs to the upper tier are still visible from the lower. In 2005, the stand was split to accommodate both home and away fans. The stadium had
2889-510: The 1956–57 season as the First Division 's top scorer and an eighth-place finish for Leeds. In the summer of 1957, Charles joined Juventus, where he partnered Giampiero Boniperti and Omar Sívori , with the trio becoming known as The Holy Trident . In his five seasons with the club, he won the scudetto three times and the Coppa Italia twice; he was also the capocannoniere winner for
2996-539: The 1957–58 season. In 1962, Charles returned to Leeds, but his time there proved unsuccessful as he was accustomed to the style of play in Italy, and by the end of the year, he had joined Roma . Charles moved back to his native country to play for Cardiff City , and ended his career in non-league football in player-manager roles at Hereford United and Merthyr Tydfil . He was never cautioned nor sent off during his entire career, owing to his philosophy of never kicking nor intentionally hurting opposing players. This led to
3103-464: The 21st century quotas were introduced to ensure consistent representation among recipients across nine categories of eligibility: with the largest proportion of awards being reserved for community, voluntary and local service. Non-military awards of the British Empire Medal resumed in 2012, starting with 293 BEMs awarded for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee . In 2017 the centenary of
3210-788: The British Empire . Rather than using this chapel, the Order now holds its great services upstairs in the nave of the cathedral. In addition to the Chapel of the Order of the British Empire, St Paul's Cathedral also houses the Chapel of the Order of St Michael and St George . Religious services for the whole Order are held every four years; new Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed at these services. Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander prefix Sir , and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commander prefix Dame , to their forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix Lady to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Knights or spouses of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when
3317-490: The British Empire for Gallantry. Any individual made a member of the order for gallantry after 14 January 1958 wears an emblem of two crossed silver oak leaves on the same ribbon as the badge, with a miniature version on the ribbon bar when worn alone. When the ribbon only is worn the emblem is worn in miniature. It could not be awarded posthumously , and was replaced in 1974 with the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM). If recipients of
John Charles - Misplaced Pages Continue
3424-454: The East Stand. A small layer of steep terracing lay beneath a stand with a capacity of around 2,500. It was also home to one of the most bizarre floodlights in the league, jutting out over the stand, completely out of character with the rest of the ground. Due to the refusal of residents of William Street behind the stand it could not be extended further, and financial problems ensured that it was
3531-785: The Military Division of the order from the UK and across the Empire. Recommendations for all appointments to the Order of the British Empire were originally made on the nomination of the King's United Kingdom ministers (recommendations for overseas awards were made by the Foreign Office , the Colonial Office , the India Office and the Dominions Office ); but in the early 1940s the system was changed to enable
3638-456: The North Bank was filled to capacity for the majority of matches during the final season. The East Terrace was originally another mound of earth with some railway sleepers, and remained so until the late 1970s, when the club began its rise through the divisions. It became the first area of the ground to be redeveloped, and half the length of the pitch at the 'Town' end of the ground became home to
3745-436: The Order of the British Empire for Gallantry received promotion within the order, whether for gallantry or otherwise, they continued to wear also the insignia of the lower grade with the oak leaves; however, they used only the post-nominal letters of the higher grade. When the order was founded in 1917, badges, ribands and stars were appointed for wear by recipients. In 1929 mantles, hats and collars were added for recipients of
3852-513: The Order of the British Empire. In 2024 appointments to the order were made by the governments of: Most members of the order are citizens of the United Kingdom or Commonwealth realms that use the UK system of honours and awards. In addition, honorary awards may be made to citizens of nations where the monarch is not head of state ; these permit use of post-nominal letters, but not the title of Sir or Dame . Honorary appointees who later become
3959-404: The Order, however, are not assigned any special precedence. As a general rule, only wives and children of male recipients are afforded privileges. Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to be granted heraldic supporters . They may, furthermore, encircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of
4066-460: The United Kingdom; those who would formerly have met the criteria for the medal were instead made eligible for the MBE. In 2004, a report entitled A Matter of Honour: Reforming Our Honours System by a Commons select committee recommended phasing out the Order of the British Empire, as its title was "now considered to be unacceptable, being thought to embody values that are no longer shared by many of
4173-558: The Vetch between 1921 and 1988. Other sports also found a home at the Vetch, with 8 rugby league matches played there between 1990 and 1999. In 1960, local boy Brian Curvis beat the Australian boxer George Barnes at the Vetch to win the Commonwealth (British Empire) Welterweight title. The stadium also operated as a music venue, hosting The Who in 1976 and Stevie Wonder in 1984. The Vetch's final Football League fixture
4280-450: The addition of a vertical pearl grey stripe in the centre for awards in the military division). From time to time the order was expanded: there was an increase in the maximum permitted number of recipients in 1933, and a further increase in 1937. During the Second World War, as had been the case during and after World War I, the number of military awards was greatly increased; between 1939 and 1946 there were more than 33,000 appointments to
4387-487: The air, which made him an aerial goal threat. Despite his size, he was also a fast player, with good technical skills and passing ability, which allowed him both to score and create goals. In addition to his ability, he was also known for his correct behaviour on the pitch, which along with his stature, earned him the nickname Il Gigante Buono (The Gentle Giant). In the foreword for Charles' autobiography, Sir Bobby Robson described him as "incomparable" and classed him among
John Charles - Misplaced Pages Continue
4494-406: The all-time footballing greats such as Pelé , Diego Maradona and George Best , saying "Incomparable. John wasn't only one of the greatest footballers who ever lived. He was one of the greatest men ever to play the game." He also noted that Charles is the only footballing great to be world class in two very different positions. Giampiero Boniperti , the captain of Juventus when Charles had joined
4601-493: The beginning of June 2011, with the club promoted to the Premier League and passing what's left of the ground on a victory parade, work has begun on the outside walls of the old stadium. The centre circle, however, will remain, as this is where people's ashes have been spread. In August 2011 it was confirmed by Swansea Council that the Vetch would be used temporarily for allotments. Coordinated by local artist Owen Griffiths on
4708-495: The boys section of the local team Swansea Town, who later became Swansea City . When he left school at age 14 he was taken onto the groundstaff at Vetch Field , yet because of his young age Third Division Swansea never gave him a first-team call up. His only senior appearances came for the reserve side in the Welsh Football League . While playing for Gendros, a local youth club, he was scouted by Leeds United and given
4815-413: The cathedral. That year, Commonwealth awards made up 40% of all OBEs and MBEs awarded (and 35% of all living recipients of the higher awards). Gradually that proportion reduced as independent states within the Commonwealth established their own systems of honours . The last Canadian recommendation for the Order of the British Empire was an MBE for gallantry gazetted in 1966, a year before the creation of
4922-418: The circlet. In 1929, to bring the order into line with the other orders of chivalry, members of the first class of the order (GBE) were provided with mantles, hats and collars. Only Knights/Dames Grand Cross wear these elaborate vestments; the hat is now rarely, if ever, worn. Use of the mantle is limited to important occasions (such as quadrennial services and coronations ). The mantle is always worn with
5029-542: The city of Swansea. Leeds United Juventus Cardiff City Wales Individual Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry , rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service . It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions,
5136-444: The collar. Although the mantle was introduced in 1929, very few mantles would have been produced prior to the 1937 design changes, as there were few occasions for wearing them in the intervening years. On certain days designated by the sovereign, known as " collar days ", members attending formal events may wear the order's collar over their military uniform, formal day dress, evening wear or robes of office. Collars are returned upon
5243-479: The country's population". The committee further suggested changing the name of the award to the Order of British Excellence, and changing the rank of Commander to Companion (as the former was said to have a "militaristic ring"), as well as advocating for the abolition of knighthoods and damehoods; the government, however, was not of the opinion that a case for change had been made, and the aforementioned suggestions and recommendations were not, therefore, pursued. In
5350-515: The couple had four sons together. They divorced in 1982. In 1988, Charles married Glenda Vero, whom he remained married to until his death in 2004. The Charles name continued in football through nephew Jeremy Charles , who also represented Wales, and grandson Jake Charles , who has represented Wales at youth level. Following his retirement from football, Charles became the landlord of the New Inn public house on Elland Road, Churwell , Leeds which later
5457-403: The death of their owners, but other insignia may be retained. The six office-holders of the order wear pearl-grey mantles lined with rose-pink, having on the right side a purple shield charged with the roundel from the badge. Each of these office-holders wears a unique badge of office, suspended from a gold chain worn around the neck. The British Empire Medal is made of silver. On the obverse
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#17328689462965564-421: The development works by autumn 2009 and a preferred developer to be chosen by the start of the following year. Meanwhile, items of memorabilia at the Vetch Field, such as the stadium clock, have been transferred to Swansea Museum . Demolition work on the ground began on 31 January 2011. The work was predicted to last four to six months. The famous North Bank was the first stand to be pulled down. Initially there
5671-607: The distinction between ranks in military operational gallantry awards will cease'. The reforms affected the order at various levels: for example the automatic award each year of a GBE to the Lord Mayor of London ceased; the OBE replaced the Imperial Service Order as an award for civil servants and the number of MBEs awarded each year was significantly increased. As part of these reforms the British Empire Medal stopped being awarded by
5778-406: The first season of football there. Having seen many changes during its 93 years (detailed below), the Vetch took its final bow with an FAW Premier Cup Final against Wrexham. After the game, the seats, turf, advertising hoardings and anything else fans could get their hands on were removed from the ground, and is currently in the process of being demolished as the council seek permission to build on
5885-406: The following season, Charles scored a new club top flight record tally of 38 goals in 40 league appearances as Leeds secured an 8th-place finish in the first division, before finally moving away from the club. His influence on Leeds' success during his final season was so strong, reporters nicknamed the club "John Charles United". In total, he scored 150 league goals in eight years for Leeds, including
5992-515: The former was to be responsible for recording all proceedings connected with the order, issuing warrants under the seal of the order and making arrangements for investitures, while the latter (at that time the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury ) was responsible for collecting and tabulating the names of those who were to receive an award. The office of Dean was added in 1957. The King of Arms
6099-401: The governments of overseas dominions to make their own nominations; Canada and South Africa began doing so in 1942, followed by Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth realms. In May 1957, forty years after the foundation of the order, it was announced that St Paul's Cathedral was to serve as the church of the order, and in 1960 a chapel was dedicated for its use within the crypt of
6206-450: The highest class of the order (GBE). The designs of all these items underwent major changes in 1937. The badge is worn by all members of the order; the size, colour and design depends on the class of award. The badge for all classes is in the form of a cross patonce (having the arms growing broader and floriated toward the end) with a medallion in the centre, the obverse of which bears a crowned image of George V and Queen Mary within
6313-543: The historic site of the Vetch Football field, an urban utopia is being created on the site, in collaboration with the local residents. The venue hosted eighteen Wales internationals. The results were as follows; Wales ' record at the Vetch is as follows: On 19 August 1990 it hosted a Rugby League Charity Shield between Widnes and Wigan with Widnes winning 24 – 8. The venue hosted six Wales internationals. The results were as follows; On 26 July 1998 it hosted
6420-579: The honours system, calling it "a preposterous charade". The order has attracted some criticism for its naming having connection with the idea of the now-extinct British Empire . Benjamin Zephaniah , a British poet of Jamaican and Barbadian descent, publicly rejected appointment as an Officer in 2003 because, he asserted, it reminded him of "thousands of years of brutality". He also said that "it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalised". Vetch Field The Vetch Field
6527-446: The insignia to Buckingham Palace and by ceasing to make reference to their honour, but they still hold the honour unless and until annulled by the monarch. In 2003, The Sunday Times published a list of the people who had rejected the Order of the British Empire, including David Bowie , John Cleese , Nigella Lawson , Elgar Howarth , L. S. Lowry , George Melly , and J. G. Ballard . In addition, Ballard voiced his opposition to
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#17328689462966634-624: The junior post-nominal letters. The British sovereign is the sovereign of the order and appoints all other officers of the order (by convention, on the advice of the governments of the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth realms ). The second-most senior officer is the Grand Master (a 'Prince of the Blood Royal, or other exalted personage' appointed by the sovereign, who, by virtue of their appointment, becomes 'the First or Principal Knight Grand Cross of
6741-467: The land there, the entrances have been boarded up and the turf of the pitch has been taken up. The 2004–05 season was the first time in 93 years that the Vetch had the highest average attendance in its division. On 30 April 2005, Adrian Forbes scored the last league goal at the Vetch in Swansea's 1–0 win over Shrewsbury Town . The player who scored the final goal at the Vetch was Andy Robinson , who scored
6848-519: The latter. Knights and Dames Commander and Commanders may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. See List of current honorary knights and dames of the Order of the British Empire Only the monarch can annul an honour. The Honours Forfeiture Committee considers cases and makes recommendations for forfeiture. An individual can renounce their honour by returning
6955-463: The left breast, by Knights and Dames Grand Cross; Knights and Dames Commander wear a smaller star composed of 'four equal points and four lesser'. The star is not worn by the more junior classes. Prior to 1937 each star had in the centre a gold medallion with a figure of Britannia, surrounded by a crimson circlet inscribed with the motto of the order ('For God and the Empire'); since 1937 the effigies of King George V and Queen Mary have been shown within
7062-454: The majority of supporters, and the most vocal. Safety concerns reduced its capacity by blocking off a large section at the rear, and following the Hillsborough disaster its safety certificate was again cut, and by the early 21st century it held around 3,500 due to concerns about the front not being covered. The number it could safely hold was increased towards the end of its life, ensuring that
7169-569: The medal 'for gallantry', which had come to be known as the Empire Gallantry Medal , were given permission to use the postnominal letters EGM (and at the same time to add a laurel branch emblem to the ribbon of the medal); however, in 1940, awards of the EGM ceased and all holders of the medal were instructed to exchange it for a new and more prestigious gallantry award: the George Cross . In 1941,
7276-547: The medal of the order 'for meritorious service' was renamed the British Empire Medal , and the following year its recipients were granted the right to use the postnominal letters BEM. During the war, the BEM came to be used to recognise acts of bravery which did not merit the award of a George Cross or George Medal , a use which continued until the introduction of the Queen's Gallantry Medal in 1974. The designs of insignia of
7383-449: The medal. The colour of the riband was also changed: twenty years earlier, prior to the order's establishment, Queen Mary had made it known that pink would be her preferred colour for the riband of the proposed new order, but, in the event, purple was chosen. Following her appointment as Grand Master of the order in 1936 a change was duly made and since 9 March 1937 the riband of the order has been 'rose pink edged with pearl grey’ (with
7490-446: The most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or a dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal , whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order. The order was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V , who created the order to recognise 'such persons, male or female, as may have rendered or shall hereafter render important services to Our Empire'. Equal recognition
7597-469: The names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Male clergy of the Church of England or the Church of Scotland do not use the title Sir (unless they were knighted before being ordained) as they do not receive the accolade (they are not dubbed "knight" with a sword), although they do append the post-nominal letters ; dames do not receive the accolade, and therefore female clergy are free to use
7704-527: The nickname he acquired while playing for Juventus, Il Gigante Buono (The Gentle Giant). In 1998, he was included in the Football League 100 Legends , and in 2002, he was one of the inaugural inductees to the Football Hall of Fame . He played for the Welsh national team over fifteen years, from 1950 to 1965. Alongside his brother, Mel Charles , he was a member of the Welsh squad at the 1958 FIFA World Cup . At
7811-449: The numbers restricted to the order as full members do. Although the Order of the British Empire has by far the highest number of members of the British orders of chivalry, with more than 100,000 living members worldwide, there are fewer appointments to knighthoods than in other orders. From time to time, individuals may be promoted to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of
7918-467: The only part of the ground to be redeveloped, although further developments were initially planned. On 23 May 2009, the ground was put onto the market after being replaced by the Liberty Stadium almost four years earlier. Plans were originally made to build a community centre and housing development on the Vetch Field site but had not been put through. This includes a 120-unit housing development and
8025-605: The order alongside its own honours until the establishment of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1996. Other Commonwealth realms have continued to use the Order of the British Empire alongside their own honours. In 1993 the Prime Minister, John Major , instituted a reform of the honours system with the aim 'that exceptional service or achievement will be more widely recognised; that greater importance will be given to voluntary service; that automatic honours will end; that
8132-408: The order and medal were altered in 1937, prior to the coronation of King George VI , 'in commemoration of the reign of King George V and Queen Mary, during which the Order was founded'. The figure of Britannia at the centre of the badge of the order was replaced with an image of the crowned heads of the late King and Queen Mary, and the words 'Instituted by King George V' were added to the reverse of
8239-409: The order was celebrated with a service at St Paul's Cathedral. The order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the total number of members of the fourth and fifth classes, but no more than 858 officers and 1,464 members may be appointed per year. Foreign appointees, as honorary members, do not contribute to
8346-426: The order, to which serving personnel would in future be appointed. The classes were the same as for the Civil Division (as it was now termed), but military awards were distinguished by the addition of a central vertical red stripe to the purple riband of the civil awards. In 1920 appointment as an MBE 'for an act of gallantry' was granted for the first time, to Sydney Frank Blanck Esq, who had rescued an injured man from
8453-586: The same Order'). The position of Grand Master has been held by the following people: In addition to the sovereign and the grand master , the order has six further officers: At its foundation the order was served by three officers: the King of Arms, the Registrar & Secretary and the Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod. In 1922 the Prelate was added, and the office of Registrar was separated from that of Secretary:
8560-458: The same World Cup, though only Wales and Northern Ireland made it past the group stage. Wales remained undefeated in the group stage, battling to draws with Hungary (thanks to a Charles goal), Mexico , and eventual runners-up Sweden . As Hungary also recorded three points, a play-off match ensued, and Wales came from behind at the Råsunda Stadium to advance with a 2–1 win; however, Charles
8667-716: The single most outstanding player of the period 1954–2003, and Charles was chosen as the Golden Player of Wales by its national association in November 2003. Charles was born in the Cwmbwrla district of Swansea during late 1931. Charles would play football as a child, with younger brother Mel Charles who also went on to become a professional, later playing alongside each other for the Welsh national team. The brothers grew up on Alice Street in Swansea, being neighbours of fellow future Welsh internationals Ernie Jones , Mel Nurse , and Jackie Roberts . While still at school, Charles joined
8774-455: The standard of the George Medal (even though, as appointments to an order of chivalry, they were listed before it on the Order of Wear . In contrast to awards for meritorious service, which usually appear without a citation, there were often citations for gallantry awards, some detailed and graphic. From 14 January 1958, these awards were designated Commander, Officer or Member of the Order of
8881-506: The title Dame . Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal GBE; Knights Commander, KBE; Dames Commander, DBE; Commanders, CBE; Officers, OBE; and Members, MBE. The post-nominal for the British Empire Medal is BEM. Members of all classes of the order are assigned positions in the order of precedence . Wives of male members of all classes also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander; relatives of Ladies of
8988-577: The titles Sir for men and Dame for women before their forenames, except with honorary awards. King George V founded the order to fill gaps in the British honours system : In particular, George V wished to create an order to honour the many thousands of individuals from across the Empire who had served in a variety of non-combat roles during the First World War . From its foundation the order consisted of five classes (GBE, KBE/DBE, CBE, OBE and MBE) and
9095-440: The tournament, he scored in a 1–1 draw with Hungary , but he got injured in a play-off match against the same opposition. Ruled out of the quarter-final against Brazil , Wales lost the match 1–0, with Pelé scoring the winner. Wales manager Jimmy Murphy opined that had Charles been fit, Wales might have won the match. For its 50th anniversary in 2004, UEFA asked each of its then 52 member associations to nominate one player as
9202-411: The trio the nicknames The Holy Trident and The Magical Trio ; Charles was also dubbed Il Gigante Buono (The Gentle Giant) during his five seasons with the club, due to his size and fair play. The respect Charles earned from Juventus fans was shown when, on the occasion of the club's centenary in 1997, they voted him the club's best-ever foreign player. Following his time at Juventus, Don Revie paid
9309-472: The way moving from Fulham to Real Madrid in 1948. His debut came on 8 September 1957 against Hellas Verona . Goals from Giampiero Boniperti and Omar Sívori had made the score 2–2, when up popped Charles to score the winner. The following week, he scored the only goal in the victory over Udinese , and he then hit the decisive strike in a 3–2 victory over Genoa . He had been the match-winner in his first three games. In his first season in Italy, Charles
9416-526: The winner in a 2–1 victory over Wrexham . Originally built in 1912 to house 1,500 spectators, the Centre Stand went through numerous changes before ending up as a stand that ran only 3/4 the length of the pitch, with a family stand at one end, and some wooden bench seating at the other. It was suggested that the gable and clock be moved to the Liberty Stadium, however as yet nothing has transpired. Also
9523-601: Was Serie A's top scorer with 28 goals, and was voted player of the season as Juventus won the scudetto . He played in Turin for five years, scoring 108 goals in 155 matches, winning the scudetto ( Italian league championship ) three times, and the Coppa Italia twice. He placed third in the Ballon d'Or in 1959 , the highest position for a Welsh footballer. His prolific partnership with Sívori and Boniperti in Juventus's front-line earned
9630-517: Was 16,118 during the season 1925–26. Post-War, Swansea's highest average attendance was 22,535 during the 1948–49 season. The lowest average attendance at the Vetch came in the 1974–75 season, when an average of 2,052 spectators watched each game. The average attendance for that last season at the Vetch was 8,457. The first floodlit match at the Vetch came in a 'Friendly' against Hibernian FC in 1960–61. The last floodlit match occurred against Oxford United on 15 April 2005. The first league match at
9737-424: Was a 1–0 win for Swansea over Shrewsbury Town on 30 April 2005. The last game of football to be held at the Vetch was the 2005 FAW Premier Cup final , which saw Swansea beat Wrexham 2–1. The Vetch continues to be the subject of much nostalgia amongst some Swansea fans, who often feel that it had a more vibrant and authentic atmosphere than the Liberty Stadium. Named due to the vetch (a type of legume – not
9844-579: Was a football stadium in Swansea , Wales. It was used for football matches and was the home ground of Swansea City until the club moved to the newly built Liberty Stadium in 2005. Opened in 1912, the ground held around 12,000 at the time of its closure, but upwards of 30,000 at its peak. As well as being home to the Swans, the Vetch also hosted games for the Wales national football team , with 18 internationals played at
9951-518: Was a team unto himself. People often say to me, 'Who was the best player you ever saw?', and I answer that it was probably Eusébio , Di Stéfano , Cruyff , Pelé or our Bob . But the most effective player I ever saw, the one that made the most difference to the performance of the whole team, was without question John Charles." Charles' sporting behaviour led international referee Clive Thomas to say "If you had 22 players of John's calibre, there would be no need for referees – only time-keepers." In 1998,
10058-447: Was also managed by another Leeds United player and Wales international, Byron Stevenson . On 16 June 2001, as part of that year's Queen's Birthday Honours , he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire "for services to Association Football". Until shortly before his death he continued to attend every Leeds United home game. In 2002, he was made a vice-president of the Football Association of Wales , and in 2003, he
10165-517: Was away on National Service with the 12th Royal Lancers at Carlisle. The army allowed him to turn out for Leeds, but also saw to it that he played for them, and in 1952, Charles skippered his side to the Army Cup. It was during this period that he had operations to repair cartilages in both knees. After his return to the Leeds side in November 1951, Charles played at centre-forward and centre half. This prompted
10272-481: Was equally adept as a defender or a forward, due to his strength, pace, technique, vision, ability in the air and eye for goal. After returning from his National Service in 1952, Charles began to be used more often as a forward, and he was the Second Division 's top scorer in 1954. The following year, he was named club captain; in his first season as captain, he led the club to second place and promotion. Charles ended
10379-402: Was first announced at the end of December 2006, and is available to recipients of all levels of the order, as well as to holders of the British Empire Medal . The pin design is not unique to any level. The pin features the badge of the order, enclosed in a circle of ribbon of its colours of pink and grey. Lapel pins must be purchased separately by a member of the order. The creation of such a pin
10486-526: Was granted the freedom of the city of Swansea . There was a campaign to knight Charles, but it never came to fruition. In January 2004, he suffered a heart attack shortly before an interview for Italian television, and required the partial amputation of one foot for circulation reasons before he was returned to Britain. He died in Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield , West Yorkshire , early on 21 February 2004. His widow, Glenda, bequeathed his ashes to
10593-469: Was injured in the match and missed out on the rest of the tournament. Wales were eventually knocked out by Brazil in the quarter-finals thanks to a goal by Pelé in the 66th minute: the Brazilians went on to win the competition . Wales manager Jimmy Murphy said that "with John Charles in the side we might have won". In total for Wales, Charles made 38 appearances and scored 15 goals. Charles played for
10700-469: Was made a substantive member and subsequently styled as Sir Terry Wogan). Although initially intended to recognise meritorious service, the order began to also be awarded for gallantry. There were an increased number of cases in the Second World War for service personnel and civilians including the merchant navy, police, emergency services and civil defence, mostly MBEs but with a small number of OBEs and CBEs. Such awards were for gallantry that did not reach
10807-508: Was open to both women and men; provision was also made for conferring honorary awards on foreign recipients. At the same time, alongside the order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. The first investiture took place at Ibrox Stadium , as part of a royal visit to the Glasgow shipyards, with the appointment of Alexander Ure, 1st Baron Strathclyde as
10914-566: Was recommended in Sir Hayden Phillips ' review of the honours system in 2004. The Chapel of the Order of the British Empire is in St Paul's Cathedral . It occupies the far eastern end of the cathedral crypt and was dedicated in 1960. The only heraldic banners normally on display in the chapel are those of the Sovereign of the Order of the British Empire and of the Grand Master of the Order of
11021-484: Was sold for £70,000 to Roma . Initially, the move was a success and Charles scored within fifteen minutes of his first game for Roma, in a match against Bologna. The early promise was never fulfilled, however, and Charles was on the move again a year later. He left to join Cardiff City where he stayed until 1966, which marked the end of his league career. He later became manager of Hereford United , Merthyr Tydfil and
11128-506: Was some controversy as to the whereabouts of the centre stand's clock – on arrival, the contractors noticed it was missing. It was later confirmed in the South Wales Evening Post that it was in the safe hands of a group of people angered by the council's neglect of such Vetch relics as the clock. As of May 2011 no full stands remain and all the floodlights have been removed, including the East Stand's unique, bizarre floodlight. By
11235-590: Was tasked with marking the incumbent Scotland centre forward Billy Houliston , who ten days previously at Wembley , had run the England defence ragged as the Scots won 3–1. The score at Elland Road was 0–0. After the game, Houliston said 17-year-old Charles was "the best centre half I've ever played against". Charles made his league debut against Blackburn Rovers also in April 1949, playing at centre-half. From 1950 until 1952, Charles
11342-526: Was to be given for services rendered in the UK and overseas. Today the majority of recipients are UK citizens, though a number of Commonwealth realms outside the UK continue to make appointments to the order. Honorary awards may be made to citizens of other nations of which the order's sovereign is not the head of state. The five classes of appointment to the Order are, from highest grade to lowest grade: The senior two ranks of Knight or Dame Grand Cross and Knight or Dame Commander entitle their members to use
11449-542: Was voted at number 19 in the 100 Welsh Heroes poll. On 7 March 2018, Charles had one of Great Western Railway's Intercity Express Trains named after him. In August 2019, a social housing complex named "Clos John Charles" was opened on the site of a former primary school in Cwmbwrla , Swansea . The John Charles Lounge in Aberystwyth Town 's ground is named after Charles. The John Charles Centre for Sport in Leeds
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