Jack Charlton dies: Player, manager, pundit - a football life lived to the fullest

Jack Charlton, who has died aged 85, will always be ed as one of the group of 11 England players who won the World Cup against West in 1966.

And yet there was so much more to the rounded, wonderful career of one of football's legendary characters - as a player with Leeds United, manager at club and international level and also as one of the first generation of television pundits, going on to enjoy a long and distinguished career in broadcasting.

Playing alongside younger brother Bobby, the Ashington-born centre-half was the late developer who went on to the greatest glory with his country.

The man simply known as 'Big Jack', of great football stock as a cousin of Newcastle United legend 'Wor Jackie' Milburn, also won the game's major club honours as part of Don Revie's Leeds United side and was a fine manager with Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday and Newcastle before his wonderful spell in charge of the Republic of Ireland.

Charlton's spiky, outspoken nature was allied to a genuine, humorous, honest personality which ensured him iconic status not just as an Englishman but also as an honorary Irishman.

The giant Charlton, nicknamed 'the Giraffe' because of his long neck and the stature that made him the scourge of forwards and goalkeepers alike - almost inventing the ploy of standing in front of keepers at corners - had a slow-burning playing career.

And rather like his great Leeds central defensive partner Norman Hunter, who also sadly died recently, his no-nonsense approach often disguised the great ability he had as a footballer.

Charlton's career, if not exactly going nowhere, was lacking in direction until he fell under the guidance of Revie, who was able to harness the more maverick nature of his personality with his talent to make him an essential element of a wonderful side, going on to make a record 773 appearances for Leeds over a 23-year period as a player.

He also scored 96 goals for the club, making him ninth on their list of all-time scorers.

Revie brought together a group of young players and experienced hands such as Charlton alongside Hunter, Billy Bremner, Peter Lorimer and shrewd gs such as the veteran Bobby Collins and John Giles, signed from Manchester United for a paltry £33,000.

After gaining promotion to the former First Division in 1964, Charlton helped Leeds reach the 1965 FA Cup final, where they lost to Liverpool, but success was just around the corner and after another losing final, the brutal two-game affair against Chelsea in 1970, they finally won the coveted trophy by beating Arsenal in 1972.

The Holy Grail, the league title, was won in 1968-69, and there was silverware elsewhere such as the League Cup in 1968 and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (the forerunner of the Uefa Cup and Europa League) in 1967-68 and 1970-71.

Charlton was never bound by the usual conventions, making him an even more colourful presence in the game.

He once courted trouble with the authorities by revealing he had "a little black book" of players he intended to, shall we say, meet again on the pitch, if they had ever crossed him - one of whom was believed to be former Everton hard man Johnny Morrissey, a tough Sco who even his ruthless team-mate Giles suggested was an adversary best avoided.

The great Leeds team, and this was a great team, was somewhat overshadowed by their reputation for a physical approach, and should have won more than the honours that came their way - but his presence ensured Charlton still became one of the most decorated players of his era.

It was with England, however, that Charlton wrote his name indelibly into the history books. And, like his development at Leeds, his emergence as an international came later in his career.

Charlton had turned 29 when he made his England debut in a 2-2 draw with Scotland at Wembley in April 1965.

He was so surprised at his call-up he subsequently asked manager Sir Alf Ramsey why he had picked him. Charlton revealed Ramsey's deadpan response was: "I pick the best team for my pattern of play, Jack - I don't always pick the best players."

It was a team that became champions of the world on 30 July the following year, with one of the enduring images of England's 4-2 win after extra time against West a picture of Charlton sinking to his knees, overcome by emotion, before embracing his tearful brother Bobby.

"People say to me 'was that the most memorable day of your life">