A man who looked after Brazil’s 1966 World Cup squad while he was training in Bolton has paid tribute to arguably the world’s greatest ever footballer Pele after his death.
Pele, who won three World Cups with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970, was also part of the 1966 team in England that was knocked out in the first round after the star player was given rough treatment by defenders.
The then World Cup holders were stationed in Lymm in Warrington as many of their games were at Everton’s Goodison Park home and Charles Roberts, now of Oswestry, was put in charge of looking after the players’ needs for two days as they trained in Bolton.
Wanderers wanted Brazil to train at Bromwich Street and had not prepared the stadium’s pitch for their arrival. Brazil’s players briefly kicked up a fuss as they thought they were being escorted back on the team bus for another hour-long journey.
A hurried meeting was called at Bromwich Street’s pavilion, at which the visitors agreed at the switch of venue on the condition they could also make use of Burnden’s medical room and that their hosts serve Coca Cola, rather than tea.
“The goalposts are not up yet at Burnden Park,” explained Wanderers chairman Ted Gerrard.
“And if the Brazilians had wanted to train there we would have had to mark out the pitch and mow it. And we would have had to get the baths operating.
“Here at Bromwich Street we have excellent training facilities – there are none better in the country. The Brazilians have realised this now and agree that they quite like it.”
Among the spectators were Wanderers legends Nat Lofthouse and Roy Hartle, who both commented on the physical condition of the Brazil players.
READ > Crowds, Coca Cola and cock-ups: When World champions Brazil trained at Wanderers
Charles, 85, has now moved to pay homage to "a gentleman" who died last week from colon cancer in Brazil, leading to millions of tributes from around the world.
“He was a very kind man who stayed in his bedroom a lot as he was missing his wife daily,” said Charles, who was also a director of Wrexham FC from 1972 and 1976.
“When he did come out, he never showed any aggression and he was always the perfect gentleman, very much like Sir Bobby Charlton.
“Pele was just a very sweet-natured man.
“I looked after them for two days in Lymm – they were based at the Lymm Hotel and whoever put them there was absolutely wicked.
“They were the world champions and they put them in a hotel next to a railway – it was horrible.
“They trained in Bolton, but also at the hotel they were at, there was a bowling green.
“They didn’t need know what bowling was so they thought it was a practice pitch and had a light knockabout on it.
“The groundsman went potty when he saw them and his grass all churned up.”
Charles, who also once owned Bangor City, added that Pele, who by then had won two World Cups at the tender age of 25, admitted he remembered the time he spent with him for all his life.
He added: “On the pitch you could see his star quality but off it, he was very unassuming.
“If you didn’t know anything about Pele, you wouldn’t have thought he was a star – he was just one of those guys in the world that don’t need to blow their trumpet because they’re top of the job.
“It was a privilege to meet him – I knew his reputation but he wasn’t as God-like as he is now.
“It was a great experience that I’ve treasured all my life.
“I think he was the best, and so did Sir Bobby who is a friend of mine.”
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