John Charles

One of the greatest footballers Britain has produced, Charles left his native Swansea at 18 to join Leeds United where he was switched from defence to attack. The Yorkshire club reached the First Division for the first time in its history thanks to Charles' phenomenal strike ratio of a goal every other game. Juventus paid a British record of #65,000 to take him to Turin in 1957. He scored an incredible 93 goals in 155 appearances for the Bianconeri and helped them to win three Series A titles in five years. He enjoyed a glamorous life in Italy, however, it was not all glory. He returned to Leeds in 1962 but the move was a disaster and, after just 91 days, he went back to Italy to join Roma where he struggled to recapture his past form. He wound down his careen playing with Cardiff City, before turning to management with Southern League clubs Hereford United and Merthyr Tydfil. This biography contains interviews with former team-mates and family members, and also looks at his failed business ventures after football and his fight against cancer.