Jack Charlton Hoodwinked Into Birthday Celebration
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
VANCOUVER - Local sports fans were thrilled to learn that British soccer legend Jack Charlton would be visiting our fair city this past month. "Big Jack", is also idolized by the Irish for his coaching contributions to soccer. He helped the Irish team qualify for the World Cup in 1990 and 1994, and the European Championships in 1988. For his services to the Emerald Isle he was made an honourary citizen of the Republic of Ireland.
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| JACK CHARLTON was a great all around sport at the party. He is seen here with his wife Pat, Klondike Kate and Harry and Elizabeth (Betty) Christie. |
Members of the Moray Nairn and Banff Association hosted a 70th birthday celebration for Jack Charlton at the Scottish Cultural Centre on May 16. The event was also attended by members of the Irish Sporting and Social Club of Vancouver who remember only too well his contributions to Ireland. Charlton is said to be the only man who never has to put his hand in his pocket when he goes into a pub in Ireland.
Retired now from the soccer scene, the colourful and oft-times outspoken Charlton has written and published his biography. He is now much in demand as an after dinner speaker, which is what he does on the cruise ships now.
Arriving back from an Alaskan cruise, Jack and his wife Pat, were accompanied by old friends from Vancouver, Harry and Elizabeth (Betty) Christie. It was while on the cruise that Jack had celebrated his 70th birthday, and a few days later, it was also Harry’s birthday.
The Charltons were staying in Vancouver for a few days so as a surprise for Jack, Harry arranged a party for him at the Scottish Cultural Centre, only he told Charlton the party for himself. He knew this was the only way he would get Jack to attend. Harry contacted the Moray Nairn & Banff Association and asked them to make all the arrangements, including the Scottish meat pies and entertainment by Klondike Kate.
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| Klondike Kate and Jim Bain, past-president of the Scottish Cultural Centre. |
Harry Christie was born in Scotland and played soccer for the Inverness Caledonia and Inverness Thistle Team before emigrating to Canada. In 1962, Harry returned to England to attend a coaching clinic and this is where he first met Jack Charlton. Jack used to call Harry, “Flash Harry,” and would invite him along to the pub for a pint. It was through Jack that Harry said, “I met some of the best soccer minds.”
Speaking about “Big Jack,” his much admired friend, Harry said, “Jack Charlton met just about everyone. He met Pope John Paul who said on meeting Jack, ‘ah, the boss’. He met Princess Diana who cracked up at his jokes.
“Actually on the recent cruise to Alaska, we were on an elevator on the ship and an Irish lady squeezing into the elevator, backed into Jack. She turned around to apologize, looked up and saw who it was and exclaimed, ‘oh my God, it’s Jesus Christ himself’. As soon as the elevator stopped she asked for a picture.”
Friends, fans, and Irish and Scottish soccer players who gathered at the Scottish Cultural Centre to meet and shake the hand of the great Jackie Charlton weren’t disappointed as they got to see their idol up close and personal.
Klondike Kate (Gillian Campbell), greeted guests at the door of the Scottish Cultural Centre but reserved the biggest greeting for “Big Jack.” She even invited him up on stage to take part in one of her numbers as she threw her red feather boa over his shoulder to the delight of the audience. Kate did a good job of entertaining the audience and Jack is a good sport both on and off the soccer field.
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N.B. Special thanks to members of the Moray Nairn and Banff Association who hosted the 70th Birthday party for Jack Charlton, particularly Ken and Marlene Rogerson. Marlene is the President of the Moray, Nairn and Banff Association.
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