Long-awaited Jack Charlton statue to be unveiled in Ashington

The public event in Ashington’s Hirst Park has been organised by Ashington Town Council, and the life-sized statue has been created by Douglas Jennings.

A youth football tournament organised by Ashington Town FC will follow the unveiling, with teams from Ashington, Bedlington, Cramlington, Ellington and Ponteland participating.

Charlton’s ex-Leeds United teammate Eddie Gray, former Newcastle United captain Bob Moncur and ex-Newcastle United and Sunderland footballer Pop Robson will be at the event.

Chairman of Ashington Town Council, Mark Purvis, said: “As someone who has seen many footballing tributes and statues, I can honestly say that this is one of the best.

“The work is exceptional, not only of the statue, but the linked project to celebrate Ashington’s footballing heritage.

“We are rightly proud of our sporting legacy and thanks to this project we are sharing the stories, and hopefully inspiring more to come.”

What will happen at the event?

The outdoor unveiling begins at 10am, with 20 minutes of speeches from councillors and the late footballer’s wife Patrica Charlton.

After family and official guests have viewed the statue, the public will be able to see the statue.

The football tournament will then kick off at 10.30am, and is due to be finished by 1pm.

There will be limited parking at the event, but the nearby Northumberland College has allowed parking on their premises.

Why was the statue commissioned?

Following the death of Jack Charlton from dementia and lymphoma at his Northumberland home in July 2020, the statue in Ashington was proposed by councillor Liam Lavery.

Born in Ashington, and the son of a coal miner, Charlton grew up playing football in the park where his statue will stand, alongside brother Bobby.

He went on to have a successful club career, making over 600 appearances for Leeds United, as well as being part of the 1966 World Cup-winning England team.

After retiring as a player he went into management, taking charge of Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday, and Newcastle United.

He became the manager of the Republic of Ireland, a job he held for 10 years, and helped the Irish qualify for Euro 88 and the 1990 and 1994 world cups.