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Author Topic: Roy Keane and Gary Charles  (Read 6248 times)

Offline Ivo Stas

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Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« on: October 30, 2014, 05:46:45 PM »
I came across the following anecdote about Roy Keane in an article (http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/oct/25/mario-balotelli-liverpool-brendan-rodgers) up on the Guardian Football site.

"... Keane was taking exception to his own caricature – the “madman”, permanently on the point of explosion, little black puffs of toxic smoke coming from his ears – and the way it missed the other layers to his personality, and maybe he had a point judging by a little story that does not actually make it into his new autobiography.

It goes back to his days at Nottingham Forest when he shared digs with Gary Charles. Both had great futures ahead of them. Both played in the 1991 FA Cup final, when Charles had an unwitting role in one of Paul Gascoigne’s more self-destructive moments, and it is fair to say they liked a night out. Brian Clough once described Charles, an elegant right-back, as covering the ground like a “gazelle”. He won two England caps at the age of 21 and probably should have finished his career with an attic’s worth. Except it never turned out that way.

In 1992, now at Derby County, Charles was driving a car in an accident that killed a teenage cyclist. The experience of seeing the boy’s face on the point of impact and the family’s grieving had the profound effect you can imagine. His career continued at Aston Villa, Benfica and West Ham, but he was spiralling into alcoholism and along the way there were some pretty ghastly episodes that could fill his own book. His life become one long mess of prison, court appearances and drinking to the point that he was eventually told he was going to end up killing himself.

Then a letter arrived for him at Rutland Prison and it was Keane reminiscing about the good times and what good friends they had been. Keane told him he wanted to help and “but for the grace of God, what’s happened to you could have been me” and he was true to his word. When Charles was released, he moved in with the Keane family. Keane took him to training at Sunderland and let him take a few drills himself. Charles is now signed up for his coaching badges and working as a part-time scout. Keane’s part in that rehabilitation would probably be unreported were it not for the former BBC journalist Simon Austin, a friend of Charles, writing a blog about it, on the simple basis he “thought it was a story worth telling”.



Offline Risso

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Re: Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2014, 05:51:20 PM »
That's a nice story.  It was desperately sad to hear all the bad news about Gary Charles, who played a key part in our defence under Sir Brian, and was much underrated.

Offline Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?

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Re: Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2014, 05:54:39 PM »
There's a name from the good old days (from when I started going down the Villa anyway). Gary Charles. Got some unfair stick I thought having to play the unthankful task of playing wing-back where you have to be defending when the team is defending and attacking when the team is attacking, with no real support. Must be the most tiresome position to have played in...ever!

I heard he went off the rails a bit, but didn't know Roy Keane took him in.

Online TheMalandro

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Re: Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2014, 06:01:52 PM »
Very good player for us and that accident explains his later destructive behaviour. I hope he has found help.
Good on Keane.

Offline supertom

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Re: Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2014, 06:23:02 PM »
That's an interesting story and an insight into Charles I'd never really known. Also shows a side of Keane that isn't often seen. Charles was a good player, probably my favourite right back here. Maybe whilst Keano's here we could get Charles on the coaching staff. Maybe he can teach our fullbacks how to whip in a decent cross.

Offline eamonn

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Re: Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2014, 06:25:58 PM »
Nice story to hear. A pity to get his book publicity he needs to keep in all the shit about how he feels about Fergie and other higher-profile names.

Offline frankmosswasmyuncle

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Re: Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« Reply #6 on: October 30, 2014, 06:33:31 PM »
Really liked Gary Charles as a player - did a good job for us defensively and great bombing forward...knew he'd hit on hard times but not to the extent described in the article.
Good for you Mr Keane...nice to see the softer side that PL has sometimes referred to in interviews.

Offline paulcomben

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Re: Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« Reply #7 on: October 30, 2014, 06:34:28 PM »
That's an interesting story and an insight into Charles I'd never really known. Also shows a side of Keane that isn't often seen. Charles was a good player, probably my favourite right back here. Maybe whilst Keano's here we could get Charles on the coaching staff. Maybe he can teach our fullbacks how to whip in a decent cross.

And also to consider occasionally stopping the opposition from whipping them in, perhaps. 

Also, Gazza wrecked his knee on Gary Charles in the Spurs v Forest FA Cup Final.
« Last Edit: October 30, 2014, 06:37:55 PM by paulcomben »

Offline saunders_heroes

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Re: Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« Reply #8 on: October 30, 2014, 07:10:57 PM »
I remember giving Charles a really hard time when he was at Villa, but looking back he was involved in so many goals it was unreal. I was way too hard on him back them.
Hope he pulls through. It's horrible seeing someone suffering as much as he has over the years.

Offline olaftab

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Re: Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« Reply #9 on: October 30, 2014, 09:16:54 PM »
Great story albeit very sad. I liked Gary Charles. Well done Roy Keane

Offline Gregorys Boy

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Re: Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2014, 09:51:17 PM »
Was a big fan of Charles during his Villa days in possibly my favourite Villa team since I started supporting them.  It is really sad to hear about his struggles, but interesting and very encouraging that Keane took him in and made such a difference.  Good that he is back on the right track.

Offline eamonn

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Re: Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« Reply #11 on: November 01, 2014, 10:13:42 AM »
How did Charles not get any sentence for the death of the teenage cyclist?

Offline saunders_heroes

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Re: Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« Reply #12 on: November 01, 2014, 10:15:48 AM »
How did Charles not get any sentence for the death of the teenage cyclist?

Perhaps it was an accident.

Offline Lizz

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Re: Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« Reply #13 on: November 01, 2014, 10:30:49 AM »
I saw Gary Charles in a Nottingham hotel reception a few years ago. He was sort of flirting with the receptionist in what felt to me like an Alan Partridge type scenario. He was very honest about how difficult it was at the time for him to go out socially without meeting dickheads (my words not his). One thing that struck me was his honesty minus any self pity.

Offline PeterWithesShin

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Re: Roy Keane and Gary Charles
« Reply #14 on: November 01, 2014, 10:30:52 AM »
A nice, but sad story.

I've said before that I never understood at the time the stick Wright and Charles got, they were such key members of 95/96. The amount of goals that season that one of them would be involved in. And a thankless task as at one end they were expected to be top class defenders, and a minute or so later be up the other end taking on fullbacks and whipping in crosses like Tony Morley at his peak. 2 of the more undeserving scapegoats in my time.

What always disappointed me was the stick Charles got when coming back from that injury. I was there when he got injured (West Ham night match IIRC) and you could tell straight away it was bad by the reaction of the other players on both sides. Over a year out and then expected to hit the ground running in a Villa side that was struggling. Almost straight away Charles was getting stick again.

 


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