Charlie Crowe 1943 - 1957

United's greatest unsung hero?

Born	Walker	Newcastle	30/10/1924
Arrived	Byker and Heaton	10/1943	£10
Debut	Barnsley H	FAC	05/01/1946
Departed	Mansfield	02/1957	Free
Apps/Goals	216	7
Ht/Wt	5' 8 1/2"	9st 13lb	10st 8lb

Charlie Crowe spent 14 years at St James' Park between 1943 and 1957; his time at the club spanning almost exactly the same period as United's most favourite son. But whilst Jackie Milburn is known throughout the World it's probably fair to say that Charlie is not a familiar name even amongst the Toon Army itself.

He is the only survivor from that great 1951 team and lives in Wallsend with his wife Ruth. Like Jackie he deserves to be remembered as a great because, not only was he a great footballer, he is a great man too.

Some of you may already know a lot about Charlie through his books "A Crowe Amongst the Magpies" and "Charlie Crowe's Newcastle scrapbook" the royalties from both being donated to the Jackie Milburn Memorial Trust. Charlie has also recently done work for alzheimers related charities.

Hailing from Walker, Charlie was a fantastic club servant; he was at the club for fourteen years and despite facing constant competition for a place in the side (cash rich United had a very strong squad at the time) he kept bouncing back.

He was the midfield destroyer who won the ball and allowed the more skilful players to express themselves; renowned for being a tenacious, hard working player especially strong in "interception".

His main strengths were his stamina (honed by doing his own personal training around the Town Moor) and his strong but fair tackling. As Charlie says himself he "didn't stand on ceremony" when it came to putting in crunching challenges. This combined with a "never-say-die" attitude ensured that when called upon he never let the side down.

He could play a bit too; often providing the passes that set up one of United's devastating attacks and also possessing a fierce snap shot which bagged him a few goals.

A member of the 1951 FA Cup winning side and only missed out on the 1955 final due to injury; he was also a very proud captain for some games during the 1954/55 season.

Something which set him apart from his peers in that great side of the early fifties was his interest in coaching. With England's place in the world footballing order under threat the FA - under the tutelage of Walter Winterbottom - set about training up a set of "coaching disciples". Charlie was one of them.

As a result he almost became head coach at Newcastle, Charlie Mitten offered him the job when he took over as manager in 1958, but Charlie was not impressed with the money he was being offered and turned the job down. He managed Whitley Bay for a while and in 1967 Winterbottom secured him a prestigious job in Egypt; unfortunately the Suez crisis put an end to that dream.

Ask him which current players play most like him and the answer is met with a shake of the head: "I played with my heart".

Season by Season

1943/44

Charlie was one of the many local lads who were offered a trial at Newcastle during the war years. He was eighteen and playing for Heaton and Byker when he got his chance just before the start of the 1943/44 season. It was a match in which a young Ashington lad called Milburn was also being given a run out.

Charlie impressed enough to be taken on as an amateur although he never appeared for the first team.

1944/45 [1/0 - 0]

October 1944 saw Charlie signing on professionally (entitling him to a £10 signing on fee which his dad looked after!) and a senior debut in a single goal defeat against Middlesbrough; but it was to be his only outing that season.

1945/46 [25/0 - 1]

The final War season saw Charlie break into the first team; his first match of the season being an astonishing 9-1 win over Stoke in which Crowe blotted out the threat of Stanley Matthews. The professionals got £3 each, Charlie got two shillings and six pence (one shilling travelling expenses and 1/6 tea money).

His competitive debut (as the War League matches do not count) was in the FA Cup Third Round First Leg game against Barnsley.

1946/47 [4/0 - 0]

There were only fleeting opportunities in the first team as the League campaigns restarted. After serving in the army Duggie Wright returns to the club and reclaims the left-half position.

1947/48 [2/0 - 0]

United's promotion season is another season of frustration for Charlie; a broken ankle sustained on Boxing Day only adding to his woes. There was some consolation in the fact that the Reserves win the Central League title for the only time in the club's history.

The injury knocks his confidence and Charlie struggles to regain his form. Woodburn (in his last season), Dodgin and Houghton (a new signing from Ballymena) all appear to be ahead of him in the queue.

1948/49 [0/0 - 0]

Dodgin monopolises the left-half position throughout the season and Charlie - who once again picks up a couple of injuries - does not get a sniff. His morale is at it's lowest point.

1949/50 [28/0 - 0]

Now in his mid twenties, Charlie at last gets a chance in the side as Dodgin falls out with trainer Smith .

1950/51 [50/0 - 0]

Charlie's best season. Dodgin has been sold and Houghton is laid low with tuberculosis and he grabs his chance with both feet; only missing seven games all season. He plays in all but the first game of the FA Cup run and puts in a starring performance in the 1951 Cup Final.

Charlie also obtains his FA Coaching Certificate.

1951/52 [10/0 - 1]

A shock start as Charlie - along with Bob Corbett and Ernie Taylor - is omitted from the team to play Glasgow Celtic in the highly prestigious pre-season Anglo/Scots tournament against Celtic.

The season proper starts well as Charlie scores in the first game - a 6-0 romp at home to Stoke - but after a few games he loses his place to Ted Robledo. After spending six years battling his way into the first team it is a hard blow and as a result he puts in a transfer request. Seymour - who was not slow to get rid of disaffected players - refuses to sanction his request.

Eventually a promise of a possible Cup Final place and a place on the tour of South Africa persuades him to stay. However he only gets a couple of run-outs as United rest players between the semis and the final.

1952/53 [23/0 - 0]

With Ted Robledo out of favour Charlie starts the season as first choice again, but Northern Ireland international Tommy Casey is signed and he loses his place in the side again.

1953/54 [17/0 - 0]

With Robledo returning home, Casey and Crowe continue their rivalry for the left-half slot, but they also have a new challenger in the shape of Mickley born youngster Bob Stokoe.

1954/55 [34/0 - 1]

With Stokoe converted to centre-half Charlie (now 30) is preferred to Casey for the vast majority of the season.

Crowe also takes the brave step of asking Seymour if he can take a part-time job to help his financial situation. He takes a bit of persuading but Seymour relents and he becomes a sales rep with a builders merchant. Seymour accedes on the basis that he won't let the other players know, but word gets out and soon there were a number of players banging on Stan's door.

He helps United reach Wembley again and is named in the team for the Final, but disaster strikes. On the Saturday before the Final United play at Tottenham and Charlie falls awkwardly under a challenge from Harry Clark. Despite intensive treatment and offers from the United players to "carry him through the game" Charlie misses out on the Wembley showpiece. Thankfully he still receives a medal.

1955/56 [18/0 - 2]

Casey and Crowe share the half-back position again.

1956/57 [11/0 - 1]

Once again Charlie gets the nod at the beginning of the season only to lose it after a few games.

Charlie's last senior game is at Old Trafford at the start of the New Year. It is not a memorable finish as United slump to their joint heaviest defeat of the season: 6-1.

Now working full-time Charlie is granted a free transfer and moves to Mansfield Town in February 1957.