Sir Bobby Charlton’s cause of death revealed after class of ’66 football legend died aged 86
Sir Bobby Charlton died after a fall at a care home where he was battling dementia, an inquest heard.
The England legend, who won the World Cup in 1966, lost his balance when he rose from his chair and crashed into a windowsill and ‘possibly a radiator’, the Cheshire Coroner’s Court heard.
Staff conducted a full-body check at the time and found no visible injuries, initially finding that the 86-year-old’s mobility appeared unaffected.
But they later noticed swelling on his back and paramedics were called to The Willows in Knutsford Cheshire, where he had been receiving respite care since July.
He was then taken to the local hospital before being transferred to Macclesfield General Hospital.
Sir Bobby Charlton died after breaking his ribs in a fall at a care home, an inquest heard
Sir Bobby Charlton pictured with his wife Norma at an event in Germany in September 2014
Paramedics were called to The Willows in Knutsford Cheshire, where he had been receiving respite care since July
Tributes to the late Sir Bobby Charlton next to his statue outside Old Trafford
Fans hold up cards to create a mural in memory of Sir Bobby Charlton ahead of the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City
A chest X-ray and CT scan showed he had broken his ribs and was likely to develop pneumonia.
Doctors agreed he should receive end-of-life care in hospital, the inquest heard. He died on October 21, five days after his fall, at the age of 86.
Sir Bobby is survived by his wife Lady Norma, their two daughters Suzanne and Andrea and grandchildren.
The gifted footballer, who was born on October 11, 1937 in Ashington, Northumberland, is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to ever grace the game and played an integral role in England’s 1966 World Cup glory.
Following his death, Sir Geoff Hurst – who scored the famous hat-trick in England’s 4-2 win over West Germany at Wembley – is now the only member of the team still alive.
Sir Bobby was heard to be ‘unsteady on his feet, especially when getting up from a sitting position’ as a result of living with dementia.
The inquest, held in Warrington, found that Sir Bobby had an extensive medical history including appendix removal, gout, a urinary tract infection and respiratory infections.
The inquest found that he had also contracted Covid-19 in September.
Tamara Simmons, care home manager, said Sir Bobby ‘required support with all aspects of daily life.’
The investigation revealed that his bed was as close to the ground as possible, with crash mats and motion sensors due to his restlessness that was likely to cause him to roll out of bed.
Coroner Devonish ruled Sir Bobby’s death an accident.
She gave the cause of death as: Traumatic hemopneumothorax; A fall; Alzheimer’s/dementia.
Bobby Charlton (R) celebrating England’s victory at the 1966 World Cup. From left to right: Jack Charlton, Nobby Stiles, Gordon Banks (back), Alan Ball, Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson, George Cohen and Bobby Charlton
Sir Bobby Charlton representing his country against Wales in April 1970
Bobby Charlton with his wife Norma and two daughters Suzanne and Andrea in their garden at home in the 1960s
Tributes poured in from football and public life for the ‘giant of the game’ after Sir Bobby’s death was announced.
The son of a miner, he joined United as a schoolboy and was part of the iconic Busby Babes team.
He survived the Munich air disaster when the plane taking them back to Manchester crashed, killing 23 people, including eight players and three staff.
Ten years later he was part of the great United team that won the European Cup in 1968.
He was also part of the legendary England World Cup-winning team of 1966, along with his older brother Jack.
A statement from Sir Bobby’s family said last month: ‘It is with great sadness that we share the news that Sir Bobby passed away peacefully in the early hours of Saturday morning. He was surrounded by his family.
‘His family would like to thank everyone who contributed to his care and to the many people who loved and supported him. We ask that the family’s privacy be respected at this time.”
Manchester United said ‘words will never be enough’ as they mourn ‘one of the greatest and most loved players in the history of our club’, while England described Charlton, who previously held the record as all-time top scorer for England. and United, as a ‘true legend of our game’.
Prince William, chairman of the FA, has described Sir Bobby Charlton as ‘a true great who will be remembered forever’ in a personal message on social media.
Sir Bobby and his brother Jack – who died three years ago – hugged after a match between England and West Germany in 1985. The brothers had a bitter feud but reconciled later in life.
This is believed to be the last photo of Sir Bobby Charlton on February 20, 2021. He received a vaccine to help protect him against COVID-19, as celebrities tried to encourage as many people as possible to get the jab.
Charlton (in a Munich hospital) survived the 1958 Munich air disaster when he was just 20 years old, which tragically killed eight of United’s Busby Babes and a total of 23 people.
A scarf is wrapped around Sir Bobby Charlton’s statue at Old Trafford after his death last month
The Prince of Wales said: ‘Sir Bobby Charlton. First division champion. European champion. World champion. Gentleman. Legend. A true great who will be remembered forever. Thank you, Mr. Bobby. W” said the tribute on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called him ‘one of the game’s greatest players’.
In the days following his death, tributes were paid at football stadiums across the country, most notably at Old Trafford where fans laid thousands of scarves and flowers and held up cards to create a mural in his memory before the Manchester derby last weekend. .
Sir Bobby, who won 106 caps for the Three Lions and scored 49 goals, was diagnosed with dementia in 2020.
His death also prompted a call to action from Alzheimer’s Research UK, which said there are ‘no treatments available in Britain to slow, stop or prevent the diseases that cause dementia’.
CEO Hilary Evans said: ‘Our thoughts are with Sir Bobby Charlton’s family and all who loved him following the tragic news that he has passed away from dementia.
“Sir Bobby was a hero and many of us have great memories of his impressive career on the field.
‘He will be greatly missed and we extend our condolences to his family.
‘It is absolutely devastating that Sir Bobby’s final years were blighted by dementia, but sadly this is the case for almost a million people in Britain today.
‘At Alzheimer’s Research UK we are determined to change the outcome for everyone affected by dementia by finding a cure, and the terrible news about Sir Bobby highlights that we have not a moment to lose.’