Jack Charlton Statue

There aren't many small towns around England, and perhaps the world, that can claim to have been the birthplace of a World Cup Winner, but Ashington in Northumberland can claim to have been the birthplace of two! The Charlton brothers, Jack and Bobby, were born and raised in Ashington and went on to become world famous, but never lost their connection with their roots.

Unveiled on October 29th 2022, the Jack Charlton statue stands 6ft 2in tall, life size, and captures “Big Jack” in his later years holding a football with his trademark flat cap on. The statue is found in Hirst Park, and for very good reason. Hirst Park was Jack and Bobby's first training ground, and was the place where Jack was spotted by scouts for Leeds United.

During the 1940s and 50s the park was the breeding ground of a number of players who went on to bigger things. As well as Jack and his brother, Bobby, their uncle Jackie Milburn (Newcastle United legend) and Jimmy Adamson (who captained Burnley to a league title) learned the game there. The pitches were built on the ash tips of the local colliery and Jack famously referred to them as “our very own Wembley”.

The sculptor Douglas Jennings was appointed to create the artwork and the money to fund it all was obtained via a crowdfund campaign. Jennings had a reputation of being able to bring out the personality of the subject in his work, having previously sculpted Margaret Thatcher (perhaps less well liked in Ashington) and Fulham legend Johnny Haynes.

The ceremony to unveil the statue took place just over two years after Jack's sad passing and was attended by his widow, Pat, and representatives of Newcastle United and Leeds United. Despite the rain it was attended by hundreds of people, showing just how much he was loved in his home town, and was sound tracked by the Ashington Colliery Band and a Northumbrian Piper playing “Coming Home” the theme from Local Hero. Pat Charlton told the crowd "Jack would have been chuffed to bits to think that you thought so much about him... He played away a lot with his career, but he's come home at last".

The statue is part of a wider Ashington Football Heritage Project which will see the other three sons of Ashington honoured in and around the town. Interpretation boards surround the statue telling the stories of all four players and their incredible achievements, setting an example to young players everywhere that you can reach the top no matter where you are from.