Nobby STILES (1942-2020)

OBITUARIES

“Everyone knew Nobby would be there when the going got tough, but you shouldn’t underestimate what a good footballer he was too …I’m glad he was my team-mate more often than my opponent”

For England fans, Nobby Stiles will always be the cheeky chappy who danced a toothless jig in celebratory delight at Wembley after the final whistle in the 1966 World Cup victory over West Germany.

For the rest of the world, Stiles was not so lovable during that tournament – quite the reverse. But time brought respect and then a wiser perspective on an era in which referees felt no duty of protection to star names and every manager fielded a midfield enforcer.

Stiles was a committed servant of England and Manchester United, who never shirked an