Nobby Stiles facts for kids

Norbert Peter Stiles (born 18 May 1942 – died 30 October 2020) was an English footballer and manager. He played for the England team for five years, earning 28 appearances (called 'caps') and scoring one goal. He played every minute of England's winning 1966 FIFA World Cup journey. In the semi-final of that tournament, he was given the important job of marking the famous Portuguese player Eusébio. Stiles's strong performance meant Eusébio couldn't play his best throughout the game. Stiles also played in the final, which England won 4–2 against West Germany. His joyful dance on the Wembley pitch after the game, holding the World Cup trophy in one hand and his false teeth in the other, became a famous moment.

Stiles spent most of his club career playing for Manchester United. He was with the club for eleven years at Old Trafford, where he became known for his tough tackling and excellent ability to win the ball back. He was a type of player called a "holding midfielder" or "destroyer." This means his main job was to run a lot, win the ball from opponents, and then pass it to his teammates.

With Manchester United, he won two League titles and one European Cup. Stiles is one of only three English players, along with Bobby Charlton and Ian Callaghan, to have won both the World Cup and the European Cup.

Stiles also played for Middlesbrough and Preston North End for shorter periods.

Quick facts for kids
Nobby Stiles
MBE

Stiles in 1966
Personal information
Full name	Norbert Peter Stiles
Date of birth	(1942-05-18)18 May 1942
Place of birth	Collyhurst, Manchester, England
Date of death	30 October 2020(2020-10-30) (aged 78)
Height	5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Playing position	Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1957–1960	Manchester United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1960–1971	Manchester United	311	(17)
1971–1973	Middlesbrough	57	(2)
1973–1975	Preston North End	46	(1)
Total		414	(20)
National team
1965–1968	Football League XI	3	(0)
1965–1970	England	28	(1)
Teams managed
1977–1981	Preston North End
1981–1984	Vancouver Whitecaps
1985–1986	West Bromwich Albion
Honours Men's football Representing  England FIFA World Cup Winner 1966 England
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Early Life and Background

Stiles grew up in Collyhurst, a working-class area in North Manchester. He went to St Patrick's Catholic School, a local primary school. He was born in the cellar of his family's home during an air raid. His father, Charlie, managed an undertakers' business, and his mother, Kitty, worked as a machinist to help the family.

Club Football Career

Playing for Manchester United

Nobby Stiles was a big fan of Manchester United. His football talent was quickly noticed when he played for the England Schoolboys team at age 15. In the same year, 1959, he achieved his childhood dream when Manchester United offered him an apprenticeship. This meant he would train with the club to become a professional player.

Stiles looked a bit unusual for a footballer. He was short, which was often a reason for clubs to reject young players back then. He also had some missing teeth and wore false ones, which he would take out before games. This gave him a gap-toothed look that some found intimidating. He also became bald at a young age and had a dramatic comb-over hairstyle. On top of that, he was very short-sighted and needed strong contact lenses to play, wearing thick glasses off the field.

Despite his unique appearance, Manchester United's manager, Matt Busby, saw something special in the determined young player. Stiles made his first team debut as a full-back in October 1960 against Bolton Wanderers. His simple passing and fearless ball-winning skills quickly led to him becoming a "holding" midfield player. This type of player is now common in top teams, but it was rare back then. His ability to win and keep the ball also gave more space to teammates like Bobby Charlton and George Best. Stiles's defensive skills were very important throughout his successful career with United.

However, Busby was willing to make tough choices. When United beat Leicester City 3–1 in the 1963 FA Cup final, Stiles was not chosen to play. But he started appearing more often in the following seasons. He helped Manchester United win the First Division title in 1965.

In 1967, Stiles won his second League championship medal with Manchester United. Even bigger club honors were still to come. United reached the European Cup final, which was held at Wembley. Stiles again faced his old rival, Eusébio, who was part of a strong attacking team from Benfica. Stiles played well, and even though Eusébio wasn't completely stopped, United won 4–1. This made them the first English club to win Europe's main trophy.

Later Club Teams

After playing 395 matches and scoring 19 goals, Manchester United sold Stiles in 1971 to Middlesbrough for £20,000. Two years later, he became a player-coach at Preston North End when his former teammate Bobby Charlton was the manager.

International Football Career

On 10 April 1965, Stiles played his first game for the England national football team. It was a 2–2 draw against Scotland.

1966 FIFA World Cup Success

England was hosting the World Cup in 1966. Manager Alf Ramsey spent two years carefully watching players in friendly matches. He needed a strong midfield to support Bobby Charlton. Stiles was tested for a special role, sometimes called a "spoiler" or "destroyer," in a game against Scotland in 1965. He kept his place for most of the next international matches, even scoring the only goal in a win against West Germany. By the time Ramsey picked his final squad, it was clear Stiles would likely start for England in the World Cup.

Stiles earned his 15th cap as England started the tournament with a 0–0 draw against Uruguay. He continued to play as the tough, uncompromising player in front of the defense, making sure players like Charlton had space and time. England won their group games against Mexico and France. They then narrowly beat a tough Argentina team in the quarter-finals. In the game against France, Stiles accidentally injured their midfielder Jacques Simon with a late tackle. Some in the media and the Football Association wanted Stiles to be dropped. But Ramsey publicly defended Stiles, saying the tackle was a mistake, not done on purpose.

In the semi-final, Stiles did an excellent job of marking the Portuguese star, Eusébio. He was so effective that Eusébio, a very skilled player, was mostly stopped for the entire match. England won 2–1. Stiles's tactics, even though some people criticized them, worked very well. Eusébio's only big moment was a late penalty kick. After the game, Ramsey praised Stiles's individual performance, which was rare for him.

Stiles played his 20th international game in the final against West Germany. He didn't have a specific player to mark, but he played a strong, tough game. England led 2–1, but West Germany scored a late goal to make it 2–2. Then, Geoff Hurst scored two more goals in extra time to complete his hat-trick and win the World Cup for England. When the final whistle blew, Stiles did a happy dance with the Jules Rimet Trophy in one hand and his false teeth in the other. This moment became very famous and was even mentioned in the English football song "Three Lions" many years later.

Later International Games

Stiles played in the next four international games but was dropped by Ramsey after England lost to Scotland in 1967. Stiles was part of the England squad for the 1968 European Championships. However, Alan Mullery had taken over his holding midfield role. England lost to Yugoslavia in the semi-finals. Stiles played once more for England in 1969 and twice in 1970. He was chosen for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, but only as Mullery's backup. He didn't play any games in that tournament, and he never played for England again. He finished his international career with 28 caps and one goal.

Managerial and Later Career

In August 1975, Stiles became the temporary manager of Preston when Bobby Charlton resigned. Stiles himself resigned a week later to support his former Manchester United teammate. Stiles returned to Preston to be their full-time manager from 1977 to 1981.

In 1981, Stiles moved to North America to coach the Vancouver Whitecaps football team in Canada, staying there for three years.

On 29 September 1985, Stiles became the manager of West Bromwich Albion. However, he was let go the following February after the team only won three games under his leadership. This was his last job as a manager.

Between 1989 and 1993, he worked for Manchester United as their youth team coach. He helped develop the skills of many talented young players who later became famous, such as David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, and Paul Scholes. Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers, Gary and Phil, also came through the youth system at this time.

In 2000, Stiles was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire). This honor came after a campaign by the media, who felt it was surprising that five players from the 1966 World Cup team had not yet received official recognition for their achievements.

Personal Life and Legacy

Stiles married Kay Giles in June 1963. Kay was the sister of Johnny Giles, who was a teammate of Nobby's at Manchester United. They lived in Manchester and had three children. Stiles's son, John, also became a footballer.

Stiles was a very religious Catholic throughout his life. In 2007, he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame, which recognizes the best players in English football history.

In 2010, Stiles's FIFA World Cup medal and European Cup medal were bought by Manchester United at an auction for more than £200,000. The World Cup medal sold for £160,000, and his European Cup medal sold for over £49,000. Stiles sold the medals so that his family could benefit from the money.

A young Nobby Stiles, when he was a Manchester United apprentice, was played by actor Kyle Ward in a 2011 BBC TV show called United. This drama was about the Munich air disaster in 1958, where eight of United's senior players died.

In 2016, it was announced that Stiles was suffering from advanced dementia. He passed away on 30 October 2020, at the age of 78.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Stiles goal.

List of international goals scored by Nobby Stiles

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	23 February 1966	Wembley Stadium, London	West Germany	1–0	1–0	Friendly

Football Honours and Awards

Club Achievements

Manchester United

• Football League First Division: 1964–65, 1966–67
• FA Cup: 1962-63
• FA Charity Shield: 1965 (shared), 1967 (shared)
• European Cup: 1967–68

International Achievements

England

• FIFA World Cup: 1966

Individual Awards

• Football League 100 Legends: 1998 (inducted)
• English Football Hall of Fame: 2007 (inducted)
• PFA Team of the Century (1907–1976): 2007
• FAI International Football Awards – International Personality: 1998

Images for kids

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  Stiles in 1966

See also

In Spanish: Nobby Stiles para niños