Bobby Moore & CAFC

In his biography (The Man in Full) of the great Bobby Moore, Matt Dickinson writes that as an 11/12 year old in the early 1950s, Moore would cycle from his Barking home, cross the Thames on the Woolwich ferry and go on to watch Charlton play at the Valley, CAFC was the nearest First Division club (in old money) to his home and West Ham were in the Second Division in those days. The question is : did the Charlton scouts miss the chance to sign up a youngster who went on to become a true football superstar ?, but of course in those days, signing boys as young as 11 just was not done, apprentices usually joined clubs at 15 or 16 years old.

Also, given that one of Moore's baptismal names was Chelsea (Yes, I found it hard to believe as well) and, given that the area where Moore lived was also home to near contemporaries Terry Venables, Jimmy Greaves and much later on John Terry, did Chelsea also miss out ?. Dickinson does not mention any particular Chelsea F.C. affiliation on the part of Moore's parents, although there was often a desire for, a dream of life 'Up West' among many East Enders of that era.

Generally the book is a good, very interesting, if sometimes a bleak as well as inspiring read. Moore was a rather secretive man whose friends and relatives even to this day are reluctant to divulge little of what they knew about his foibles and dalliances.