It’s been a week since we heard the sad news of the death of Manchester United and England 1966 World Cup star Norbert Stiles, better known as Nobby, and just about everything has been said of the man.
Considering he was the inspiration for the pen name for this column, I would like to add a few thoughts.
Physically he was a most unlikely-looking footballer, just 5ft and 6in tall and severely short-sighted, requiring strong contact lenses when he was playing.
Off the field, in his thick spectacles he looked more like a bank clerk or accountant.
He actually had a friendly disposition, but on the field, with his aggressive style of play and without his false front teeth, he was quite scary.
As a kid, he was a Catholic altar boy and he kept his faith throughout his career.
During the 1966 World Cup, he attended Mass every day, including the morning of the final.
The…
