So, with the passing of Jack Charlton, another of that select group, English footballers to have won a World Cup, has gone.

Not the most cultured of players, unlike his brother Bobby, Jack was said to have thought when he learned of his England call-up that they’d picked the wrong Charlton. His position at centre-half though, has not historically been the preserve of the cultured. In his club career at Leeds United he had big shoes to fill, taking over from the Gentle Giant, John Charles, after his transfer to Juventus. In all he appeared for Leeds 629 times – a club record unlikely to be surpassed.

As a manager I remember him leading Middlesbrough to promotion to the top flight before spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Newcastle United but it was as manager of the Republic of Ireland international team that he made his greatest mark, taking them to a World Cup quarter-final in 1990. Four years later they had a famous 1-0 win over Italy (who went on to reach the final) in New York.

John (Jack) Charlton: 8/5/1935 – 10/7/2020. So it goes.

The coach trip to Bilbao had taken us through Getxo itself and given us a brief view of the Vizcaya Transporter Bridge, a UNESCO-listed Industrial Revolution icon, which carries people over the Ria Nervión between Las Arenas and Portugalete. Turning the corner of Getxo promenade takes you onto the riverside with a great view of the bridge:-

Closer view:-

I took a couple of videos of the bridge in operation. A gondola slung from the supports is the means of transportation. (Click on the pictures to take you to the videos.)

Compare the Tees Transporter Bridge at Middlesbrough.

End-on view of Vizcaya Bridge from Getxo:-

Nice square and fountain as seen in above photo but this time from the bridge ramp:-