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CLIVE CHARLES DIES
Wednesday 27 August, 2003
Clive Charles, a useful full-back who came through the club's youth ranks in the early 70s, sadly died yesterday (Aug 26) at his home in Portland, Oregon, USA, aged 51, after a two year battle against prostrate cancer.
In a double tragedy for the Charles family, Clive's death comes just a year and six days after his elder brother and fellow former Hammer, John, also died of cancer.
Born in Bow, East London, Clive hoped to emulate his brother who broke through a decade earlier. Clive made the first of his 14 league and one cup appearances for Hammers at Coventry City in a 1-1 draw on March 21, 1972. He replaced Frank Lampard that day but could not displace the experienced left-back (or John McDowell) on a regular basis and after three more league outings that season, Clive added only another 10 senior appearances to his tally the following campaign.
His final game in a first team shirt was the opening day home defeat by Newcastle United on August 25, 1973.
Although Clive never scored for West Ham's first team in a competitive match, he enjoyed a small slice of history when he, Clyde Best and Ade Coker appeared in the Hammers¹ line-up that beat Spurs, 2-0, on April 1, 1972. It was the first time a British top flight club had fielded three black players.
Clive ended his English playing career with Cardiff City, with whom he made more than 100 appearances, scoring five goals, before moving Stateside.
And it was in America that Clive made his biggest impact. The Fox Sports website report today that he coached the US men's soccer team in the 2000 Olympics and also led the University of Portland women's team to last year's national championship, despite battling cancer.
Clive coached Portland's men's team since 1986 and took over as the coach of the women's team three years later. He had a combined 439-144-44 record and was one of five NCAA coaches to win more than 400 college soccer games.
He led Portland to 13 conference titles, 20 NCAA tournament berths and seven Final Four appearances as coach of both the men's and women's teams.
"I definitely owe my career and where I am today to that man," said Shannon MacMillan, the US women's national team player who starred for Portland in the 90s. "I didn't really have a lot of confidence when I came to Portland, and he helped me become a happy, confident person."
Charles fought prostate cancer for two years, yet still managed to coach both teams.During the season, he underwent weekly chemotherapy treatments to keep the cancer from reappearing.
"He was such an incredible person that it didn't change him at all," MacMillan said. "It only helped us see what an incredible fighter he was."
Clive's American adventure began began with stints in the North American Soccer League for Portland Timbers and Pittsburgh Spirit. His playing days ended in 1982 with the Los Angeles Lazers of the Major Indoor Soccer League.
In addition to leading the US team to the semi-finals at the Sydney Games, Charles was an assistant coach in 1998 for the US squad at the World Cup finals in France.
Clive was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame earlier this month. The Timbers, now with the A-League, will retire his No. 3 jersey in a half-time ceremony next Friday during their final game of the season.
"No one in soccer has touched and enriched more lives in Portland than Clive Charles," Timbers general manager Jim Taylor said. "He was a tenacious defender on the pitch, a world-class mentor and coach and as kind and giving a man as you'll ever know."
Clive secretly returned to England and his native East End roots to say his final goodbyes to family and close friends just two weeks ago. Among visitors to his sister Rita's home in Collier Row to see Clive were former West Ham team-mates Frank Lampard, Harry Redknapp and Brian Dear.
He leaves his wife, Clarina, son, Michael, 28, a pro golfer and tutor, and daughter, Sarah, 25, a child psychologist. Our sympathies go out to them and Clive's family and friends everywhere.