Chairman of Sunderland’s supporters association George Forster has paid homage to Charlie Hurley ahead of his visit to the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
Voted player of the century by Sunderland fans in 1979, Hurley was dubbed ‘The King’ after a mesmeric 12 years on Wearside.
Having made 401 appearances in red and white, Hurley formed a connection with Sunderland’s faithful that is still remembered 47 years on since he left Roker Park.
And as the Black Cats prepare for their crucial Premier League fixture against Hull City on Saturday, the club are delighted to welcome Hurley and his family to the Stadium of Light.
Speaking to safc.com, Forster shared his excitement about seeing Hurley again and reflected on some fine memories the pair have had.
“I’m really looking forward to Saturday because it will be a special day and it will be great to see Charlie once again,” he said.
“He was my idol when I was young because he was the first man to go up for corners.
“I followed Charlie throughout his whole career and he was so popular in the north east, everyone just loved him.
“The fans used to sing ‘Charlie Hurley is the greatest centre half the world has ever seen,’ and they were right.
“He was a character and he loved the supporters. He just had a real connection with them and that made his time at Sunderland so special.”
He continued: “His honesty was great, he was a good player and he was somebody you could look up to as a young player growing up. He was a nice person and a fantastic player for our club.”