Jeremy Charles

{{about||the Canadian restaurateur|Jeremy Charles (restaurateur)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Jeremy Charles

| image =

| fullname = Jeremy Melvyn Charles

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|09|26|df=y}}

| birth_place = Swansea, Wales

| height = 6 ft 1 in{{cite book |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 |editor-first=Peter |editor-last=Dunk |publisher=Queen Anne Press |location=London |date=1987 |page=182 |isbn=978-0-356-14354-5}}

| position = Centre-forward

| years1 = 1976–1983

| years2 = 1983–1985

| years3 = 1985–1987

| clubs1 = Swansea City

| clubs2 = Queens Park Rangers

| clubs3 = Oxford United

| caps1 = 247

| caps2 = 12

| caps3 = 46

| goals1 = 53

| goals2 = 5

| goals3 = 13

| totalcaps = 305 | totalgoals = 71

| nationalyears1 = 1980–1986

| nationalteam1 = Wales

| nationalcaps1 = 19

| nationalgoals1 = 1

}}

Jeremy Melvyn Charles (born 26 September 1959) is a Welsh former professional footballer and Wales international. Normally a centre-forward, he was equally adept as a centre-half. He played for Oxford United, Swansea City and Queens Park Rangers. He is the son of ex-footballer Mel Charles and nephew of Wales striker John Charles.{{Cite web |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2009/06/28/mel-charles-reveals-amazing-fate-of-pele-s-world-cup-shirt-91466-24001944/ |title=Mel Charles reveals amazing fate of Pele's World Cup shirt |publisher=Western Mail |date=2008-06-28 |accessdate=2010-01-18}}

Club career

Charles began his career at his home town club Swansea City, making his debut as a substitute for Robbie James during 4–1 win over Newport County on the opening day of the 1976–77 season. He went on to become a key member of the squad as they moved from Division Four to Division One in five seasons. Having won promotion, Charles scored Swansea's first ever goal in Division One during a 5–1 win over Leeds United, but his season was disrupted by injury as he underwent two cartilage operations.

With Swansea suffering relegation during the 1982–83 season, Charles joined Queens Park Rangers in November 1983 for a fee of £100,000 where he remained for just over a year before moving on to Oxford United in February 1985, where he was part of the side that won the Football League Cup in 1986, scoring one of his side's goals during a 3–0 win over his former club Queens Park Rangers.{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/article992398.ece |title=Caught in Time: Oxford United win the League Cup, 1986 |publisher=The Sunday Times |date=2004-01-11 |accessdate=2010-01-18 | location=London | first=Greg | last=Struthers}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} However, Charles was forced into retirement soon after due to injury.{{Cite web |url=http://www.swanseacity.net/page/PastPlayers/0,,10354~1171073,00.html |title=Past players |publisher=swanseacity.net |accessdate=2010-01-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217100416/http://www.swanseacity.net/page/PastPlayers/0,,10354~1171073,00.html |archive-date=2012-02-17 |url-status=dead }}

International career

Charles made his debut for Wales on 19 November 1980 in a 1–0 win over Czechoslovakia. He went on to win a total of 19 caps, scoring his only goal in a 1–0 win over Bulgaria before making his final appearance on 10 September 1986 in a 1–1 draw with Finland.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesw/wal-intres80.html |title=Wales - International Results 1980-1989 - Details |accessdate=2010-01-18 |url-status=live |website=RSSSF |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808064932/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesw/wal-intres80.html |archivedate=2007-08-08 }}