00:02This dates as far back as 1892,
00:06when the toothpick-chewing Billy Meredith made his Football League debut.
00:11In the early years of the 20th century,
00:13Meredith was considered football's first superstar
00:16after captaining Manchester City to their first-ever trophy,
00:20the 1904 FA Cup,
00:22and having a hand in Manchester United's first five trophies.
00:32The next great Wales international
00:34was arguably the greatest of them all, John Charles.
00:38Tall and broad, the imposing Charles looked like a cruiserweight boxer,
00:43but during his spell at Juventus earned the nickname
00:46Il Gigante Buono, or the Gentle Giant.
00:50His legacy in the game is dominated by his personality
00:54and sportsmanship as much as his immense all-round talent.
01:00In 1958, Charles had the honour of scoring Wales' maiden World Cup goal
01:05during a 1-1 draw with Hungary,
01:08but he was injured for the quarter-final defeat
01:11to eventual champions Brazil.
01:14The teenage Pele scored the only goal that day,
01:17but who knows how history might have unfolded
01:19had the Welsh star been fit to take the field.
01:28Charles spent some of his late career years at Cardiff City,
01:32where a young striker by the name of John Toshak cleaned his boots.
01:37Toshak debuted for the club at just 16 years of age
01:40and averaged a goal every other game,
01:43before a career-defining move to Liverpool.
01:48At Anfield, Toshak struck up a telepathic understanding
01:52with strike partner Kevin Keegan, winning three league titles,
01:56an FA Cup, two UEFA Cups and the 1977 European Cup.
02:02After retiring, he became a rare British managerial success story overseas,
02:08winning the Copa del Rey with Real Sociedad
02:11and La Liga with Real Madrid.
02:13...
02:13...
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