The son of 1966 World Cup hero Jack Charlton has said he was forced to surrender his father's priceless winner's medal to his mother to avoid a £200,000 inheritance tax bill.
Appearing on talkSPORT Breakfast exactly 60 years after England's legendary Wembley victory over West Germany, John Charlton explained the tax nightmare surrounding the keepsake. The medal was left to him in his father's will.
£200,000 tax demand
John said: "When I say I've got it, it was left to me in my dad's will, but the tax man wants £200,000 off me in inheritance tax." Under standard UK rules, estates valued above £325,000 are hit with a 40% inheritance tax charge.
To avoid paying the bill, John said he gave the medal back to his mother. "No, I've given it back to my mother because whilst she's got it, I don't have to pay that money."
Campaign to protect sporting heirlooms
John noted that a journalist from the Daily Mirror has been working to help resolve the issue, which also affects Olympic gymnasts and other families left sporting memorabilia. The legendary defender, who died in 2020 aged 85, also left his 1966 final shirt and a rare England cap.
John added: "We've got his shirt as well. His shirt and his medal are in a safe place, tucked away. He only got one cap for the tournament and that's the only cap that he left. He gave the rest away."
