    charles john hurley (born 4 october 1936) is an irish former footballer who played mainly in the centre back position. hurley is best known for his long career at sunderland, where he was named the black cats' "player of the century" by their fans on the occasion of the club's centenary in 1979. nicknamed 'the king', hurley was a classy defender for both sunderland and the republic of ireland. he ended his playing career at bolton wanderers and was later manager of reading. ==early life== hurley was born in cork, ireland, but his family moved to rainham in essex, england when charlie was seven months old. he later survived the blitz, in which one of his best friends was killed, and as a teenager worked as an apprentice toolmaker. his first offer of a football contract was from west ham but he turned it down as he could earn more for his family by continuing with his apprenticeship. however, at the age of sixteen he did eventually accept a contract offer from millwall. ==career at millwall== hurley began his football career at millwall in 1953, making his debut at the age of seventeen in a 2-2 draw away to torquay united on 30 january 1954. he went on to make 16 league appearances in the season. he followed this up with 38 league games in 1954-55 and also played three fa cup ties. at the start of the 1955-56 he was considered good enough to represent london in the first english team to play in a european competition. london beat frankfurt 3-2 at wembley in the inter-city fairs cup and the headline in the daily mail was hurley holds germans. he was thus selected to play for ireland at aged 
1936_births Association_football_defenders Bolton_Wanderers_F.C._players Living_people London_XI_players Millwall_F.C._players People_from_Cork_(city) Reading_F.C._managers Republic_of_Ireland_association_footballers Republic_of_Ireland_football_managers Republic_of_Ireland_international_footballers Republic_of_Ireland_national_football_team_managers Sunderland_A.F.C._players The_Football_League_players