John Charlton, son of England football legend Jack Charlton, claims he faces a potential £200,000 Inheritance Tax bill to keep his father's 1966 World Cup winner's medal.
Jack Charlton, who started at centre-back in England's 4-2 victory over West Germany in the 1966 final, died in 2020 at the age of 85. His son John was bequeathed the medal in his father's will but has currently returned it to his mother, Pat, to avoid the tax.
"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," John Charlton told talkSPORT. "I've given it back to my mother because whilst she's got it, I don't have to pay that money."
Charlton, who also managed the Republic of Ireland, leading them to two World Cups and a quarter-final appearance in 1990, is one of the few England players from the 1966 squad who did not sell or donate their medal. "I think there's only him and my uncle Bobby who have kept their medals," John Charlton said. "Everybody else doesn't have them anymore."
He added that his father's shirt and England cap from the tournament are also in his possession. "His shirt and his medal are in a safe place, tucked away."
The reported £200,000 tax figure is not definitive. A Daily Mirror article from 2024 indicated that HMRC valued Charlton's medal and kit at £100,000-£200,000, with a tax demand of £80,000. There are tax exemptions for items like military medals, but these do not currently extend to sporting memorabilia.
John Charlton has previously been vocal in his criticism of Inheritance Tax, calling it "scandalous." He questioned whether the government would confiscate his father's medal if he were unable to afford the tax.
Jack Charlton, elder brother of fellow England legend Bobby Charlton, was born in Northumberland in 1935. He had a distinguished 21-year playing career with Leeds United, winning the First Division and the FA Cup. He passed away at his Northumberland home, leaving his wife Pat and three children: John, Debbie, and Peter.