Although John Charles had made the breakthrough to the first team towards the end of 1949 this was the decade in which the young Welshman really made his presence felt and he went on to become one of football's best-ever players.

Once he had established himself, the 'Gentle Giant' as he became known, was widely regarded as one of the game's greatest all-round footballers. He had made his entry into the game by playing centre-half but when he was switched to centre-forward he was equally as comfortable - and impressive - in that role.

Charles, who was born in Swansea on December 27, 1931, was 15 when he moved to Leeds as an amateur and made his first team debut two years later at the centre of defence. It was towards the end of the1950-51 season that Major Buckley decided to switch the Welshman up front.

United were playing Manchester City at Maine Road and City won 4-1. Charles didn't score but he bagged two goals in the next game - a 3-0 home win over Hull City. In three games at centre forward, Charles scored three times as United finished fifth in Division Two.

Even so, Charles was back at the heart of the defence for the following season but in the 1952-53 campaign he made more appearances up front than in defence and ended the campaign having scored 26 league goals, though United had to be content with tenth place.

But by the end of that campaign Major Buckley left and was succeeded as manager by Sunderland born Raich Carter, a former England international inside-forward. His brief was to get United into Division One and he set about building a team around Charles.

In Carter's first season in charge Charles was given the Number 9 shirt and it proved to be a masterstroke. The Gentle Giant responded by scoring a club record 42 league goals in 39 appearances, but United again completed the season in 10th position.

The following season - 1954-55 - Charles was back in defence but still managed to net 11 league goals. United had improved but still fell short of promotion, having finished in 4th place.

Next season it was mission accomplished. United finished second and went back into the top flight after nine seasons in the second tier. Charles, who had started the campaign at centre-half before switching up front, scored 29 goals in 42 league games. Harold Brook chipped in with 16 goals and Albert Nightingale scored ten.

That promotion-clinching season was also notable for the emergence of Jack Charlton. Big Jack had made one appearance in the 1954-55 season but he had 21 outings in this campaign.

United made a promising start to life back in the top flight, winning six and drawing one of their opening nine games and were lying second in the table when disaster struck the club on September 18 1956. Fire completely destroyed the main West Stand - damage being out at £100,000. Jerseys, footballs, boots, stockings and the club's records all went up in flames.

The Lord Mayor of Leeds launched a public appeal for £60,000 - the difference between the insurance payment the club were to receive and the cost of a new stand. "The prestige of the city is at stake," he commented.

Incredibly, four days later United played Aston Villa at Elland Road with the charred remains of the West Stand fenced off. A crowd of over 35,000 saw John Charles scored the only goal of the game.

Charles took Division One football in his giant stride, scoring 38 league goals in 40 outings as United finished a creditable eighth. But the big man's exploits had attracted a lot of interest from top clubs and Charles was transferred before the start of the 1957-58 campaign.

After protracted negotiations, Charles finally moved to Italian giants Juventus for a then world record fee of £65,000. During five years with Juventus, Charles won three Serie A Championships and the Italian Cup twice.

His departure from Elland Road was followed by that of Carter. United, lacking the immense contribution of Charles, had slipped to 17th place in the 1957-58 season and the following term was also one of struggle.

When Carter's contract was up for renewal in May 1958 it wasn't renewed and United turned to the club's trainer-coach, Bill Lambton, to fill the breach but it was a short-lived reign and QPR manager Jack Taylor succeeded him in 1959.

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