John Hewie: Footballer who played in nine positions for Charlton and reached the 1958 World Cup finals with Scotland

'Long John' remained a celebrated figure at Charlton - he was the most-capped player until his record was passed by John Robinson at the turn of the century

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John Hewie was a total footballer long before the term was coined. The tall, resilient South African-born Scotland international served Charlton Athletic in nine different positions, including goalkeeper, in a 17-year career at The Valley and acquitted himself ably in arguably his most effective role, as a full-back, during the 1958 World Cup finals.

Raised by Scottish parents, Hewie spent the first 21 years of his life in the nation of his birth, forging a formidable reputation with the Pretoria club Arcadia Shepherds, then in October 1949 he joined the ongoing influx of South African talent to Charlton, which would soon include the star attackers Eddie Firmani and Stuart Leary.

A magnificent athlete and a conscientious worker eager to learn from the shrewd, long-serving Addicks manager Jimmy Seed, Hewie flourished in South-east London, claiming a regular first-team place in 1951-52, helping an entertaining side to finish in the top half of the First Division. For the next five seasons he was one of the most reliable performers in the top flight, excelling at full-back and wing-half and putting in useful stints in the forward line.

Charlton’s best season during this sequence was 1952-53, when they came fifth in the title race, only five points behind champions Arsenal, but they fell away in mid-decade, culminating in relegation in 1956-57. By then, “Long John” was in his prime, powerfully combative both in the air and on the ground, crisp and clean in his work on the ball, and with a long, loping stride which enabled him to eat up the yards with deceptive pace.

Those attributes had been enough to impress the England coach Walter Winterbottom, who picked Hewie for several FA representative games before Scotland became alert to his parentage, though as he recounted with a chuckle in later years, when he made his Scottish debut in a “B” team game at Edinburgh in 1953, it was the first time he had set foot in the country.

Three years on he made his full international entrance at left-back in a 1-1 draw with England at Hampden Park, retaining the No 3 shirt for 10 consecutive matches, extending his collection of caps to 19 by the time he lost the job to Rangers’ Eric Caldow in 1960. Hewie’s highlights in dark blue included a penalty converted against Spain at Hampden in May 1957, but he was less precise from the spot during a World Cup clash with France at Orebro, Sweden, in the summer of 1958.

With Raymond Kopa and company a goal to the good, the big defender crashed his shot against a post with such force that it rebounded over his head to land in midfield. It proved a costly miss as the Scots lost 2-1 and were eliminated, and it embarrassed his wife, Rachel, watching on a new television at home with the neighbours.

Back at The Valley, Hewie continued in stalwart vein, notably during a four-match stint in the spring of 1962 when he played in goal, filling in for Willie Duff and Frank Reed, who were both injured. Thanks to his natural athleticism he took to the unfamiliar task with ease, conceding only five times as Charlton remained unbeaten with two wins and two draws.

Apart from a fleeting spell back in South Africa during 1960, Hewie remained an Addick until 1966, when he departed at the age of 38, having played 530 times and contributed 38 goals for his only English League club.

A brief return to Pretoria was followed by a short stint as player-manager of Bexley United, then he served Arcadia Shepherds in a similar role until 1971, and came back to England in the 1990s. “Long John” remained a celebrated figure at Charlton, for whom he was the most-capped player until his record was passed by the Welshman John Robinson at the turn of the century.

John Davidson Hewie, footballer: born Pretoria 13 December 1927; played for Arcadia Shepherds 1947-49 and 1960 on loan, Charlton Athletic 1949-66, Arcadia United 1966-67; capped 19 times by Scotland 1956-60; died Lincolnshire 11 April 2015.