Manchester United's Munich disaster

On February 6, 1958, a plane with players, employees of Manchester United soccer club, journalists and other passengers on board was involved in a plane crash. It’s been 60 years since the tragic event, but to this day fans of the club and soccer fans remember the Munich air crash.

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The era of Sir Matt Busby

In 1945, Sir Matt Busby was appointed as the new head coach of Manchester United soccer club. Even then, the team was already quite old, so everyone expected the new coach to start buying new famous players. However, Matt Busby chose a different path. By the 50th year Busby began to slowly renew the squad and let the young pupils of the club on the field.

It was a young and strong team, which every year became better and better. Many players played for the youth national team of England, and some managed to debut in the main team. Because of the fact that there were a lot of young people in the squad, the media, and then the fans, dubbed the players “Busby Babes” (“Busby Babes”). Despite the young age of the players, the team Matt Busby was able to win the championship of England in the seasons 1955-56 and 1956-57.

“Busby’s Babies” was one of the most memorable and hopeful teams. The club started the 1957/58 season strong, both in the domestic championship and in European tournaments. The team played in the European Champions Cup (Champions League) and reached the quarterfinals, where they had to play against Red Star Belgrade. In the first home match, the Red Devils won 2-1. The return match took place on February 5 and ended in a draw. However, on the sum of the two meetings, Manchester United was able to reach the semifinals of the tournament. As it turned out, this game and victory was the last for many “Busby’s little ones”.

February 6, 1958. Airport “Munich-Rome”, flight 609

As you know, top players of clubs always have a very tight and busy schedule. Especially when they participate in domestic and international tournaments at the same time. Such was the case with Manchester United in 1958. After the game in the European Cup with Crvena Zvezda, the players had to urgently return to Manchester to catch the game in the championship of England. The day after the game, a plane carrying the players and club staff, as well as other passengers, left Belgrade, but later landed for refueling at Munich Airport.

Sir Bobby Charlton: “I thought: why me? Why am I here and nothing happened to me and my friends died? I felt it wasn’t fair. Of course, it took me a long time to feel better after the airplane crash.”

After refueling, the plane was ready to fly, but the first attempt to take off was unsuccessful. The takeoff was canceled twice before passengers left the plane. Because of the weather conditions, many thought the flight would already be canceled. But despite the weather conditions and previous failed attempts, the plane made a third attempt to take off. As a result, the airliner failed to gain the necessary altitude and speed for takeoff, causing the pilots to lose control. The plane reached the end of the runway and crashed into an apartment building.

There were 44 people on board the airliner and the crash killed 23. Among them were eight players from the club and three members of the coaching staff; Duncan Edwards (21), Eddie Coleman (21), David Pegg (22), Liam Whelan (22), Mark Jones (24), Geoff Bent (25), Tommy Taylor (26), Roger Byrne (28). Club secretary Walter Crickmer, coach Tom Curry ja Bert Whalley. In addition to the players, eight journalists – Alf Clarke, Tom Jackson, Donny Davies, George Follows, Archie Ledbrook, Eric Thompson, Henry Rose and Frank Swift– did not survive the crash. Also co-pilot Kenneth Reiment and crew member Tom Cable, Matt Busby’s friend Willie Satinoff and travel agent Bela Miklos.

Aftermath of the airplane crash

After the crash, Matt Busby’s team was left with virtually no main roster. The head coach suffered numerous injuries and even thought he would no longer coach. While Sir Matt Busby was recovering, the duties of the head coach were performed by his assistant James “Jimmy” Murphy. He assembled a team of players from the reserve squad and managed to get with it to the final of the FA Cup.

Sir Matt Busby and his assistant James Murphy were able to do the incredible thing of reviving the club after the tragedy. They had to build a new team from players who luckily managed to survive the plane crash – Bobby Charlton, Harry Gregg, Bill Fulks. Busby also bought several well-known players, and continued to release young players on the field. Including during this period, club legends George Best ja Denis Law began to play.

It was Charlton, Best and Lowe later brought “Manchester United” many awards. A monument to the great “trio of United” stands near the Old Trafford stadium. The legendary Bobby Charlton finished his career as the last of the “Busby Boys”. But even now, the club legend continues to attend matches of the Red Devils.

Despite all the difficulties experienced by the team, “Manchester United” was able to win the Championship of England in the season-1964/65. And on May 29, 1968, 10 years after the Munich plane crash, Sir Matt Busby and his team still managed to win the European Cup.

Remembrance. “The Flowers of British football, The Flowers of Manchester”.

In memory of the victims of the plane crash, one of the tunnels at Old Trafford was renamed the “Munich Tunnel”. There is a plaque and a memorial clock in the grounds of the stadium. The hand on them indicates the time and date of the plane crash. Every year on February 6, Manchester United fans around the world remember one of the most tragic days in the club’s history. Millions of people from all over the world post posts in memory of the victims of the plane crash, and those who can, leave flowers near the memorial plaque.

The club is certainly not forgetting one of the saddest events in Manchester United’s history. The Old Trafford stadium hosts an annual event to commemorate the February tragedy. This year, the club is also going to honor those who died in the plane crash.

On February 3, before the start of the match of the Red Devils with Huddersfield Town, a minute of silence was held in memory of the victims. On that day, each fan received a special book and program, which were dedicated to the tragedy. Under the memorial clock installed at Old Trafford the annual memorial ceremony was held, which ended with the song “The Flowers of Manchester” (“The Flowers of Manchester”), it was written in memory of the victims of the plane crash.

On February 6, the day of the tragedy, a ceremony will be held inside the stadium, to which some of the club’s fans will be invited.