Munich Remembered - 6th February 1958

The story about Sir Matt being angry at Tommy Taylor because he had never visited him in the hospital (they couldn't tell him the poor fellow had died before Sir Matt was feeling better) always gets me.
Only God knows how many European and domestic titles we would have today hadn't there been this tragic event.
Proud to be a United fan even I am not from England. Especially emotional about this because all those people died after flying home after playing a game in my home country...

Btw. This is something only a true United legend could say


"It's such an important part of our history and the spirit of the club. We have spoken to the players who come into the club, who've not been here and are part of this anniversary.
It's a big day for everyone and it has always been an emotional day for everyone. Hopefully we can put the team out that shows the Man United spirit. We have six or seven of the academy graduates and hopefully they'll lead us on."

Ole
 
I remember reading about the Munich air crash when I was a kid, I was absolutely shell shocked but at the same time proud to be a Manchester United supporter. The way this club managed to come back after that disaster, it's that spirit, grit and determination that makes our club unique and special.

RIP
 
RIP. It'd have been interesting to see what all this team would have achieved had the disaster not occurred
 
Frightening how good that team was at such a young age, and i'm glad the club still honors the memory very respectfully every year. RIP to the babes, never forgotten.
 
#07 said:
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That picture always gets me and it might be a strange perspective but just look at what an athlete Duncan was. An absolute unit of a man in the prime of his life - he looks like a demigod from a superhero movie and yet we as a species are ultimately so fragile.
 
I can still remember as a kid my Dad and Uncle telling me about how good the Busby Babes were and about the exciting brand of football they watched them play.. They always had smile on their face as they told me about their favourite players Duncan Edwards and Tommy Taylor... R I P The Busby Babes... Always in our thoughts... Forever in our hearts.
 
It is so sad there is relatively little coverage of this team and that we didn't get to see how they developed. I think they would have gone on to win the European Cup and dominate English football for years.
 
Legends, Greats, fathers, brothers, husbands, sons and Babes...... What ever they were to whoever, 63 years on and we haven't forgotten them, we'll never forget them. The Flowers of Manchester....
 
We will always remember these lads. I’m convinced that we’d be the club with the 2nd most CL trophies behind Real if they’d weren’t so tragically killed in that crash. I never watched them live but I just know from everything that they were that good. About Real, let’s take a moment to thank senõr Santagio Bernabeu and the club for their help after the crash as well.

Anyway, RIP to the Flowers of Manchester and everyone else who passed away on that plane. They were the pioneers of the never say die attitude of this club. The way our club behaved after that should serve as a reminder to us all that no matter how trying times are, which they have been since Fergie’s retirement, we should never give up and keep the red flag flying high.

We loved you then, we love you now.
 
RashyForPM said:
We will always remember these lads. I’m convinced that we’d be the club with the 2nd most CL trophies behind Real if they’d weren’t so tragically killed in that crash. I never watched them live but I just know from everything that they were that good. About Real, let’s take a moment to thank senõr Santagio Bernabeu and the club for their help after the crash as well.

Anyway, RIP to the Flowers of Manchester and everyone else who passed away on that plane. They were the pioneers of the never say die attitude of this club. The way our club behaved after that should serve as a reminder to us all that no matter how trying times are, which they have been since Fergie’s retirement, we should never give up and keep the red flag flying high.

We loved you then, we love you now.
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Well said.
 
Pexbo said:
That picture always gets me and it might be a strange perspective but just look at what an athlete Duncan was. An absolute unit of a man in the prime of his life - he looks like a demigod from a superhero movie and yet we as a species are ultimately so fragile.
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He was actually only 5'8", according to his records at the club. Most people think he was a giant, but he was an inch taller than Juan Mata.
 
decorativeed said:
He was actually only 5'8", according to his records at the club. Most people think he was a giant, but he was an inch taller than Juan Mata.
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5’ 11” according to Wikipedia and built like a brick shithouse at the age of 21.

If this video is anything to go by if he was 5’ 8” he was playing against (and with) some seriously short ass players back in the 50s.

 
Niall said:
5’ 11” according to Wikipedia and built like a brick shithouse at the age of 21.

If this video is anything to go by if he was 5’ 8” he was playing against (and with) some seriously short ass players back in the 50s.

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Yeah, on average players were much smaller back then. The club's own player card lists him as 5'8". Not sure where the wiki source came from, but likely not as reliable.
 
anant said:
RIP. It'd have been interesting to see what all this team would have achieved had the disaster not occurred
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The history of the European Cup would have been very different. After Munich we played AC Milan in the semi final with a team Jimmy Murphy had cobbled together from our youth team and the signings he made and beat them at Old Trafford but lost 4 0 in the San Siro. The pre Munich United would have put Milan to the sword and beat Real Madrid, who had won the cup the three consecutive years, eclipsing their achievment and dominating the competion for years. By 1968 we would have been multipe winners, 6, 7, 8, more, who knows? There was no limit to what Manchester United could have achieved pre Munich.
 
redmanx said:
The history of the European Cup would have been very different. After Munich we played AC Milan in the semi final with a team Jimmy Murphy had cobbled together from our youth team and the signings he made and beat them at Old Trafford but lost 4 0 in the San Siro. The pre Munich United would have put Milan to the sword and beat Real Madrid, who had won the cup the three consecutive years, eclipsing their achievment and dominating the competion for years. By 1968 we would have been multipe winners, 6, 7, 8, more, who knows? There was no limit to what Manchester United could have achieved pre Munich.
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No, that's not right. They won their third in the '58 final.

Even so, I doubt we'd have won the trophy as many times as that in 10 years, as we'd have needed to also maintain domestic dominance, had to overcome some questionable rules of the time that led to unexpected losses (see 1957 FA Cup final) unexplained refereeing biases in Europe (see us v Milan in 1969, for example), and maintained a squad capable of it. Would we have signed Denis Law if Taylor and Whelan had still been with us?

Anyway, it's easy to think about the events at Munich as having a huge impact on the fortunes of the club and a lot of dreaming about what could have been, but I think that does a disservice to the actual people who were lost. There was more to all of them than goals and appearances.

United have published a new set of biographies of those who died today, and it's well worth a read: https://www.manutd.com/en/history/munich-remembered/the-men-we-lost
 
People of my age, whether United supporters or not, tend to remember where they were the first time they heard the news of the Crash.

I was 11 years old when my mother walked through our front door and told me United's plane had crashed. As an 11 year old and knowing nothing really, of life or death, I had immediately thought about how many of them would be fit for the game at the weekend.

Its a sadness/callousness of youth, that haunts me forever, on this day especially.

RIP Heroes of mine, every one of you!
 
This is a sad day, which always follows a great day of our best ever player's Birthday CR.

The Busby Babes were taken from this earth way too soon.

Way before my time, I've only heard we missed the chance to completely dominate football.

RIEP
Gone but never forgotten!!
 
Busby Babes. RIP
Hope the football tonight is a tribute to all.
 
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