the Munich air disaster happened, we'll never know how good that team was, when you hear Sir Bobby Charlton say Duncan Edwards would've been one of the best players in the world, it makes you wonder, also we lost a lot of young players in the tragedy. R.I.P. to the 21 players that died on that fateful day. lest we forget.
55 Years on One cold and bitter Thursday in Munich, Germany, Eight great football stalwarts conceded victory, Eight men will never play again who met destruction there, The flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester Matt Busby’s boys were flying, returning from Belgrade, This great United family, all masters of their trade, The pilot of the aircraft, the skipper Captain Thain, Three times they tried to take off and twice turned back again. The third time down the runaway disaster followed close, There was slush upon that runaway and the aircraft never rose, It ploughed into the marshy ground, it broke, it overturned. And eight of the team were killed as the blazing wreckage burned. Roger Byrne and Tommy Taylor who were capped for England’s side. And Ireland’s Billy Whelan and England’s Geoff Bent died, Mark Jones and Eddie Colman, and David Pegg also, They all lost their lives as it ploughed on through the snow. Big Duncan he went too, with an injury to his brain, And Ireland’s brave Jack Blanchflower will never play again, The great Matt Busby lay there, the father of his team Three long months passed by before he saw his team again. The trainer, coach and secretary, and a member of the crew, Also eight sporting journalists who with United flew, and one of them Big Swifty, who we will ne’er forget, the finest English ‘keeper that ever graced the net. Oh, England’s finest football team its record truly great, its proud successes mocked by a cruel turn of fate. Eight men will never play again, who met destruction there, the flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A broken plane, a broken dream, a broken heart, a broken team, no word said, a silent vow, we loved you then, we love you now.
I nearly cried by watching that video, it's emotional. R.I.P. to those that didn't survive the Munich air disaster.
An Interview with Giggs on the official website talking about the Munich air disaster - http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-F...ortance-of-players-learning-about-munich.aspx
I was a football daft kid growing up in Southampton. When I got up for school that morning, my dad was, as ever, listening to the news on the "wireless" and news of the disaster was coming through. We bought our first TV shortly after that and I watched my first Cup Final on the box - United v Bolton. Bolton became the country's least popular club by winning. Many years on and I was going to Old Trafford with my Man Utd supporting daughter when she was too young to go by herself. The February match was always significant and those fans who gathered under the memorial to sing the song was brillaint. Munich is a reminder that what we do as fans is simply watch players play a game we love. There are more significant things in life.
Today marks the anniversary of the Munich air disaster when players and management staff of Man U together with air crew and journalists died. For me it is also the anniversary of my first wife's death many years ago. Below are some comments by SAF which emphasise how those of us who were alive on that day still feel a great sadness at what happened. " Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has described how he is still affected by the Munich air crash. Ferguson was 16 (I was 14 at the time) and unconnected to the club when eight United players and 15 others died, 55 years ago today, as a result of a failed take-off on a slush-covered runway. "I've been affected since a young boy. It was a sad time," said Ferguson, 71. "For many it's probably long forgotten but for someone like me who remembers the day, you won't forget it." Ferguson believes the event is one that should not be forgotten. "When you were caught up in the aftermath of it and the publicity, and when the papers detailed what had happened, you couldn't help but feel that enormous loss for anyone football-minded," he added. "That has carried on for a long, long time and every year you have to remember that." So for all the banter that we have with other club's supporters, we should never forget that we are all members of the world wide football community and we are all touched by others hurt. Have a good day everyone. A Bristol City supporter of 64 years.
Undoubtedly a day of total devastation not just for the club but for sport as a whole. Anniverseries are always a time for reflection but also are a day to celebrate the lives of these young men. R.I.P.
