Munich.50 years on.

[Leekbrookgull]

Bit before may time. However sad loss.

 

[Frutos]

Indeed.

Way before my time too, but I've seen it written a lot that having Duncan Edwards in the England team might just have gotten us more than one World Cup, or at least greatly improved our chances. Apparently if he'd played in the 58 Cup, we would have had a real chance of pushing the Brazilians at least.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

Bit before may time. However sad loss.

Bit before March I think , but seriously, a very sad loss.

 

[Yorkie]

I was 9 and it was a shock to read about it and see it on the news.

We did the Old Trafford tour with a group of students 6 years ago and went round the museum. It was sad to see the photos, and some of the belongings of those who died.

 

[Robot Chicken]

Quotes about Duncan Edwards

• "He was incomparable, I feel terrible trying to explain to people just how good he was, his death was the biggest single tragedy ever to happen to Manchester United and English football. I always felt I could compare well with any player - except Duncan. He was such a talent, I always felt inferior to him. He didn't have a fault with his game." - Bobby Charlton

• "You can keep all your Bests, Peles and Maradonas, Duncan Edwards was the greatest of them all" - Tommy Docherty

• "When I used to hear Muhammad Ali proclaim to the world he was the greatest, I used to smile. You see, the greatest of them all was an English footballer named Duncan Edwards." - Jimmy Murphy

 

[clippedgull]

Was a couple of interesting programmes on BBC 4 last night.

Particulary interesting was a programme studying the 1957 cup final Man U v Aston Villa and the 2007 cup final Man v Chelsea to compare the game then and today. (A game of two eras)

The final was marred by a collision after only 6 minutes between Villa forward Peter McParland and United goalkeeper Ray Wood, which left Wood unconscious with a broken cheekbone. Wood left the pitch and Jackie Blanchflower took over in goal for United. Wood eventually rejoined the game in an an outfield position as a virtual passenger before returning to goal for the last 7 minutes of the game.

made of tougher stuff back then and the footballs were heavier!

 

[Jimbo26]

Watching Bobby Charlton talk about it makes you really feel his grief for those young lads who died. I think I once read somewhere he felt guilty for surviving. Such a tragedy.

 

[MOG]

made of tougher stuff back then and the footballs were heavier!

They certainly seemed to be tougher.

One of Bert Trautmann's greatest matches was the legendary 1956 FA Cup Final between Manchester City and Birmingham City at Wembley Stadium. In the 75th minute Man City led 3:1 and Trautmann, diving at an incoming ball, was knocked out in a collision with Birmingham's Peter Murphy when he was hit in the neck. For the remaining 15 minutes he defended his net, because at the time there were no substitutions possible. Manchester City held on for the victory, and the hero of the final was Bert Trautmann, due to his spectacular saves in the last minutes of the match. Three days later, an x-ray revealed he had a broken vertebra in his neck.

 

[Yorkie]

There were no such things as substitutes then, so players had to play on or leave the team a man short.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Sir Bobby was on the local news only the other day,re-Munich and the tragic loss. Went on to say he has to fly everywhere,but memory of that day never fades.

 

[Robot Chicken]

If Munich hadn't happened would Manchester United still be the biggest club in the world? Or (allegedly) the best loved club?

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

If Munich hadn't happened would Manchester United still be the biggest club in the world? Or (allegedly) the best loved club?

Why wouldn't they? Are you trying to say that they've capitalised on their grief? It certainly doesn't seem that way to me

 

[Robot Chicken]

Why wouldn't they? Are you trying to say that they've capitalised on their grief? It certainly doesn't seem that way to me

Maybe not on purpose in a deliberate calculated way but if you look at the teams at the top of the league in 1957:
Wolves, Preston, Spurs, West Brom, Man City, Burnley, Blackpool, Luton, Man U then compare where some of those clubs are now it might be a point to consider that if the evolution of the club had continued without the Munich disaster then maybe Man U's history might look very different today. Just a theory.

 

[andybaha]

I watched those programs last night. Usually a load of old shite on BBC4 but this was two hours of brilliant television. The two programs about Munich were incredibly touching and very sad.

The program comparing the 1957 FA Cup Final with the 2007 one was unbelievable. The Man U goalie got concussed and broke his jaw in the sixth minute. No worries about spinal injuries, they gave him a cold sponge and slapped him about a bit. When he wouldn't come round they lifted him up so they could get his shirt off him. No subs so Man U played with 10 men. Until just before half time when the goalie groggily appeared and played on the wing until half time. Virtually on the point of collapse he didn't come out for the second half. Then with about 20 minutes left he came on again on the wing. Man u were 2-0 down but scored with about 5 minutes left so he went back in goal so they could search for an equaliser which never came. The general opinion was that todays players are fitter,faster and more skillful. So why are so many games at the highest level as exciting as watching paint dry.

If these programs get another showing (which they normally do on BBC4) make sure you don't miss them.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Maybe not on purpose in a deliberate calculated way but if you look at the teams at the top of the league in 1957:
Wolves, Preston, Spurs, West Brom, Man City, Burnley, Blackpool, Luton, Man U then compare where some of those clubs are now it might be a point to consider that if the evolution of the club had continued without the Munich disaster then maybe Man U's history might look very different today. Just a theory.

An interesting one, but wouldn't it also be fair to say that many people think of the Busby babes team as one that would have been the best in the world anyway? I just find it difficult that they actually got better as a result of losing most of their first team.

 

[Robot Chicken]

Ahh here is an article that explains things:

Munich disaster changed Manchester United forever

MANCHESTER (Reuters) - Manchester United stopped being just another football club on the afternoon of February 6 1958 when the plane carrying them home from Belgrade crashed after a refuelling stop at Munich.

A transformation took place in the national consciousness as a stunned public learnt by wireless and news flashes on small grainy television sets of the tragedy that had wiped out the cream of a generation, the Busby Babes.

People who had no interest in soccer began following the fortunes of United, neutrals willed them to win. The players who survived the crash, such as Bobby Charlton, won a special place in people's hearts and United itself became an icon of hope born of tragedy.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Can't agree on the Bobby Charlton bit,would think most remember his passing and fine shooting ability,inline with '66' and '68' I then think folk reflect on Munich ?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Let's hope the forthcoming silences at Wembley and Old Trafford aren't hijacked by moronic individuals with a grudge against United (City? Leeds? Liverpool?).

Watching events over the past few weeks, I find it cringe-worthy that Man City have tried to persuade United to hold a minute's applause instead of silence. A case of misguidedly trying to protect their club's reputation, perhaps?

If the silence is spoilt by the efforts of a minority of morons, then it reflects only on those individuals and their club: United and the relatives of the deceased are perfectly entitled to claim the moral high ground on that one. I fail to see why United or the FA should let the idiots win, as they would if they bowed to the pressure for applause.

It was a national tragedy, not just a Manchester one: any incident like that where many people die is a tragedy, the fact that many were United players is irrelevant. The whole thing was way before my time, but I know enough to realise the families deserve a bit of respect.

 

[Eggmundo]

It was 50 years ago, a plane crashed killing a load of Footballers. Man Utd in their wisdom have chosen a game against their rivals to instigate a minutes silence in memory. Why didn't they go the whole hog and choose to play Leeds in a friendly or something?

 

[Storer68]

It was 50 years ago, a plane crashed killing a load of Footballers. Man Utd in their wisdom have chosen a game against their rivals to instigate a minutes silence in memory. Why didn't they go the whole hog and choose to play Leeds in a friendly or something?

Will you go back ad look at your history before making stupid statements like that.

The crash was on 6 Feb

Man Utd's nearest fixtre after the date is the Manchester City game next Sunday


Man Utd and Man Ciyt had a close relationship after the war and into the 1950s as they shared the same ground (Maine Road) after Old Trafford had suffered bomnb damage