FROM THE ASHES OF A MUNICH DISASTER

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30146, 1 June 1963, Page 9

FROM THE ASHES OF A MUNICH DISASTER

February 6, 1958, an airliner crashed in flames a few seconds after leaving Munich airport. There were 44 passengers on board; 21 died instantly, others were seriously injured, one of whom died 15 days later. When the news of the disaster reached Britain, the whole country went into mourning, none more sincerely than the millions of followers of soccer. For among those who died were eight members of the Manchester United Football

Club, players known affectionately at the “Busby Babes,” because of their youth and because they had been moulded into one of the greatest club teams ever to play in Britain by their manager, a former Scottish international, Mr Matt Busby. The previous season. United had won the Football League championship and had been rupner-up in the F.A. Cup. It’s airlindr crashed when the team was returning from Belgrade where it had qualified for

the semi-finals of the European Cup. ‘ The players who died were legendary names in world soccer in spite of their youth: Roger Byrne, Tommy Taylor, Duncan Edwards, Eddie Colman, Bill Whelan. David Pegg, Geoff Bent and Mark Jone*. Their manager. Mr Bivby, lay dangerously ill for many days and it was some time before he could be told that his “young men” had been killed. Such had been the brilliance of Manchester United'* football, so perfect the understanding and club spirit, that the team might have dominated English soccer for another 10 years, laying the foundation of the resugence of England as the world's leading soccer power. Instead, there followed five year* of struggle, disappointment and patient rebuilding until last Saturday when Mr Busby led his new team which included two who survived the Munich crash, Bobby Charlton and Harry Gregg to receive the F.A. Cup from the Queen after Manchester United had beaten Leicester City. 3-1 in the final at Wembley.