Feb 6th 1958, the day Footballing world lost one of the best young promising team who had world at their feet and destined for greatness, only for Mother nature having other ideas.
The team built by Sir Matt Busby.
Babes whom we lost in the crash
In the order: Geoff Bent; Roger Byrne; Eddie Colman; Duncan Edwards, Mark Jones; David Pegg; Tommy Taylor; Liam (Billy)Whelan
This is the famous Busby Babes - probably one of the best teams that has ever been put together certainly in England, possibly in Europe, maybe the World! But for the tragedy of the Munich air crash in '58, this team could have ruled the world. Their defensive work was legend, their attacking awesome. At the time of the air crash they were devastating Europe with their skills and at home, in the first division, making history.
One of the best games ever seen in England saw them win an amazing game at Arsenal 5-4 against an extremely strong Arsenal team. It was on 1st February 1958, it was to be their last game together on English soil. The team was the same that was to play Red Star Belgrade the following Wednesday. Gregg; Foulkes; Byrne; Colman; Jones; Edwards; Morgans; Charlton; Taylor; Viollet and Scanlon. Duncan Edwards opened the scoring after 10 minutes with a goal of such power that the Arsenal goalie was dumbstruck. Charlton, with a first time volley made it 2 - 0. Tommy Taylor made it 3 - 0 just before half time. Suddenly, in the second half, the game took on a dramatic turn round with Arsenal levelling the score in just three minutes! United recovered their shattered composure and began to reassert themselves. Dennis Viollet headed home to make it 4 - 3; Tommy Taylor then making it 5 - 3 before Arsenal pulled one back at 5 - 4. Both sets of fans rose, at the final whistle, to give both teams a standing ovation. The teams left the pitch, exhausted, arm in arm. "It was what football should always be: passionate, unpredictable, exciting and exhausting - but above all, magical" - Max Arthur.
"Broken hearts, broken dreams,
a broken plane, a broken team,
no words said, a silent vow,
we loved you then, we love you now,
the red flag will always fly,
...and Man United will never die."
R.I.P Busby Babes.
Small tribute to the babes
YouTube - The Munich air disaster - The Busby Babes (MOTD tribute)
The team built by Sir Matt Busby.
Babes whom we lost in the crash
In the order: Geoff Bent; Roger Byrne; Eddie Colman; Duncan Edwards, Mark Jones; David Pegg; Tommy Taylor; Liam (Billy)Whelan
This is the famous Busby Babes - probably one of the best teams that has ever been put together certainly in England, possibly in Europe, maybe the World! But for the tragedy of the Munich air crash in '58, this team could have ruled the world. Their defensive work was legend, their attacking awesome. At the time of the air crash they were devastating Europe with their skills and at home, in the first division, making history.
One of the best games ever seen in England saw them win an amazing game at Arsenal 5-4 against an extremely strong Arsenal team. It was on 1st February 1958, it was to be their last game together on English soil. The team was the same that was to play Red Star Belgrade the following Wednesday. Gregg; Foulkes; Byrne; Colman; Jones; Edwards; Morgans; Charlton; Taylor; Viollet and Scanlon. Duncan Edwards opened the scoring after 10 minutes with a goal of such power that the Arsenal goalie was dumbstruck. Charlton, with a first time volley made it 2 - 0. Tommy Taylor made it 3 - 0 just before half time. Suddenly, in the second half, the game took on a dramatic turn round with Arsenal levelling the score in just three minutes! United recovered their shattered composure and began to reassert themselves. Dennis Viollet headed home to make it 4 - 3; Tommy Taylor then making it 5 - 3 before Arsenal pulled one back at 5 - 4. Both sets of fans rose, at the final whistle, to give both teams a standing ovation. The teams left the pitch, exhausted, arm in arm. "It was what football should always be: passionate, unpredictable, exciting and exhausting - but above all, magical" - Max Arthur.
Lest we forget and forever in our hearts.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 runway disaster followed close,
There was slush upon that runway and the aircraft never rose.
It ploughed into the marshy ground, it broke, it overturned.
And eight of that team were killed when 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 Coleman 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 this team,
Three long months passed by before he saw his team again.
The trainer, coach and secretary and a member of the crew,
Eight great sporting journalists who with United flew,
And one of them was Big Swifty who we will ne'er forget,
The finest English 'keeper that ever graced a net.
Oh England's finest football team it's record truly great,
It's 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.
"Broken hearts, broken dreams,
a broken plane, a broken team,
no words said, a silent vow,
we loved you then, we love you now,
the red flag will always fly,
...and Man United will never die."
R.I.P Busby Babes.
Small tribute to the babes
YouTube - The Munich air disaster - The Busby Babes (MOTD tribute)
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