Feb 06
06.02.1958 3:04 PM
One cold and bitter Thursday in Munich, Germany,
Seven great football stalwarts conceded victory,
Seven 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 and the skipper Captain Thain,
Three times they tried to take her up and twice turned back again.
The third time down the runaway disaster followed close,
There was ice upon the wings and the aircraft never rose,
It ran upon the marshy ground, it broke, it overturned.
And seven of the team were killed when the battered aircraft 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,
Before the blazing wreckage went ploughing through the snow.
The trainer, coach and secretary, and a member of the crew,
Also eight sporting journalists who with United flew,
and one of them was Big Swifty, we never will forget,
the greatest English ‘keeper who ever graced a net.
They said that Duncan Edwards had an injury to his brain,
They said that Jackie Blanchflower would never play again,
Matt Busby he was lying there, the father of the team
Six months or more did pass before he saw another game
Oh, England’s finest football team its record truly great,
its proud successes mocked by a cruel turn of fate.
Seven men will never play again, who met destruction there,
the flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester
The official Manchester United site has an outstanding tribute lined up for everyone throughout the day. I think they have done a great job at the end of it all — AIG or no AIG — and everyone involved must be lauded for the efforts. I am sure I cannot write a post to do justice to the tragedy as it is not easy for me to write about something that happened many years before I was even born and expect to appropriately give it’s due. It’s not just United’s loss but that of English football as a whole and it is a shame that not many so-called English fans get that. Anyway, today is not a day to complain, therefore I would advise everyone to head over to Manutd.com and read the huge material on offer as well as documentaries available online for the whole day.
Here’s hoping that some idiots don’t spoil the one minute silence that is to be observed when England take on Switzerland today.
Amen.
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Tags: Munich
February 6th, 2008 at 10:18
Thinking of you guys today. All the best from a Barça fan.
February 6th, 2008 at 13:06
RIP Busby Babes. We will never forget you!
February 6th, 2008 at 13:18
I think it is fitting for all people reading this to have five minutes of silence between 15:00pm and 15:05pm. I know I will be thinking about the sadness and history that moment brouhgt. I mean, it REALLY is a big moment in the world of football and there is not many better ways to show yor respect than having five minutes to remember them. Even if you are at work, home with your family or to school you should have time to remember the Busby Babes in 5 minutes.
February 6th, 2008 at 13:25
Lest We Forget.
February 6th, 2008 at 14:29
i dunno whether ppl actually already knows this but..here it is united’s extra january signing apart from the brazilian fullback twins and manucho
February 6th, 2008 at 14:33
Good Point RR- ” I am sure I cannot write a post to do justice to the tragedy as it is not easy for me to write about something that happened many years before I was even born and expect to appropriately give it’s due. It’s not just United’s loss but that of English football as a whole and it is a shame that not many so-called English fans get that.”
As RedDevil Said, u mates who r not english should please give 5mins btwn 15.00pm-15-05pm (GMT ) to commemorte with the time of crash 50yrs ago. As i am sure evry brit who has united blood running thru him would be at the memorial service.
February 6th, 2008 at 14:53
20.30 to 20.35 Indian Std Time
February 6th, 2008 at 15:13
thnks utsav
February 6th, 2008 at 16:02
RIP
February 6th, 2008 at 19:57
RR i have no doubts that the minutes silence will be observed in the match tonight.Us English aren’t all that bad (most of us anyway!)
RIP BUSBY BABES my heart is with you on this day.
February 6th, 2008 at 19:58
If i could have 1 wish for this year it would be to go to the derby game on the weekend
February 6th, 2008 at 21:08
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of every one of them.
Lest we Forget.
February 7th, 2008 at 0:22
from a purely football point of view, this tragedy changed the course of european football history. If the opinion of many football experts was true, this team was about to seriously challenge and maybe even overthrow the rule of the great Real Madrid.
But its not just purely a football story, many mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and friends lost not just people connected with football but precious loved ones. Tragic
wouldnt it be fitting to win the champions leaugue this year in thier memory.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:03
It really was a bad day from what my Dad remembers, he never followed football but remembers the incident like it was yesterday. And it touched the whole world, we live in Australia..
We have a really special club…
February 7th, 2008 at 15:43
RR: Appreciate the fact that you too removed all ads…
February 7th, 2008 at 17:47
it was a sad day yesterday, a win against city would put a smile back to my face. how many of you were at the service yesterday?
February 8th, 2008 at 23:01
RIP Busby Babes. We will never forget you!