Manchester United And The Forgotten Victims Of Munich

Manchester United Football Club, one of the most successful and renowned football teams in the world, is forever linked to a tragic event that took place in Munich, Germany on February 6, 1958. This devastating incident, known as the Munich air disaster, not only claimed the lives of several members of the Manchester United team but also affected the lives of numerous other individuals who are often overlooked and forgotten in the retelling of this fateful event.

The Munich Air Disaster

The Munich air disaster occurred when the plane carrying the Manchester United team, known as the "Busby Babes," crashed while attempting to take off from Munich-Riem Airport. The team was returning from a European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade. The tragedy claimed the lives of 23 passengers, including 8 players and 3 members of the club's coaching staff.

The loss of life shook the football world and left Manchester United devastated. The grief and pain felt by the families and friends of those who perished were immeasurable. However, amidst the focus on the players and coaching staff, it is often forgotten that there were other victims of the Munich air disaster whose lives were also tragically altered.

The Lost Babes: Manchester United and the Forgotten Victims of Munich

by Jeff Connor(Kindle Edition)

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1427 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	320 pages

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The Forgotten Victims

While the names of the Manchester United players who perished in the crash are forever etched in the annals of football history, little is known about the other victims and their stories. These forgotten victims include the crew members and fellow passengers who were on the ill-fated plane that day.

The crew members, who were just doing their job, never imagined that their routine flight would end in tragedy. Their families too were left devastated, with wives losing husbands, children losing fathers, and parents losing sons. Their grief was just as real and profound as that experienced by the families of the players and coaching staff.

Additionally, there were journalists who were also aboard the plane, accompanying the team on their journey. These journalists were responsible for documenting the achievements of the team and bringing the story of Manchester United to football fans around the world. Their role in promoting the club and helping build its global reputation should not be forgotten.

Remembering All the Victims

It is important to remember and honor all the victims of the Munich air disaster, not just the players who were part of the renowned Manchester United team. These individuals, whose lives were tragically cut short, should be acknowledged as integral members of the Manchester United family.

Over the years, Manchester United has made efforts to ensure that the memory of the Munich air disaster and its victims lives on. The club organizes annual memorial events and commemorations to pay homage to all those affected by the tragedy.

Remembering and acknowledging the forgotten victims helps us understand the true impact of the Munich air disaster on the Manchester United community and the wider football world. It is a reminder that tragedies in sport have far-reaching consequences that go beyond those directly involved.

The Munich air disaster remains one of the darkest moments in football history. It took the lives of not only talented young players but also crew members and journalists who were contributing to the success and legacy of Manchester United.

By recognizing and honoring the forgotten victims, we ensure that their stories are not lost to time. We learn from their tragic fate and are reminded of the fragility of life. The memory of the Munich air disaster serves as a reminder to cherish the moments we have and to appreciate the individuals who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make our sporting experiences possible.

The Lost Babes: Manchester United and the Forgotten Victims of Munich

by Jeff Connor(Kindle Edition)

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1427 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	320 pages

FREE

A moving story of how a legendary football team was lost to tragedy – and how this disaster irrevocably altered the lives of the survivors and the bereaved families, and ultimately brought shame on the biggest football club in the world.

The Manchester United team Matt Busby had built in the fifties from the club's successful youth policy seemed destined to dominate football for many years. Such was the power of the ‘Busby Babes’ that they seemed invincible. The average age of the side which won the Championship in 1955-56 was just 22, the youngest ever to achieve such a feat. A year later, when they were Champions again, nothing, it seemed, would prevent this gifted young team from reigning for the next decade.

But then came 6 February 1958, the day that eight Manchester United players died on a German airfield in the 'Munich Air Disaster' – a date to be forever etched in the annals of sporting tragedy.

Duncan Edwards, Eddie Colman, Tommy Taylor, Roger Byrne…the names were already enshrined in legend before the air crash, but Munich in many ways earned them immortality. They have never grown old.

Jeff Connor traces the rise of the greatest Manchester United side of all time, alongside a vibrant portrait of England in the 1950s, but he also paints a dark picture of a club that enriched itself on the myth of Munich while neglecting the families of the dead and the surviving players. The repercussions and the toll the disaster took on so many linger to the present day.

Drawing on extensive interviews with the Munich victims and players of that era, The Lost Babes is the definitive account of British football's golden age, a poignant story of the protracted effects of loss and a remorseless dissection of the how the richest football club in the world turned its back on its own players and their families.