Tribute to the Busby Babes

"Trafford Park, which is just behind us here, is the biggest industrial estate in the city and they work hard, and they work long. On a Saturday, it is up to you to provide a little entertainment for them"

---- Sir Matt Busby

As one of the teeming million fans of the Red Devils, i feel proud to take out time and devote a post in tribute to the greatest team that ever walked the planet 50 years ago.

The darkest day: Feb 6th 1958
February 6th will forever be circled on the calendars of everyone connected with Manchester United. On that day in 1958, the darkest day in United's history, 23 people - including eight players and three members of the club's staff - suffered fatal injuries in the Munich air crash.

Flying back from a European Cup tie against Red Star Belgrade, the team plane stopped in Germany to refuel. The first two attempts to take off from Munich airport were aborted; following a third attempt, the plane crashed.Twenty-two of the people on board died instantly, while Duncan Edwards - one of the eight victims from the team - died 15 days later as a result of the injuries he sustained.

The tragedy is an indelible part of United's history, as is Sir Matt Busby overcoming his injuries to build another great team which won the European Cup 10 years later.
Roger Byrne (28), Eddie Colman (21), Mark Jones (24), David Pegg (22), Tommy Taylor (26), Geoff Bent (25), Liam Whelan (22) and Duncan Edwards (21) all died, along with club secretary Walter Crickmer, trainer Tom Curry and coach Bert Whalley.

Eight journalists died - Alf Clarke, Tom Jackson, Don Davies, George Fellows, Archie Ledbrook, Eric Thompson, Henry Rose, and Frank Swift who was a former Manchester City player. Plane captain Ken Rayment perished, as did Sir Matt's friend Willie Sanitof. Travel agent Bela Miklos and passenger Tom Cable also died.

The Busby Babes as the young team (with an average age of 22) was called, was a highly talented bunch of youngsters that had come through the United junior ranks, coached by the legendary Sir Matt Busby. The team that went on to re-shape United's history over the next few years, rising like a phoenix from the ashes of Old Trafford (bombed by the Nazis), winning 5 consecutive FA Youth Cups.

If not for the tragedy, the juggernauts would have been unstoppable. There was no team unparalleled. And yet, it was the resolve of the 5 survivors led by Sir Busby, to mould a new team, that would go on to win the European Cup within just 10 years.

As Sir Alex Ferguson remarked in the memorium service, he has been at the helm of the club for 21 years now, and has won just the one Champions League. For that United team to win it in such a short span overcoming traversities, is something the entire footballing nation would be proud of. Sir Matt Busby could have retired then, and people would have understood. But even lying severely injured, he felt it his responsibility to all around him to continue and revamp the team.

Yesterday's solidarity shown by all soccer teams, even arch-rivals Manchester City, to pray for the departed and remember their constributions symbolizes the resolute spirit of the Red Devils.

The current United team for their part will come out this weekend against City in a derby match, wearing a one-off 1950's styled uniform, without sponsorship logos, and numbered 1 through 11.

A tribute to those true champions of soccer. Remembered but never forgotten. It makes me Proud to be a United.

Source: The ManUnited official website (http://www.manutd.com/)