Munich Tragedy 6 February 1958, Gone But Not Forgotten

[Andi Istiabudi]

Hari yang akan selalu dikenang oleh klub maupun pendukung Manchester United..
Tidak heran United kemudian membatalkan kunjungan mereka ke Indonesia tahun 2009 karena aksi teror bom sebab mereka tentunya tidak mau ambil resiko terhadap kemungkinan hal buruk yang mungkin bisa menimpa pemainnya.

[zudomiriku]

Man United will mark 60th anniversary of Munich Air Disaster with memorial service on February 6 and minute's silence at Huddersfield game

* Man United will mark 60th anniversary of Munich Air Disaster on February 6
* A special memorial service will be held inside Old Trafford on that day
* Minute's silence will be held at 3.04pm, the exact time of the tragedy
* There will also be a silence ahead of the Huddersfield match on February 3
* 23 people, including eight United players, died as a result of the plane crash

Manchester United have announced plans to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster.

The club will hold a special memorial service inside Old Trafford on Tuesday, February 6 when a minute's silence will be observed at 3.04pm, the exact time of the tragedy which took the lives of 23 people.

Busby Babes Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor and Billy Whelan were killed and Duncan Edwards died in hospital 15 days later.


Manchester United will mark the 60th anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster with a memorial service inside Old Trafford on February 6


A minute's silence will be held ahead of United's match with Huddersfield on February 3

United coach Bert Whalley, secretary Walter Crickmer and trainer Tom Curry also lost their lives along with two crew members of the flight, journalists and other passengers.

The flight had stopped to refuel in Munich as they returned home from Belgrade where Sir Matt Busby's side had overcome Red Star to reach the semi-finals of the European Cup.

The club will also hold a minute's silence before kick-off when United face Huddersfield Town on Saturday, February 3.

Fans can pay their respects outside the ground on the same day, from 1.30pm, with the event consisting of readings and prayers, along with a rendition of the Flowers of Manchester song under the Munich plaque at Old Trafford.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5302105/Man-United-make-plans-Munich-Air-Disaster-memorial.html

[Andi Istiabudi]

UNITED ANNOUNCE MUNICH ANNIVERSARY PLANS

* Minute’s silence to be observed at game against Huddersfield
* Special ceremony to be held at Old Trafford on Tuesday 6 February

Manchester United will pay its respects to all the victims of the Munich Air Disaster with commemorations at Old Trafford to mark the 60th anniversary of the tragedy.

Players, staff and supporters will observe a minute’s silence ahead of kick-off in the Premier League game against Huddersfield Town on Saturday 3 February.

Fans will pay their respects outside the ground on the same day, from 13.30 GMT, with their annual event consisting of readings and prayers, along with a rendition of 'the Flowers of Manchester' song under the Munich plaque at the south-east corner of the Old Trafford forecourt.

Supporters attending the game will receive a commemorative pack containing a limited-edition book telling the story of the disaster, along with a complimentary copy of the matchday programme, United Review, which will include tributes to those affected by the crash.

On the anniversary of the crash (Tuesday 6 February), the club will hold a commemorative service inside Old Trafford, which supporters are welcome to attend. All season-ticket holders over the age of 65 will be invited but other supporters are welcome to attend.

Turnstiles in the lower East Stand will be open from 13.45 GMT, before the event, which will include readings and poems from 14:45 GMT, ahead of a minute’s silence at 15:04 GMT, marking the time of the fatal plane crash 60 years ago. Supporters will be advised to arrive early, as the usual matchday security checks will be in place.

www.manutd.com

[zudomiriku]

Manchester United hero Harry Gregg set for Old Trafford return to mark 60th anniversary of Munich disaster

* Harry Gregg will visit Old Trafford to mark 60th anniversary of Munich disaster
* The Man United hero, 85, is one of two living survivors of the plane crash in 1958
* He pulled team-mates Dennis Viollet and Sir Bobby Charlton from the wreckage
* Gregg also saved the lives of Czech passenger Verena Lukic and her baby, Vesna

Munich hero Harry Gregg is to return to Manchester United for the first time in almost a decade for next week's 60th anniversary of the disaster.

Gregg, 85, is one of only two living survivors of the crash. The other is current United ambassador Sir Bobby Charlton.

The former United goalkeeper lives near Coleraine in his native Northern Ireland but will make the journey for a memorial service at Old Trafford next Tuesday.


Harry Gregg, pictured in 2008, will visit Old Trafford for 60th anniversary of the Munich crash


The former goalkeeper is one of two living survivors of the disaster which happened in 1958. Brave Gregg, who is now 85, also saved the lives of a Czech passenger and her baby in Munich

The former Northern Ireland international was a hero the night the plane, bringing Sir Matt Busby's team home from a European Cup tie in Belgrade, crashed after a refuelling stop in Munich on February 6, 1958.

Gregg escaped from the wreckage but returned to drag Dennis Viollet and Charlton free.

He also saved the lives of Czech passenger Verena Lukic and her baby, Vesna.

He returned to action 13 days later, although was subsequently diagnosed with a fractured skull.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5326821/Man-Utd-hero-Harry-Gregg-mark-Munich-crash-anniversary.html

[zudomiriku]

Sir Bobby Charlton has never shaken off the sense of guilt of surviving the Munich air disaster... the Manchester United legend still pauses by pictures of his team-mates at Old Trafford

* Tuesday, February 6 will mark the 60th anniversary of the 1958 air disaster
* Sir Bobby Charlton was one of only nine Manchester United players to survive
* The United legend still lives with the guilt of having seen team-mates perish

For Sir Bobby Charlton these anniversaries come and go like leaves falling from trees as the nights grow longer.

Like the bodies of his soul mates in the brotherhood of Sir Matt Busby’s Babes lying scattered in the snows of Munich, beside the wreckage of their shattered aircraft.

To dare to paraphrase Shakespeare: Like football glorious as summer made the winter of their destruction.

Once again, Sir Bobby will be standing in memory of those in his dazzling Manchester United team who did not come all the way home from thrilling European Cup success in Belgrade.

Not that he ever forgets.


Once again, Sir Bobby will be standing in memory of his former team-mates on Tuesday

On the days he goes to Old Trafford, as a club ambassador now, he pauses beside the photograph of the young men whose lives were lost in a disaster which struck the world of football silent.

On Tuesday, 60 years on from the dark day of February 6, 1958, a service inside the ground will include a minute’s silence beginning at 3.04pm, the exact time of the crash.

Still, Sir Bobby has not fully shaken off his sense of guilt at going on to achieve so much while the dreams of so many friends and team-mates perished so tragically.

‘Why me?’ he always asks himself. ‘Why did I survive?’

The practical reason was that the lucky ones were occupying the rearward facing seats as Airspeed Ambassador Flight 609 ploughed into slush at the end of the runway at its third attempt to take off and crashed through a perimeter fence.

The emotional answer is that those who perished could not have asked for anyone better to carry the torch of their memory down the years.

Charlton, 80 now, keeps that poignant flame alive for the seven who died on impact: Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor, Billy Whelan.

And for the youngest Babe of all, whose fight for life ended in a Bavarian hospital 15 days later.

In terms of magnitude weighed by loss of talent, the deepest of those aches in his heart belongs to the most phenomenal prodigy of them all.

Duncan Edwards is described by Sir Bobby as ‘a colossus.’

At 21, Edwards had already made 177 appearances for United, winning two Football League titles, and played 18 times for England.

Charlton says: ‘Just a boy. But what a boy. Look at our team pictures when he was only 16 and he was already the giant on the end of the row.

‘When we became England’s pioneers in the European Cup he was already the complete footballer. Mighty in the air. Unbreakable in the tackle. Rampaging tirelessly across the pitch. Perfect first touch followed by raking 40-50 yard passes with either foot. Deadly in front of goal. I would look at him in awe.

‘Ask me who is the greatest footballer I ever played with. Ask me who is the greatest footballer I ever played against. Ask me who is the greatest footballer the world has ever seen.


Bill Foulkes (left) and Harry Gregg (right) survey the crash scene following the disaster

‘Same answer: Duncan Edwards. Think about that. Think that I played with Bobby Moore, George Best and Denis Law. Then remember that I played against Pele.’

So profound was his sense of loss that Charlton felt he could never play again.

Sir Matt Busby, the legendary manager and another survivor, was struggling to dissuade him from premature retirement. The members of the team patched up by Busby had no more effect when the recovering Charlton visited them in the dressing room before matches during his recovery from the head wounds and trauma suffered when his seat with him strapped in it was thrown from the plane onto the ice.

Not until he went to visit the humble but loving family home in Ashburton, Northumberland where he and his brother Jack grew into footballers did he find his reason to lace up the boots again.

When he stepped out into the gritty alleyway behind the house he saw a boy kicking a ball against a wall. The lad looked up, recognised his local hero and tapped the ball towards him. Charlton felt obliged to return the pass.

It was the first emotional step on the road back to winning the 1966 World Cup with England then helping United become the first English club to win the European Cup, 10 years to the season after he and the rest of the Babes had that destiny torn from them.

Eight never completed the return journey from Belgrade where, having beaten Red Star at Old Trafford in the first leg of the quarter-final, they drew a thriller 3-3.




Manchester United's 'Busby Babes' squad lost eight players due to the tragedy in Munich

Of the players who lived, only two are left standing. Sir Bobby and the heroic goalkeeper whose safe hands dragged Charlton and Dennis Viollet further away from the wreckage, seats and all, for fear the broken aircraft would explode. Then went back into those smouldering remains to save others.

Harry Gregg, at 85, is making Tuesday’s anniversary pilgrimage from his home in Northern Ireland.

There will be tears and tender memories for the families of the fallen – legendary football writers like the Mail’s own Eric Thompson and Henry Rose of the Express among them - and the heirs to Old Trafford dynasty.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5342765/Sir-Bobby-Charlton-remember-Man-Utd-team-mates.html

[Andi Istiabudi]

JOSE: MUNICH IS PART OF MY LIFE

Jose Mourinho has revealed how the Munich Air Disaster has always been part of his life, acknowledging that it has become even more important and poignant since he became Manchester United manager.

There will be a minute's silence before Saturday's match at home to Huddersfield Town as the club pays tribute to those that perished on that fateful day 60 years ago.

Mourinho admits it will be an emotional occasion for everyone connected to United, but he hopes the players can honour those who lost their lives in the most fitting way possible - with a victory.

"I think it should affect [the players] in a positive way," he told MUTV. "If we believe they are watching the match I think it's one more reason for a happy day and for a good performance and a manifestation of United colours. So yes, of course a minute of silence for them and for the families, but I think they would love happiness, joy, a Manchester United victory, points, goals... I think they would love that.

"Even before I became Manchester United manager it was part of my life as a sportsman. Obviously I wasn't even born but I knew everything about it and the amazing reaction Manchester United had after that and to honour the people's memory always. So as Manchester United manager it obviously becomes more important and for me and for every player tomorrow is a special day."

Mourinho added in his pre-match press conference: "It's one of the biggest tragedies but also, at the same time, it's a crucial point in Manchester United's history - the reaction, the strength, the union after that situation.

"I think tomorrow is an amazing day to show the respect, to show the passion for the club, the respect for them [the victims], the respect for their families and I think it's a day to play well. I think it's a day to bring happiness, to bring joy, for people to be together enjoying the game and at the same time showing all the respect for the people and their families."

www.manutd.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

RESPECT PAID ON 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF MUNICH

Manchester United paid tribute to those affected by the Munich Air Disaster 60 years ago during emotional scenes at Old Trafford.

The fans held their annual service by the Munich clock, singing the 'Flowers of Manchester' and taking time to remember those who lost their lives in the tragic event.

Supporters inside the ground received a complimentary copy of United Review and a special hardback book, before a surfer banner was unveiled at the Stretford End in tribute to the legendary Busby Babes.

Everybody inside the stadium, including both sets of players, then observed a poignant minute's silence ahead of kick-off against Huddersfield Town.

A special ceremony is being held at the ground on Tuesday, while commemorative events are also taking place in Munich and Belgrade, where the Under-19s are on UEFA Youth League duty against Brodarac.

www.manutd.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

MATA: MUNICH IS ALWAYS IN OUR MEMORY

Each and every Monday during the season, Manchester United star Juan Mata pens a personal blog. In his latest entry, the Spanish maestro reflects on an emotional day at Old Trafford on Saturday…

Hi everyone,

When you have a painful defeat like the one we had in midweek against Tottenham, all you want is for the next game to start as soon as possible. We needed to show the character of the team and to react in front of our fans in order to go back to the winning path. And so we did.

I think it was a complete performance, one of those days when the game is under your control, and we managed to close it in time to add the three points. I hope we can do the same against Newcastle this coming weekend. We really enjoyed ourselves on the pitch, especially during the second half, and eventually we could dedicate the victory to the victims (and their families) of that fateful day in Munich.

But the day that is absolutely shown in red on this week's calendar is on Tuesday, a day that marks the 60th anniversary of the air disaster. The victims will never be forgotten, they will always be remembered and will be a part of United's history forever. The passion, determination and courage shown by the club to carry on in those horrible moments have left an indelible mark forever.

The “Flowers of Manchester” will always be with us. By the way, the minute of silence before our game was simply spectacular… it is because of this kind of thing that this club is so special.

Hugs,

Juan

Juan Mata's full blog is available to read on his official website.

Follow Juan Mata on social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Google+

www.manutd.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

RASHFORD: WHAT MUNICH MEANS TO ME

Manchester United will pay its respects to those affected by the Munich Air Disaster on Tuesday, 60 years to the day since the tragedy.

On 6 February 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.

Ahead of this year’s significant anniversary, Marcus Rashford spoke exclusively to United Review to discuss when he first became aware of the tragedy and how the legacy of the Busby Babes lives on in players like him.

It promises to be an emotional occasion as the club marks Tuesday’s 60th anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster. When were you first told about the Busby Babes and the air crash?
It was when I was about seven or eight. There were already little things about it around [the club] at that age, but then you start to learn more about it, and when you got to 15 or 16, that was when [former Academy coach] Paul McGuinness really started to bring it to our attention. We used to watch a lot of the videos of games, especially from their FA Youth Cup runs, so we could see footage of what these players were like when they were young. It’s so close to home, it touches your heart and helps you understand it, even though you weren’t there.

Duncan Edwards and Eddie Colman were among the players who lost their lives, and at the age of 21, barely older than you are. Does that make it possible to truly understand what a tragic event it was?
It was a very sad event and nobody deserves that type of thing to happen to them. But it happened, unfortunately, and the club has been amazing in the way it has bred players ever since in that same manner, like we produced the Busby Babes.

We know United do give chances to homegrown youngsters. The newly refurbished area in the Academy building shows off images of current first-teamers Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and yourself as evidence of this...
I think it’s good for us. It’s a proud moment to know you are going to be pictured on the wall but I believe it’s more for the younger players. When they come into training here, they can see us on the wall and they know playing for the first team is possible. It’s a difficult thing to do – if you don’t have people telling you the right things, you can fall off course, so it’s just little things like that. Also, you can see coverage of the Busby Babes and older players. When you’re younger, you can come up to your parents afterwards and see these types of graphics and photos on the wall and it helps gives you the confidence that it can be done.

On days like this, do you think it’s fair to say you’re the sort of player who embodies Sir Matt Busby’s legacy because you seem to play with such freedom?
Yeah, I think you can play here with freedom but it is within a structure. It has always been like that, since when I was young. Yes, you can do what you want but it has to be in the right areas. You have always been given that freedom and responsibility to go out and express yourself on the pitch.

www.manutd.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

MUNICH 60 YEARS: OLD TRAFFORD EVENT DETAILS

Manchester United will host a special service at Old Trafford this Tuesday, 6 February, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster.

The ceremony is open to all supporters wishing to attend, as club staff and special guests, including the families of those who were on board the ill-fated flight, pay their respects to the 23 passengers who lost their lives in 1958.

The short service will commence at 2.40pm, with turnstiles at the Lower East Stand open from 1.30pm.

A minute’s silence will be held at 3.04pm, marking the time of the fatal crash in 1958, whilst the ceremony will also include readings from club directors Sir Alex Ferguson, Michael Edelson and Ed Woodward. A rendition of Flowers of Manchester will follow the silence, and there will also be a performance from the Manchester United Foundation Youth Choir as well as music from Elliot Brass.

Supporters are kindly reminded that the usual security checks will be in operation, including the complimentary bag-drop facility outside the East Stand, with large bags not permitted inside the ground.

Once the ceremony starts at 2.40pm, the turnstiles will be closed. However, anybody who arrives after that time will be able to watch a live television feed on a screen outside the stadium, on the forecourt close to the Munich clock.

A limited number of parking spaces will be available in the E2 and N3 car parks, on a first come, first serve basis with access from Sir Matt Busby Way via Wharfside Way only.

CLUB MEDIA COVERAGE

MUTV will broadcast a special live show from 2pm-4pm, covering the service at Old Trafford and featuring footage from the memorial events taking place in Belgrade and Munich. The full day of programmes dedicated to the air disaster will be free to view in the UK and Ireland on Sky channel 418.

The two-hour show will later be made available on demand on MUTV.com, again for free, enabling as many fans as possible around the world to see what happened during the service.

Fans can also follow some of the activity on this poignant day with the club's official Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts and ManUtd.com's rolling live blog from 11am.

www.manutd.com