The Busby Babes - Men of Magic!

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.

Utd at Arsenal 1st February 1958. Duncan Edwards holding arms out, Harry Gregg on the floor.

The stories revolving around this team were no less extraordinary. Compared with modern players, who turn up for games in their expensive cars, in luxurious coaches, the Babes would get the bus, alongside their fans, turning up at Old Trafford with boots in brown paper bags or rushing to the ground from the coal mines where they worked (Bill Foulkes!). Some were seen having a cigarette walking to the ground! They would walk into Old Trafford, signing autographs for the fans as they came in, super heroes who were ordinary lads nonetheless. I hope you enjoy your visit to this little piece of history. Most of the information gathered for this page comes from my own book "The Busby Babes - Men of Magic" by Max Arthur. Published by Mainstream Publishing, 7 Albany Street, Edinburgh EH1 3UG and is personally signed by Max himself. The Manchester Evening News are responsible for some of the images contained within the book.

The players and staff boarding the Elizabethan to set off for Belgrade. Matt Busby talks to the players before the Red Star game

The last line up, the Babes prior to the Red Star Belgrade Match
From left to right: Edwards, Colman, Jones, Morgans, Charlton, Viollet, Taylor, Foulkes, Gregg, Scanlon, Byrne.
The game finished 3-3. United winning 5-4 on aggregate and going through to the Semi Final against AC Milan.

Dennis Viollet had opened the scoring after only 90 seconds. The dodgy referee disallowed a Charlton goal 14 minutes later. Then 40 yards out Charlton robbed Kostic of the ball ran 10 yards and lashed an unstoppable shot into the net. Charlton then received the ball from Edwards, surrounded by Belgrade defenders, but found the only gap and hammered the ball in for a 3-0 lead. 2 minutes after half time Red Star scored and then the referee, an Austrian, gave a penalty when Foulkes was pulled over by Tasic, for Red Star! This they converted to make it 3-2. The fans were trying to put United off their stride by pelting them with snowballs. Then Red Star got a free kick 20 yards out. Kosic picked the precise spot and levelled the score at 3-3 in spite of Gregg getting his fingertips to the ball. United's 2-1 win in the Old Trafford leg was enough and we had reached the Semi Finals of the European Cup. The referee, Kainer, was that bad, one reporter remarked that if a ball boy had slipped over, he would have given Red Star a free kick!

The crash scene, sifting through the debris. Sir Matt lies near death. A cortege leave Old Trafford.

The crash and the following days are well documented on the following url: http://www.redcafe.net/club/history/munich5.php3 and is well worth a visit - however, this is about the Babes in all their glory.

Top: Geoff Bent; Roger Byrne; Eddie Colman; Duncan Edwards
Bottom: Mark Jones; David Pegg; Tommy Taylor; Liam (Billy)Whelan

The following personnel also died in the crash or in hospital afterwards: Walter Crickmer MUFC Secretary; Tom Curry Trainer; Bert Whalley Team Coach, Alf Clarke, Don Davies, George Follows, Tom Jackson, Archie Ledbrooke, Henry Rose, Frank Swift, Eric Thompson - journalists. Co pilot Capt Rayment and steward WT Cable. BP Miklos Yugoslav Travel Agent, Willie Satinoff - Supporter.

The following personel survived: Matt Busby, Johnnie Berry, Jackie Blanchflower, Bobby Charlton, Billy Foulkes, Harry Gregg, Kenny Morgans, Albert Scanlon, Dennis Violett, Ray Wood - Manchester United. Ted Ellyard, Peter Howard and Frank Taylor - journalists. Mrs Vera Lukic and child, Mrs BP Miklos, Mrs N Tomasavic - passengers. Captain Thain, W Rodgers, Margaret Bellis, Rosemary Cheverton - crew.

1. Harry Gregg. Born: Magherafelt 27 October 1933. Debut: v Leicester City 21 December 1957.

2. Bill Foulkes. Defender. Born: St Helens 1 January 1932. Debut: v Liverpool 13 December 1952.

3. Dennis Viollet. Born: Manchester 20 September 1933. Debut: v Newcastle 11 April 1953.

4. Johnny Berry. Born: Aldershot 1 June 1926. Debut: v Bolton Wanderers 1 September 1951.

5. Albert Scanlon. Born: Manchester 10 October 1935. Debut: v Arsenal 20 November 1954.

6. Ray Wood. Born: Hebburn 11 June 1931. Debut: v Newcastle 3 December 1949. Died 9 July 2002 Aged 71.

7. Jackie Blanchflower. Born: Belfast 7 March 1933. Debut: v Liverpool 24 November 1951.

8. Kenny Morgans. Born: Swansea 16 March 1939. Debut: v Leicester City 21 December 1957.

9. Bobby Charlton. Born: Ashington 11 October 1937. Debut: v Charlton Athletic 6 October 1956.

10. Roger Byrne. Born: Manchester 8 September 1929. Debut: v Liverpool 24 November 1951.

11. Geoff Bent. Born: Salford 27 September 1932. Debut: v Burnley 11 December 1954.

12. Tommy Taylor. Born: Barnsley 29 January 1932. Debut: v Preston North End 7 March 1953.

13. Liam Whelan. Born: Dublin 1 April 1935. Debut: v Preston North End 20 March 1955.

14. Eddie Colman. Born: Salford 1 November 1936. Debut: v Bolton Wanderers 12 November 1955.

15. David Pegg. Born: Adwick le Street 20 September 1935. Debut: v Middlesbrough 6 December 1952.

16. Mark Jones. Born: Wombwell 15 June 1933. Debut: v Sheffield Wednesday 7 October 1950.

The Flowers of Manchester

(Sent anonymously to the Manchester Evening News after the tragedy)

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 he tried to take off and twice turned back again.

The third time down the runway, disaster followed close,

There was slush upon the runway and the aircraft never rose.

It ploughed into the marshy ground, it broke, it overturned.

And eight of the team were killed as the broken 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 frame,

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,

And Eight great sporting journalists who with United flew,

And one of them was Big Swifty who we shall 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 mock-ed by a cruel twist of fate.

Eight men will never play again who met destruction there,

the Flowers of English Football, the Flowers of Manchester.

Forever:- Far more than 1 line

Forever and ever, We’ll follow the boys, of Man United, The Busby babes.

For we made a promise. To defend our faith, in Man United, The Busby Babes.

We’ve all sworn allegiance, to fight till we die, to stand by United and the Red flag we fly.

There’ll be no surrender, we’ll fight to the last, defeat all before us, as we did in the past.

For we’re Stretford Enders, with United we grew, to the famous Red Devils, We’re loyal and true.

To part-time supporters, we’ll never descend, we’ll never forsake you, we’ll be here in the end.

For we all remember that ‘58 day, and the plane that once stood on the Munich runway.

As it tried to take off, for the third fatal time, the immortal young Babes were cut down in their prime.

In the cold snow of Munich, they laid down their lives, but they live on forever, in our hearts and our minds.

Their names are now legend, for the whole world to see, why this clubs a religion, Spelt M.U.F.C.

So bow down before them and lift up your eyes, For Old Trafford’s glory, we will always survive...