60 Years On, Former 'Busby Babe' Relives Tragedy of Munich Air Crash

20 Friday, February 9, 2018 Manchester, United Kingdom ended prematurely aged just 22 when ot a day goes by when Wilf he broke his leg, the two standouts McGuinness doesn’t think of the were the halfbacks, “cheeky chappie” friendsN and teammates he lost when the Eddie Colman and Duncan Edwards, Munich air crash ripped the heart out “a giant”, to whom McGuinness played of Manchester United’s “Busby Babes”. understudy. The disaster, 60 years ago this week, “I couldn’t have licked their boots,” killed eight of the young, vibrant side says McGuinness modestly at his who had won successive league titles home in Sale near Manchester in the and left manager Matt Busby fighting northwest of England. for his life. Colman’s parents did not have a The events of February 6, 1958 are telephone and only learned of the woven into the fabric of the club, who accident through his close friend and recovered to become the first English Manchester City goalkeeper Steve Fleet team to lift the European Cup 10 years as he ran to their corner shop to tell later on a deeply emotional night at them. Edwards survived the crash but Wembley. died two weeks later in hospital. McGuinness, now 80, was not on the plane -- which crashed on the third ‘Best-ever United team’ take-off attempt in terrible weather “They would have been the best- conditions -- because he was injured. ever United team, in fact they were The ill-fated aircraft was bringing the the best ever. They would have won team back via Munich from Belgrade everything,” says McGuinness, who after they had reached the European attended all his teammates’ funerals. Cup semi-finals. Twenty-three people “But then the crash happened and died in total. eight were killed and two never played Reporters and Manchester United staff and players board the plane at Munich “You think of the ones who went, again. It was a very difficult time, even you don’t think of yourself escaping now,” he adds with tears welling in or not going on the trip,” says his eyes. says it is a shame that the Busby Babes death.” McGuinness, who was in hospital United, featuring the likes of Bobby are lost in time. McGuinness pays special homage to following a cartilage operation when Charlton and George Best, with Busby “They (the young) missed them,” Murphy for pulling the side together he heard the terrible news. still in charge, famously lifted the says McGuinness. “There wasn’t in the aftermath of the crash and “I was thinking how great they were, European Cup at Wembley in 1968. enough footage of them, they were with Busby -- who twice received the it will never ever stay out of my mind. “We did think of the players (after magnificent players.” last rites from a priest -- near death. It is the number one thing that remains the 4-1 European Cup victory over He describes a different era, far “The two of them (Busby and with me. Benfica) and said ‘this is for them removed from the wealth and glamour Murphy) were totally different. “They were extra-special and so -- it is not for us, it is for them’,” says of the modern Premier League. Matt would put his hand on young when they died... unbelievable.” McGuinness. “I couldn’t have a car, they wouldn’t your back and say ‘do this’ For McGuinness, whose own career “Really, the players who died, they let us,” says McGuinness, grinning. and Jimmy would do made United,” adds McGuinness, who “Duncan (Edwards) rode a bike to the opposite and yell was on the United coaching staff when training as he couldn’t afford a car. at you. they won the European Cup and later “The coaches, Bert Whalley (who “One was a bully 60 years on, former managed the club. also died in the crash) and Jimmy and the other a There is a clock at Old Trafford Murphy, were magic with us, they father. We had a ‘Busby Babe’ stuck at four minutes past three, the knocked us and bullied us into being wonderful staff time when the plane crashed and players. that made us feel Former Manchester United relives tragedy the club has a Munich Tunnel that “I liked being pushed around ‘United, United, player Wilf McGuinness of Munich air includes an eternal flame in memory of because it meant I learned how to do United’.” (AFP) those killed. it to the others. We trained sometimes crash, Manchester But McGuinness, who at the tender in the Old Trafford car park where we age of 31 was handed the unenviable kicked ourselves to United’s darkest task of managing United after Busby day in history stepped down, Munich crash still haunts Aftermath of the crash McGuinness .

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