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 THE CRASH OF MANCHESTER UNITED AT MUNICH, 1958
Only a handful of sporting clubs can justifiably claim to have made such an impact on their sport as Manchester United has to English and world soccer, though tragedy has played its heartbreaking part in shaping the legend that is Manchester United (also known as the Red Devils).
This year is the 45th anniversary of that terrible air disaster that forever links the club with people's memory of tragedy.
Of the 23 people who perished on the snowy runway at Munich airport, 8 were players with Manchester United when the team were on their way home after their 3-3 draw with Red Star Belgrade had seen them progress on aggregate to the semi finals in the European Cup. The disaster shocked the world.
The United team that was ripped apart that day had been built by Scotsman Matt Busby, later Sir Matt, from the club's successful youth policy that appeared set to dominate the game for years to come.
The team were so young they became known as "the Babes - the Busby Babes". Sir Matt was a survivor of the crash.
The club had built itself up through a successful youth recruitment program. When they won the championship in 1955-56, the average age of the players was 22.
It was after their 5 Feburary 1958 match against Red Star in Belgrade that the fatal crash came. It came just as the team seemed invincible, winning almost every game it played.
It was in Munich. The sky was grey and it had snowed quite heavily. It appeared that the BEA Elizabethan carrying the team which had landed at Munich to refuel would be cancelled but a further takeoff (the third) was to be attempted.
Everyone re-boarded the plane and the attempt at takeoff to England started. As the plane left the runway, it went right through a fence, across a road and into a house. The wing and tail flew off, and the house burst into flames. The fuselage hit a truck with fuel and exploded.
The team and other passengers (who were predominantly journalists and club officials) were injured, many were fatal injuries and 7 players died instantly, with Duncan Edwards (mooted to have been the greatest young player of that time) dying of his injuries in the following days.
Some survived and continued playing, Bobby Charlton went on to win a World Cup Winners Medal with the England Team of 1966, Manchester United have gone on since to be the European Champions twice.
Bobby is now a Director of the club which has finished off another successful footballing year in England as Champions. Manchester United have been English Champions on 15 occasions, including 8 times in the last 11 years.
As for how the tragic crash has affected some people, as a soccer crazy non-English speaking kid I came to support Manchester United because the crash made me aware that the club existed and I have followed them ever since ... it's hard to be humble when you are Champions!.... Ed.

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