Anniversary of the air disaster

[The_Maverick]

Today is the anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster. I know people have a variety of views on how this has been commemorated over the decades but I think it’s important that as City fans we try to understand how Manchester felt in 1958. So, here’s a 8000+word article I’ve written on it, looking at various angles and quoting several Blues too. Give it a read if you want to understand what Manchester felt back then. Thanks.

Please read to understand and remember all those killed and affected by it:

The Munich Air Disaster: A Long Read

6th February is of course the anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster. Back in 2008 I researched and wrote the following 8000+ word piece on the Munich Air Disaster. It spells out the story of the d…

gjfootballarchive.com

What a fantastic read, never knew that Bert had offered his services as translator/contacts. Class move.

Over here there is a TV series called Mayday, used to be called Air Crash Investigation in the UK. They did and episode about Munich which is well worth a watch.

 

[Gray]

The 50th anniversary day when Richard Dunne and the lads walked out in silence for the laying of the wreath and City fans, who the media were convinced would 'spoil' the moment, behaved perfectly was one of the proudest times for me of being a City fan. The way our fans were that day was impeccable.

Our fans showed just what sort of people they were that day, never got the credit they deserved because the press were all geared up to castigate them.

 

[Eccles Blue]

Our fans showed just what sort of people they were that day, never got the credit they deserved because the press were all geared up to castigate them.

Too true @Gray. I guess the people who really mattered our loyal fans, once a Blue, always a Blue, knew and held their heads high.
Using a phrase I am not very fond of but is apt here: At the end of the day the only ones who matter are the ones who know they did the right thing and the folk who support them. :-)

 

[INDEEDY DEEDY]

I was 8 years old at the time of the crash and lived in Woodhouse Park. The funeral procession from the airport into Manchester passed the avenue where we lived. I remember all the the pavements were jam packed with both City and United fans. I remember it very clearly. A very sad and emotional moment.

 

[KS55]

I wrote this after the 50th Anniversary when the press were expecting our fans to be disrespectful!! The only one disrespectful that day (to my mind) was their manager who chewed gum when they were laying the wreaths!! Disgraceful.

They travelled to Europe

The promised land

The match a warm up

They managed to withstand


Snow falling

Engines revving

Runway icing

Hearts pounding


Three times he tried

But then he failed

Twenty three lives lost

A nation paled


Back home in shock

Grown men wept

Factories closed

No one slept.


Fifty years have passed

Do the memories cast

A pall over the Derby?

Will the silence last?


A match already won

So the pundits declare

But they all forget

There are two teams there


We love the underdog

A cliché unravelled

On this Sunday afternoon

Aren’t they glad they travelled?


NOW City Fans celebrate

Hadn’t risen to the bait

One of their own died

That February in 58.


Written by me in 2008 and found again in 2020!!

There were some other people disrespecting that silence. United fans in the Stretford end held up cards with a number representing the years since we had won a trophy. Presumably the plan was to get a reaction and then accuse City fans of being disrespectful. Failed totally as blues did not react.
Good verse, Eccles.

 

[KS55]

City and United were fairly amicable in their relationship back then.

We’d been accommodating and happy enough to allow United to play at Maine Road a decade earlier. This created a group of Mancunians who’d go and watch City one week and United the next. This carried on after United moved back to Old Trafford (in the 60s, my Grandad would take my Dad and Uncle to Maine Road one week and Old Trafford the next when City were away).

Yep, me too. Alternate weeks, with alternate dads. Did not like OT much but Edwards was different gravy.

 

[yerwot?]

playing devil's advocate here, no utd supporters had anything to do with the despicable treatment of the survivors, but like fans everywhere, will take any ctiticism as an attack on them, especially from blues. Both sets of fans were predominantly mancs, but the aftermath of the crash saw the influx of jcl's that gave rise to the "cockney rags" jibe. Anyone trying to cross Chester rd after a match will know just how many there are..
A truly awful catastrophe that was turned into a cash cow, the murdoch empire being it's instigator and main benefactor, and it self-perpetuates, with it's attacks on would-be rivals . As has been said, those who saw the crash as an opportunity for vast profits are the one's deserving the scorn, evil twats, like their puppets in msm.

 

[jockblue]

There were some other people disrespecting that silence. United fans in the Stretford end held up cards with a number representing the years since we had won a trophy. Presumably the plan was to get a reaction and then accuse City fans of being disrespectful. Failed totally as blues did not react.
Good verse, Eccles.

I was at that game, in the wrong end of the ground (and yes, I still have the commorative scarf) and never saw anyone holding up cards in the Stretford End or anywhere. It was perfectly observed, apart from someone setting off bangers outside the ground (which actually added to the solemnity of the whole day).

And we won. And I was very quiet when we scored.

 

[mexico1970]

A truly awful catastrophe that was turned into a cash cow

This is the way that I see it now, very sad tragic event hijacked and pushed for cash.

 

[East Level 2]

I didn't pick up a commemorative scarf at the 50th anniversary game. And I've regretted it ever since.

 

[Fat Larrys Band]

I was in a box by the City fans and the only blue in the box. All the scarves inside were rag scarves. Luckily one of the security staff outside was told and he went out and retrived the right colour scarf for me. I was told he was a City fan who had the misfortune to work there, week in week out.
Top lad.

 

[Eccles Blue]

I was in a box by the City fans and the only blue in the box. All the scarves inside were rag scarves. Luckily one of the security staff outside was told and he went out and retrived the right colour scarf for me. I was told he was a City fan who had the misfortune to work there, week in week out.
Top lad.

Strangely enough I was told yesterday that a guy I used to work with took early retirement and to supplement his pension has taken a job at that place in security. He said it means that he can still attend City matches (he and his Dad are SC holders) and the bonus is he can laugh inside when they lose!! :-)

 

[Jamshopbridge]

I remember that time so clearly. Duncan Edwards was my favourite player at that time. Yes I know he played for them but the rivalries were not bitter in those days. I've mentioned before about going one week to them and one week to Maine Road because as a teenager I couldn't afford away days.

So young Duncan, who definitely would have been an England legend, was my favourite player and I cried quite a lot when I heard he had died.

My dad and grandad did exactly the same, City one week then Utd the following week (he said they used to shout for the away team when they were at OT ). He was 14 when it happened, he said he cried his eyes out when he heard about it and saw it in the paper.

 

[AliBobbyJ]

I remember that time so clearly. Duncan Edwards was my favourite player at that time. Yes I know he played for them but the rivalries were not bitter in those days. I've mentioned before about going one week to them and one week to Maine Road because as a teenager I couldn't afford away days.

So young Duncan, who definitely would have been an England legend, was my favourite player and I cried quite a lot when I heard he had died.

I talked to a Utd "fan" this morning, a Yank who jumped on their bandwagon 20 years ago. Asked him who he thought their greatest player was, he said Cantona or Ronaldo. He knew nothing of Duncan Edwards.

I only saw Edwards play once, in the flesh, and i was 7 or 8 at the time so it's a more sentimental than objective opinion, but I will always say he was the greatest English footballer of all time and it's only a bit of realism that makes me put him behind Pele in a best in the world category.

 

[chaddblue]

My mums dad died a year before I was born so I never knew him. He was a United fanatic

my mum has always said the Munich disaster was the only time she ever saw him cry

 

[Oldham Exile]

Our fans showed just what sort of people they were that day, never got the credit they deserved because the press were all geared up to castigate them.

A special day - I do not want to distract the thread but 3 points that stick in my memory from that day

1/ Am I right to see the fact that the scum were able to have Man City at home on that anniversary date as an example of how they had sooooo much control and influence over fixtures? or am I just being paranoid?

2/ How good was it to see the behaviour of the CITY fans - the scum biased media were well pissed off that we did not provide the headlines they sought

3/ What a fucking result - totally blew the pre-arranged narrative away

Anyway - back on topic - indeed, it was a sad event indeed - especially given the CITY connections

 

[Oldham Exile]

I was in a box by the City fans and the only blue in the box. All the scarves inside were rag scarves. Luckily one of the security staff outside was told and he went out and retrived the right colour scarf for me. I was told he was a City fan who had the misfortune to work there, week in week out.
Top lad.

Somewhere in a storage box - I have 2 of those memorabilia packs that were on each seat. Unfortunately the red variety as I was in their main stand - up from where the CITY fans stood so admirably in respect

 

[AliBobbyJ]

Anyway - back on topic - indeed, it was a sad event indeed - especially given the CITY connections

I'll argue with you about the "especially." It's unnecessary. The Munich disaster was sad for all of Manchester, all of football.

 

[ColinBellsjockstrap]

Dennis Viollet was my games teacher at school in 1966. Great player for them.

 

[JGL07]

Dennis Viollet was my games teacher at school in 1966. Great player for them.

I had Ray Wood as games teacher. He was first choice United goalkeeper prior to the arrival of Harry Gregg. He was on the plane in Munich but subsequently moved on to Hudderfield as a part timer.

We also had Stockport County legend, Trevor Porteous teaching PE and games.