The players who died.
David Pegg: 22. Outside-left. Made United debut at 17. One England cap against Republic of Ireland.
Who Also Died | ||
| Walter Crickmer | Club secretary who was in charge of the side during the war. | |
| Bert Whalley | Chief Coach. Former left-half at Old Trafford. With United 25 years and also responsible for youth development. | |
| Tom Curry | Trainer. Joined United in mid-30s and regarded by Matt Busby as "the best trainer in Britain.'' | |
| Alf Clarke | Journalist - Manchester Evening Chronicle | |
| Don Davies | Journalist - Manchester Guardian | |
| George Follows | Journalist - Daily Herald | |
| Tom Jackson | Journalist - Manchester Evening News | |
| Archie Ledbrooke | Journalist - Daily Mirror | |
| Henry Rose | Journalist - Daily Express | |
| Eric Thompson | Journalist - Daily Mail | |
| Frank Swift | Journalist - News of the World - Frank Swift was also one of Manchester City's greatest-ever players. | |
| Capt Kenneth Rayment | Co-Pilot | |
| Bela Miklos | Travel Agent | |
| Willie Satinoff | Supporter | |
| Tom Cable | Steward | |
The Flowers Of Manchester.
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 they tried to take off and twice turned back again.
The third time down the runway disaster followed close,
There was slush upon that runway and the aircraft never rose.
It ploughed into the marshy ground, it broke, it overturned.
And eight of that team were killed when the blazing 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 brain,
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,
Eight great sporting journalists who with United flew,
And one of them was Big Swifty who we will 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 mocked by a cruel turn of fate.
Eight men will never play again who met destruction there,
The flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester.
Loading
