Today is the 52nd Anniversary of the Munich Air Crash. 52 years ago this day (6th February 1958) was the darkest day in Man United’s history. Man United were set to fly back from a European tie in Germany, due to horrendous conditions the plane’s take off was aborted twice, on the third try disaster struck.

On the third try, the plane crashed 23 people (20 people died instantly, Duncan Edwards died 15 days later and the co pilot, Captain Kenneth Rayment, died three weeks later, and Frank Swift died on the way to hospital).

Man United will mark today with a minutes silence before the kick-off against Portsmouth and the players will wear black armbands. United’s club secretary Ken Ramsden has said:

“Every anniversary is important – that doesn’t change, and never will”


“If you look at the defining moments in United's history then I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a more defining moment than the Munich air crash.


"We will continue to embrace the significance of the tragedy.”

Here is a list of all 23 fatalities:

Man United players and staff-
Geoff Bent
Roger Byrne
Eddie Colman
Duncan Edwards (survived the crash, but passed away15 days later)
Mark Jones
David Pegg
Tommy Taylor
Liam Whelan
Walter Crickmer- club secretary
Tom Curry- trainer
Bert Whalley- chief coach

Crew-
Captain Kenneth Rayment- co-pilot (survived the crash but passed away three weeks later)
Tom Cable- cabin steward

Journalists-
Alf Clarke from the Manchester Evening Chronicle
Donny Davies from the Manchester Guardian
George Follows from the Daily Herald
Tom Jackson from the Manchester Evening News
Archie Ledbrooke from the Daily Mirror
Henry Rose from the Daily Express
Frank Swift from the News of the World and former Man City and England footballer
Eric Thompson from the Daily Mail

Other Passengers-
Bela Miklos, travel agent
Willie Satinoff, supporter, racecourse owner and close friend of Matt Busby

We will never forget.

Every true Manchester United fan will know and remember the date- 6th February 1958.

For all of you who don't know, today is the 51st Anniversary of the Munich Air Crash. This day, 51 years ago was the darkest and most tragic day in which Manchester United have ever seen.

Man United were flying back from a European Cup tie against Red Star Belgrade when the plane had to stop off in Germany to refuel.
The planes take off was aborted twice but it wasn't third time lucky. On the third attempt to take off, the plane crashed killing 23 people (20 died instantly, Duncan Edwards died 15 days later and the co pilot, Captain Kenneth Rayment, died three weeks later, Frank Swift died on the way to the hospital).

Fatalities-
Manchester United players
Geoff Bent
Roger Byrne
Eddie Colman
Duncan Edwards (survived the crash, but died in hospital 15 days later)
Mark Jones
David Pegg
Tommy Taylor
Liam Whelan
Manchester United staff
Walter Crickmer, club secretary
Tom Curry, trainer
Bert Whalley, chief coach
Crew members
Captain Kenneth Rayment, co-pilot (survived the crash but suffered multiple injuries and died in hospital three weeks later as a result of brain damage)
Tom Cable, cabin steward
Journalists
Alf Clarke, Manchester Evening Chronicle
Donny Davies, Manchester Guardian
George Follows, Daily Herald
Tom Jackson, Manchester Evening News
Archie Ledbrooke, Daily Mirror
Henry Rose, Daily Express
Frank Swift, News of the World (former England and Manchester City goalkeeper; he died on his way to hospital)
Eric Thompson, Daily Mail
Other passengers
Bela Miklos, travel agent
Willie Satinoff, supporter, racecourse owner and close friend of Matt Busby

Survivors-

Manchester United players
Johnny Berry (never played again, died 1994)
Jackie Blanchflower (never played again, died 1998)
Bobby Charlton
Bill Foulkes
Harry Gregg
Kenny Morgans
Albert Scanlon
Dennis Viollet (died 1999)
Ray Wood (died 2002)
Manchester United staff
Matt Busby, manager (died 1994)
Crew
Margaret Bellis, stewardess (died 1998)
Rosemary Cheverton, stewardess
George William Rodgers, radio officer (died 1997)
Captain James Thain, pilot (died 1975)
Journalists and photographers
Ted Ellyard, Daily Mail telegraphist (died 1964)
Peter Howard, Daily Mail photographer (died 1996)
Frank Taylor, News Chronicle reporter (died 2002)
Other passengers
Vera Lukić and baby daughter Venona, passengers saved by Manchester United player Harry Gregg. At the time of the accident, she was pregnant with her son Zoran, who also survived.
Mrs Eleanor Miklos, wife of Bela Miklos
Nebosja Bato Tomašević, Yugoslavian diplomat

This tragedy made Manchester United who they are today, United have a massive history which is known around the world and loved by many.

If you want to find out more about the crash then you can click here.

This is also a good time to drag up the post on why we don't call Manchester United, ManU.
My thoughts are with everyone involved or affected by the Munich Air Crash.

15 years today former Manchester United manager and legend Sir Matt Busby died.

Sir Matt Busby manager Man United twice, the first during 1945–1969 and the second between 1970–1971.

Busby was on the plane which killed 23 people which included seven Man United players and Man United staff along with citizens.

After the crash Busby built up a Man United team based around the players who survived the Munich tradgedy.

He died of cancer, aged 84, in January 1994. He was buried in Southern Cemetery, Manchester, alongside his wife Jean who had died in December 1988 at the age of 80.

You get many Manchester United fans walking around saying that they support Manu but in my opinion, they obviously don't know what much about the club because real Manchester United fans NEVER say that they support Manu.
The term Manu is used by rival supporters who just want to insult the club, if ManUtd supporters say they support Manu, then they are insulting the club.
There is a fantastic example of why we don't say Manu in the Manchester United Official Website Community:

A chant by West Brom fans: "Duncan Edwards is manure, rotting in his grave, man you are manure- rotting in your grave".
The origin of "Man u" is a song to insult the dead Duncan Edwards.Liverpool and Leeds fans copied this with their own man you /u versions to insult all of the lads who died at munich.
"Man U Man U went on a plane Man U Man U never came back again"and.."Man U Never Intended Coming Home" (if you combine the first letter of each word you get the word "munich").

This was posted by Red_Tide

Many Manchester United fans don't know this, so I am posting this on my blog to try and help supporters understand why we don't call our club Manu, and if any rival supporters use it- your just sick in the head.

This Sunday will see an extra special derby match for both the Manchester Clubs (United and City), it will also be an emotional day for the fans, players and everyone associated with Manchester United.
Reds captain Gary Neville says that his team mates will put in a performance that the Busby Babes would be proud of.
Neville talked to United Review and this is what he said:
"Like any game we play at Old Trafford it’s important we win, but this one is particularly significant,"
"As a group of players we wouldn’t want to come away from this game with anything other than a victory and hopefully a fantastic performance as well."As a United player you’re always reminded of the club’s history. We’ve, therefore, got to mark this occasion in the best way possible because we owe the lads that died an awful lot."
"As players we’re always under pressure at this club. We’ve just got to go out there and do our job,"
"City will try and play on the fact that we might be distracted, but we know that won’t be the case."
"We’ll be really up for it, it’s a game that any footballer would want to play in and the atmosphere will be unbelievable. We’ve just got to make sure we go out there and do it, simple as that."

I am looking forward to Sundays match and i really do hope that United put in a big performance and that City fans respect the minutes silence, i no that most City fans will but with all clubs you get the occasional idiots.

You can find a preview of the match here tomorrow, i will also have team news, live score, details and reaction on Sunday. So please check back

50 years ago there was a tragic event that took place on the 6th February 1958 where 23 people died which included 8 Manchester United players and one former Manchester City Goalkeeper.
British European Airways flight 609 crashed on it's third attempt to take off from a runway which was covered in slush at the Munich Riem airport in Munich, Germany. The people on the plane included the Manchester United Football team (Busby Babes), supporters and Journalists. There were 44 people on the plane in which 23 of them tragically died.
The plane was taking United home from a European Cup match against Yugoslavian team Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade), which ended in a 3-3 draw (United won the tie 5-4 on aggregate). The takeoff from Belgrade was delayed for an hour as the United player Johnny Berry had lost his passport.
Seven of the eight Manchester United players who died, died immediately, Duncan Edwards died from his injuries on the 21st February. Two players (Johnny Berry and Jackie Blanchflower) were so badly injured that they never played again.
There are three memorials at Old Trafford, the first was unveiled on the 25th Feb 1960, the second was unveiled in 1976 and the third was unveiled in 1996.
Today England play Switzerland and there will be a minutes silence, there will also be a minute silence before the Manchester Derby this sunday.

The other day Chief Executive of Manchester United has the outside of his home vandalised and he has spoken about his disappointment:

"It's the first time I've been affected in this particular way," he told The Guardian. "I wouldn't say I was shaken, but you do think about your family, and it isn't nice."
"I've been clear all along that there will always be people who are opposed to the takeover of the club.
"They will never change, they have been consistent in their views and concerns and will continue to express them, but it's a question of how they express them. There is way of doing things in the right manner without resorting to criminality."

It is thought that his house was targeted because of Gill's relationship with the Glazer's.
AIG (the clubs sponsor) has also been targeted earlier this week amd that is thought to have been targeted because of the logo on a banner of the Busby Babes which has been erected at Old Trafford to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Munich disaster.
I can understand where they are coming from but this is not the way to go around it. Your only going to get yourself into trouble and it isnt going to get the logo removed.

Next month is the 50th Anniversary of the Munich Disaster. United have been organised a one minute silence to remember the 23 people who died, but a minority of City fans are expected to ruin the tribute so City have asked for a minute applause instead of a minute silence to drown out any idiots who are shout or sing stupid stuff.

City have urged their supporters to "uphold our good name".
The letter says they "plead" with United to change their plans, adding: "Although there is some friendly rivalry between supporters of the two clubs, there is also a great deal of hatred.
"There will be some City fans who will not want to go along with the recognition of the disaster.
"We think it is obvious that if there is a minute's silence some fool will interrupt it and this will reflect very badly not only on Manchester City but on Manchester and football supporters in general."

United have said that applausing is inappropriate. Eight Manchester United players and one former Manchester City goalie died in the air crash, what kind of people cant keep their mouths shut for one minute to remember people who died no matter who they played for?

United captain Gary Neville made his comeback for United in a reserve game against Everton last night.
Neville played for 45 minutes and he also scored in the 21st minute, the game ended in a 2-2 draw.

Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez has had his two match ban cut down to a one match ban which now means that he will be able to play against Brazil.

United have announced that they will be going to South Africa for a week for their pre-season programme. United will fly out on the 19th July with all the players who aren't playing in Euro 2008, in other words mainly English players.

Manchester City have asked all of their fans to to respect the Munich Air Disaster. United and City play each other four days after the 50th anniversary. Eriksson and Dunne have signed a letter going out to the 3,000 City fans who are receiving tickets for the game.