The year was 1958; the Busby Babes were beginning to blossom into the envy of the whole of Europe as the entire football community was starting to take notice. Lead by the imperious Sir Matt Busby, Unitedai??i??s young guns had already captured the domestic front, although Europe still remained elusive. The side contained gems like Bobby Charlton, Dennis Viollet and the greatest of them all ai??i?? the insurmountable Duncan Edwards. World domination awaited and a chance to possibly go down in the annals of history as one of the greatest sides to have played the beautiful game, if only life followed a predefined script.
After beating Arsenal at Highbury (4-5) in one of the most outstanding games of football, the Babes travelled to Belgrade, in erstwhile Yugoslavia, to face Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup quarter-final second leg. United held a slender 2-1 lead after the first leg at Old Trafford and needed a draw to advance.
The Babes line-up that day included: Harry Gregg, Bill Foulkes, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Mark Jones, Duncan Edwards, Kenny Morgans, Bobby Charlton, Tommy Taylor, Dennis Viollet, Albert Scanlon. United dominated the early exchanges and got an early goal, as early as the second minute as Viollet fired the Babes into the lead. Bobby Charlton cemented Unitedai??i??s advantage further by drilling home the second around the half an hour mark. To make matters worse for Red Star, United trebled their advantage on the day, Charlton again the nemesis.
Red Star were expecting the worst as the Babes ran the Yugoslavians ragged. However, day before the catastrophe off the field, United played calamitously on it after the break. Kostic pulled one back for Red Star and the improbable comeback was well and truly on. Another goal from the spot and United were looking over their shoulders and fearing the worst.
Red Star finally equalized on the night from a Kostic free kick right at the death and the game ends in a dramatic 3-3 draw. Despite the poor second half showing, the Babes did just enough to qualify for the European Cup Semi-final and kept their dream alive. Was it time to realize their raison d’A?tre?
With hopes in their hearts and dreams in their eyes, the Babes boarded the British European Airways flight. However, the flight was halted at Munich’s Riem Airport to refuel and on the third attempt to take off the plane, the pilot over-shot the runway, hit a house with its port wing, veered to the right, hit another building and burst into flames.
Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor and Liam Whelan all succumbed. Unitedai??i??s heart throb, the one and only Duncan Edwards, soldiered on for 15 days but eventually death took away Unitedai??i??s pole star as well. The whole of Manchester was submerged in darkness and a sea of sorrow.
6th Feb, 1958 will always be a day to mourn the untimely death of those who left us and for the spirit of those who survived. Man Unitedai??i??s spirit shall never die and the club rebuilt from the tragedy and came out stronger than ever before.
For United fans around the globe, the Busby Babes shall always remain in our hearts and thoughts.
A broken heart, a broken dream, a brokenplane, a broken team.
No words were said a silent vow. We loved you then, we love you now.
The red flag will always fly for Man United will never die.
Never to be forgotten – 6th February,1958.
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