The Munich air crash occurred on February 6, 1958. British Airways' special plane "Lord Poly" failed to take off on the runway of Munich Airport. Among the 44 passengers and crew members on board, 23 were killed, including 8 Manchester United active players.

Munich air crash happened on February 6, 1958. British Airways' special plane "Lord Poly" failed to take off on the runway of Munich Airport. Among the 44 passengers and crew members on board, 23 were killed, including 8 active players of Manchester United .

Munich air crash was the darkest and most sad day in the world football world. This air crash was unprecedented in the blow to Manchester United at that time. Red Devils almost lost the backbone of the team at that time; it also made the entire football circle realize how great the impact of aircraft safety hazards on a team.

Cause of the occurrence

The initial answer given by the German airport administration was that the pilot did not deicate the wings before taking off. But it was later confirmed that it was due to snow at the end of the runway, which caused an accident. The snow accumulation slowed the plane that was about to take off from its original speed of 217 kilometers per hour to 194 kilometers, which failed to reach the speed required for takeoff, but this speed was higher than the speed of to . That is to say, if the takeoff was terminated at this time, the runway length was not enough to completely stop the plane. Since the stall occurred at the end of the runway, the pilot could not reverse the situation, and the plane eventually rushed out of the runway and crashed into a nearby house.

Accident Photos

Accident Impact

Air crash hit Manchester United at that time: eight players, a coach and a trainer were killed, and two other players were also forced to retire due to injuries. The then head coach, Sir Matt Busby, was hospitalized for more than two months due to serious injuries. At that time, many people thought that Manchester United was very happy to close, but under the leadership of acting head coach Jimmy Murphy, Manchester United, with reserve and youth players as the backbone, still barely completed the rest of the season. Manchester United beat 3-0 in the first game after the crash Sheffield Wednesday Football Club , and the game's magazine left blank on Manchester United's roster because Manchester United could not provide the names of eleven players who would play in the first place before the game.

Munich air crash more or less affected the pattern of world football. 1958 was the first year of Bailey conquering the world and opening the era of the king of football. At that time, Sweden World Cup, England stopped the playoffs. Bobby Charlton said that if there was no Munich air crash, if Duncan Edwards , Eddie Coleman, Roger Byrne and others were able to participate in the 1958 World Cup, England might be one of the biggest favorites in that Cup. But history cannot be assumed, the tragedy has actually happened, and he left endless regrets to Manchester United and England.

Duncan Edwards, Manchester United 151 games in his career, 177 goals

Missing the head coach and Busby Baby's Manchester United still advanced to the English FA Cup finals that season, but eventually lost to Bolton 0-2. After recovering from Matt Busby , he began to rebuild the team and gradually formed a new generation of Red Devils represented by Charlton , Dennis-Laugh , and George Best . Ten years later (i.e. 1968), the European Champions League Cup final defeated Portuguese team Benfica and won the team's first European Champions League Cup honor, announcing the return of the king to the world. Busby lifted the Champions League high eight times, calling out the name of a player who died in the Munich air crash. Bobby Charlton and other players cut their fingers, dripped blood into the Champions League, and then dripped on the court to comfort the lost heroic souls. At that moment, Manchester United achieved a complete rebirth after the Munich air crash.

Eternal Memory

Commemorative Event

1 Commemorative Service was held at Manchester Cathedral on February 6, 1998. All players who played for Manchester United were present. The game against Bolton was slightly postponed on Saturday. The game started after silence at 3:04 pm (that is, the time when the plane crashed that year). On September 22, 2004, Sir Bobby Charlton, , went to the German collision plane to preside over the unveiling ceremony of the monument. Before that, only one flower tank and a small commemorative plaque were placed on the site.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash, Manchester United was approved by the Premier League tournament. On February 10, 2008, Manchester City wore a classic 1950s jersey. The jerseys did not have Premier League logos, sponsor advertisements and player names, and back number is arranged according to traditional arrangement from 1 to 11. Manchester United set up a permanent and free exhibition of Munich air crash and Busby Baby in the South Standway Channel in Old Trafford Stadium. There was also a memorial service at 3:04 pm on February 6, 2008. On the same day, a friendly match between England and Switzerland was held at Wembley Stadium. There was also a silence ceremony before the game to pay tribute to the victims.

February 6, 2018 is the 60th anniversary of the Munich air crash. Manchester United fans spontaneously went to the Old Trafford Stadium to commemorate the Munich air crash to present flowers under the stands. The club will invite season ticket holders over 65 years old to come and participate. The entrance passage will be open at 13:45 GMT on February 6, 14:45 GMT and will focus on reciting poetry. At 15:04, the plane crash time was held for one minute of silence.

60th anniversary of the Munich air crash

Although the Munich air crash has been around for a long time, it is still the most sad accident in English football. To this day, Manchester United still pays its highest respect and nostalgia to the players who left in this air crash.