The Busby Babes have become part of Old Trafford folklore, partly due to the tremendous success they enjoyed but also the horrific tragedy that afflicted them. The infamous crash occurred on February 6 in Munich, claiming the lives of 23 people with 21 passengers surviving the incident. Among those on board were legendary England midfielder Sir Bobby Charlton and iconic United manager Sir Matt Busby – who both survived.
Of the 23 who died, eight – Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Duncan Edwards, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor and Ray Wood – were United players.
Johnny Berry and Jackie Blanchflower survived the accident but the extent of their injuries forced them to retire at the ages of 31 and 24 respectively.
The legacy of the Babes has never left the club and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s current crop of stars will be all too aware of the Munich crash.
Despite holding the proud record of being United’s most successful ever manager, Sir Alex Ferguson has always been quick to pay homage to the achievements of Sir Matt Busby.
Eight Man Utd players died in the Munich Air Disaster (Image: GETTY)
Wreckage from the Munich Air Disaster (Image: GETTY)
He told the United Review in 2018: “The Babes are what gives this club such a fantastic romance, in terms of how they played the game and how they
