The Flowers of Manchester
This topic contains 15 replies, has 10 voices, and was last updated by Alfie07 6 years, 1 month ago.
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February 6, 2018 at 7:11 am #1595196
Always brings a tear to my eye. R.I.P.
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 runaway
disaster followed close
There was slush upon that runaway
and the aircraft never rose
It ploughed into the marshy ground
it broke, it overturned
And eight of the team were killed
as 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 Colman
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 his team
Three long months passed by
before he saw his team again
The trainer, coach and secretary
and a member of the crew
Also eight sporting journalists
who with United flew
and one of them Big Swifty
who we will ne’er forget
the finest English ‘keeper
that ever graced the net
Oh, England’s finest football team
its record truly great
its 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 ManchesterFebruary 6, 2018 at 8:28 am #1595222Yeah, it’s an amazing poem. RIP
February 6, 2018 at 10:48 am #1595344The legacy of Munich is that Manchester United became the biggest Club in the world with supporters in every Country, famed for the quality of the football espoused first by the Busby Babes. Matt Busby had a simple philosophy to go out, enjoy your football and entertain. It was his determination to override the Football Association and enter United into the European Cup. Sadly this resulted in the tragedy of Munich but was rewarded ten years later in that unforgettable victory over Benfica in 1968.
The memories of the Busby Babes, for those of us lucky to have been with them from the start are for the thrilling football they played which became the DNA of the Club – footbal played ‘the United way’.
They were all great players who played as a team. I have been privileged to have seen some superb footballers in 70 years a supporter but none better than Duncan Edwards. I join with Bobby Charlton who defined Duncan – ‘The best footballer I ever played with’, my definition – ‘the best footballer I have ever seen’. His loss to United and English football was indefinable.
February 6, 2018 at 11:15 am #1595367A broken plane
A broken dream
A broken heart
A broken team
No word said
A silent vow
We loved you then
We love you nowFebruary 6, 2018 at 1:36 pm #1595474Interesting that this topic has generated little interest on here on the 60th anniversay. Facebook is awash with comments. Excellent articles in the papers, particularly the Times. The Radio 5 Live programme was disappointing in my view, although it did highlight the debt we owed to Jimmy Murphy, Matt Busby’s assistant and the young players who were thrown in at the deep end to keep the team afloat.
February 6, 2018 at 1:41 pm #1595477I’ve paid my respects quietly Big K, as I always do.
God bless the babes and their beautiful but tragic legacy.
February 6, 2018 at 2:11 pm #1595494I remember my Dad talking about it, some of his mates knew the Irish lads quite well. Such an unbelievable tragedy and I don’t think my generation can really quite understand how big an impact it had. Perhaps the next generation won’t at all.
It’s quite poignant reading and talking about it Big K, maybe that’s why not many people have posted on the thread.
It’s fantastic that we still salute them 60 years on. RIPFebruary 6, 2018 at 2:15 pm #1595497@Big K – Perhaps its because Alfie chose to start a new topic when there has already been one – albeit it a bit early – in which some of us had already posted.
February 6, 2018 at 4:11 pm #1595550R.I.P.
February 6, 2018 at 4:24 pm #1595558RIP the babes and all the other victims of that tragic day.
Speak to anyone of a certain age who was around at that time and they will tell you just how great that team could have been had it had the chance to reach its full potential.Our honours board would have several more league titles and at least a couple of European cups engraved upon it had it not been for those awful events.February 6, 2018 at 7:08 pm #1595607No doubt blacky. Duncan Edwards would have lifted the World Cup in 66 too, in my opinion.
February 6, 2018 at 10:39 pm #1595686Even as a City fan and born a number of years after the tragedy, that song, ‘Flowers of Manchester’ almost brings a tear to my eye.
I listened to the radio documentary on R5 Live last night – a very poignant compilation of recollections from people in the aftermath.
RIP to all that lost their lives that fateful day.February 7, 2018 at 8:17 am #1595733Sounds like Home Farm FC put on a very moving tribute to Liam Whelan last night.
They reckon over 1000 went over to Munich for the service in Manchesterplatz, a credit to the club. I did have to laugh at “Manchester United fan representative Tony O Neill led the singing of songs alomgside the mayor of Munich”
Come a long way has Tony.
February 7, 2018 at 1:32 pm #1595946The news is still shocking, sixty years on. They will never be forgotten. When i think what that team would have achieved had that not have happened. The players of today are not fit to lace the Busby Babes’ boots. #FlowersOfManchester
February 7, 2018 at 7:27 pm #1596102Been emailed this a few times now so thought I’d share it…rare film footage of the Busby Babes playing in colour.it is from the North West Film Archive.
I thought Big K particularly might appreciate it. Love that that Real Madrid signed an emergency left back after watching David Pegg play. Also, what the hell was that penalty awarded for?
February 7, 2018 at 8:39 pm #1596119Thanks for posting that WG. Great to see some more footage of that team.
That penalty! Anyone’s what that was for!
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