Geoff Bent

Munich 1958 Remembered and Never Forgotten

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• published: 30 Jan 2008
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lyrics to The Flowers of Manchester One cold and bitter Thursday in Munich, Germany, Eight great football stalwarts conceded victory, Eight men who 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 a 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 to, with an injury to his frame, And Ireland's brave Jack Blanchflower will never play again, The great Sir Matt Busby lay there, the father of his team Three long months passed by before he walked 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'll 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 Manchester.....The End On 6th February 1958 the airliner carrying players and backroom staff of Manchester United, plus a number of journalists and supporters, crashed in a blizzard on its third attempt to take off from Munich airport. United were returning from Belgrade where they had just beaten Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup and had stopped off at Munich for re-fuelling. Twenty-three of the forty-four passengers on board the aircraft lost their lives. Dead 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 'Billy' Whelan Who Also Died Walter Crickmer Club secretary who was in charge of the side during the war. Bert Whalley Chief Coach. Former left-half at Old Trafford. With United 25 years and also responsible for youth development. Tom Curry Trainer. Joined United in mid-30s and regarded by Matt Busby as "the best trainer in Britain.'' Alf Clarke Journalist - Manchester Evening Chronicle Don Davies Journalist - Manchester Guardian George Follows Journalist - Daily Herald Tom Jackson Journalist - Manchester Evening News Archie Ledbrooke Journalist - Daily Mirror Henry Rose Journalist - Daily Express Eric Thompson Journalist - Daily Mail Frank Swift Journalist - News of the World - Frank Swift was also one of Manchester City's greatest-ever players. Capt Kenneth Rayment Co-Pilot Bela Miklos Travel Agent Willie Satinoff Supporter Tom Cable Steward Who Survived Frank Taylor Journalist Peter Howard Photographer Ted Ellyard Photographer Mrs Vera Lukic and baby daughter Venona Passengers (rescued by goalkeeper Harry Gregg) Mrs Miklos Wife of Bela Miklos, the travel agent who arranged the trip and died in the crash Mr N Tomasevic Passenger James Thain Captain Rosemary Cheverton Stewardess Margaret Bellis Stewardess George (Bill) Rodgers Radio officer