More than a thousand United fans were making a pilgrimage to Germany today - the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.
They were expected to join a solemn tribute at the site where the plane crash all but wiped out the country's most promising football team in a generation.
Prince William and the Prime Minister Gordon Brown today led tributes to the 23 people who lost their lives when the United squad's flight came to grief. Mr Brown described it as a "tragedy which transcends the generations" while the prince spoke of a "heartbreaking day for English football."
The disaster was also remembered at events across Greater Manchester.
Surviving Busby Babes, including Sir Bobby Charlton, Arthur Scanlon, Harry Gregg, and Ken Morgans were expected at a memorial service at Old Trafford where a statue of Sir Matt stands.
They were being joined by manager Sir Alex Ferguson, senior players and other club bosses as well as joint chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer, long-standing club staff and a number of season-ticket fans who took part in a ballot to participate.
Rosemary Cheverton, an air stewardess who survived the crash has travelled from America to be at the service which will be conducted by club chaplain, the Rev John Boyers.
Other events included a service at Manchester Cathedral and a separate memorial for residents at Duncan Edwards Court - named after the gifted crash victim - in Newton Heath. The housing estate was built in 1983 on the site acknowledged as the birth place of the club, with the streets named in honour of the players who lost their lives in the crash.
This morning dedicated fans flew to Munich to hold a memorial service at the exact spot where the plane returning the squad home from a European Cup game at Red Star Belgrade crashed.
The event was organised by the Independent Manchester United Supporters' Association (IMUSA) and was being attended by a number of local dignitaries, including the Mayor of Munich Christian Ude.
Reflection
IMUSA spokesman Colin Hendrie said: "Most people travelled on the day itself to remember the dead and to spend some time in silent reflection at the crash site."
A priest from the local English-speaking Catholic Church was leading the service in the village of Trudering with flowers laid at a memorial plaque. The airport closed in 1992 and the site was redeveloped as a convention centre, although a number of structures including the original terminal building and a section of runway still remain.
The tragedy has also been remembered by Germans in the days running up to the anniversary. Munich's daily TZ paper this week carried a four-page supplement marking the crash.
Paul Daly, manager of Kilian's Irish bar in the Bavarian capital, told the MEN fans were already flocking to the city.
He said: "There has been a lot of local coverage about the crash. There are people who remember it happening and remember the reaction at the time.
"We've been told that people arrived as early as Monday and there have a few people milling around the town centre. We are the home of the city's United supporters club and our staff will be wearing strips on the day."
The accident claimed the life of eight players, three members of club staff, eight journalists who were travelling with the squad, and four members of crew and other staff.
The BEA Airspeed Ambassador plane, named the Lord Burghley, failed to take off in heavy snow after refuelling in Munich and crashed into a fence and unoccupied house at the end of the runway. Of the 44 people on board, only 21 eventually survived.
Read more on this story by selecting the links on the right.
The event was a devastating blow to the pioneering young side created by Sir Matt Busby. But the manager, who survived after German doctors battled to save his life, went on to rebuild the team and win further European glory a decade later.
Club bosses have spent more than a year considering a range of activities to mark the anniversary - one of the largest commemoration events ever staged by United. The centrepiece of their plans is for a vast mural to be created in the corridor which runs from their south stand entrance to the railway.
The design, which will be renamed the Munich Tunnel, will feature a series of giant glass panels telling the story of the Busy Babes, the air crash, and the re-birth of the team during their 1968 European Cup triumph against Benfica in Wembley.
Ceremonies were also taking place in the home towns of several of the players involved, with tributes being staged in Ashington, birthplace of Bobby Charlton, Liam Whelan's home of Dublin, and the Midland's town of Dudley where Duncan Edward was born.
Even United fans living as far away as Malta will hold a memorial service in the town of Msida.
On Sunday, when a derby match against City at Old Trafford takes place. the United team will wear a unique tribute strip, designed in homage to the kit worn by United on the eve of the disaster. The kit will feature no sponsorship logos and is numbered simply from one to 11, which aims to recreate the simple kit worn by United in Belgrade against Red Star on the eve of the Munich crash.
A replica programme of the 1958 FA Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday, the first game played by the devastated United squad, will be placed on every one of the 76,000 seats during the derby match.
Officials for both clubs, including City boss Sven Goran-Erikson, have pleaded for respect from all supporters when a minute of silence is observed before kick-off.
A minute of silence will be held at Wembley tonight, when England play Switzerland in the first match since Fabio Capello's appointment as manager. The home team will also wear black armbands during the game.
Leave a tribute to the Babes here .
The M.E.N has published a 48 page special to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the air disaster. It is on sale now .
Read more on this story by selecting the links on the right.
Tweet
Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
robbie (06/02/2008 at 08:10)
all my love robbie
(Blackburn Fan)
Leo B (06/02/2008 at 08:20)
Hacienda 51, Manchester (06/02/2008 at 08:32)
HongKongPhooey, Filing Cabinet (06/02/2008 at 08:34)
Steve (mcfc)
Thai Rak City (06/02/2008 at 08:34)
Erik Hulegaard (06/02/2008 at 08:40)
The Greatest of them all, a lad with a mighty talent, shall be remembered for a long time. The famous son of Dudley (b. Oct.1, 1936), Duncan Edwards was so very much promising.
Among the other late passengers one shall recall the second best goalkeeper ever in Great Britain - the giant Frank Swift (Man.City), who sadly faced his last "dead-line" as a reporter for News of the World.
My complete thoughts are expressed in Danish on
www.hulegaard.dk/weblog/?p=505
Pete (06/02/2008 at 08:56)
Daniel (06/02/2008 at 09:08)
Blackley Red, M9, MANCHESTER,ENGLAND (06/02/2008 at 09:14)
It shrouded all our Munich dead.
Before their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their hearts blood dyed it's every fold.
Then raise United's banner high,
Beneath it's shade we'll live and die.
So keep the faith and never fear,
We'll keep the Red Flag flying here.
WE'LL NEVER DIE,
WE'LL NEVER DIE
WE'LL NEVER DIE,
WE'LL NEVER DIE
WE'LL KEEP THE RED FLAG FLYING HIGH
'CAUSE MAN UNITED WILL NEVER DIE.
mad pierre, midlands (06/02/2008 at 09:15)
bbcity Caboolture Australia (06/02/2008 at 09:17)
GOD IS A BLUE, Failsworth (06/02/2008 at 09:17)
A sad loss yes,Manchesters Darkest Day ?
I just wish the British soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan would get the same amount of respect.
R.I.P to all the victims.
Peter Jones (06/02/2008 at 09:19)
bbcity Caboolture Australia (06/02/2008 at 09:30)
6/02/2008 at 09:17
Good point mate.
Frank Old Trafford (06/02/2008 at 09:51)
Ignore how journalists report it to sell their papers or if you consider any of the events organised to mark the occasion offensive or in bad taste then let it pass for today. Jumping on the graves of your enemies is just below the lowest of the low and I'm ashamed that fellow Mancunians feel the need to sink to that level.
To those that died, may they rest in peace. They will always be remembered because of their job, they are a fundamental part of United's folklore as are all the great servants of our club. As are those that have served any club and are loved by their respective fans.
To lose anyone so young is a tragedy and it must be painful for the family and friends of the deceased to have their loss reawakened year after year. I hope that the respect shown by a large number of Mancunians will comfort them in their grief.
God is blue, well said.
Blackley Red, M9, MANCHESTER,ENGLAND (06/02/2008 at 09:59)
If you have no time for this sad & notable anniversary, move on& please do not read this article, simple as that.
Football has played a huge role in Manchester peoples lives for many, many decades.
Saturdays were to be savoured & enjoyed at the end of a hard working week, be it at the the factory or in the office.
Then off to Maine Road or Old Trafford for their release from the daily grind.
The supporters felt at one with the team/club & to have all this dashed from them in tragic circumstances, as happened here, of course it had a profound effect on Manchester. There was a social connection, sadly lacking in this modern age. Or do you believe this to be a lie fabricated by the MEN?
Just ask an older relative or friend.
My mum was due to meet my dad for a date, the very night it happened 6th February 1958, outside Kings hall, Belle-vue.
My dad did not show & mum assumed she had been stood-up & made her way home crestfallen to Miles Platting on the bus.
The bus driver took her fare & was in tears & so were the majority of people on that bus, men & women...that is when she knew why my dad had not shown that night.
She is now 75 years old but still remembers it like yesterday & she will shed a tear today as she recalls that day. Or should i denounce her as an old fool & stop being so mawkish?
To all true Mancunians & true football fans, i believe my words will speak volumes to you; whether red or blue & its to these contributors i direct my comments to - thank you for remembering.
RIP all those who perished.
Eddie Mc, bristol (06/02/2008 at 09:59)
In those days one half of manchester was red the other blue and there was rivalry but no hatred.There was no match of the day or sky sports so if you wanted to see the best players ,you could go to Old Trafford one week and maine road the next.It was not uncommon for some people to have a season ticket for both teams ,you also admired good players whoever they played for.There were no coaches coming from Bournemouth ,south wales ,Essex etc ,it was 99% Mancs.United would help City and City would help United ,as was the case when old Trafford was bombed and united using City,s floodlights to play in Europe.Many city players went to the funerals ,because they were mates with the United lads.
I was lucky to meet many of the babes and although they were giants on the field they were just normal human beings off it.
I worked in trafford Park at the time and believe me EVERYBODY was affected .I remember it as being Manchesters Darkest day.
from a City fan.
Weasel (not McKay), Stockport (06/02/2008 at 10:04)
As for those that died, god bless your souls.
mistershameless (06/02/2008 at 10:05)
sorry but NO , uniteds darkest day YES.
Lets face facts people born the 70s,80s,90s who are blues
dont have any real affinity to this.
To any fellow blues goin to the game ,who hate united as much as me , lets behave at least for one minute.
dessie, manchester (06/02/2008 at 10:10)
Auburnann, Oldham (06/02/2008 at 10:15)
R.I.P.
Auburnann, Oldham (06/02/2008 at 10:19)
God Bless the boys and all who lost their lives at Munich.
United Forever
Ann Lawton (Oldham)
Connor Fitzgerald (06/02/2008 at 10:21)
To others who have quoted Peterloo, the bombings and our very brave service folk from Manchester who lost their lives all deserve a thought too. At times like this we have to realise that Manchester's rich tapestry of history (some of it very sad) makes us and the city what we are!
The air disaster was indeed a tragedy, all that young talent taken from all of us. Young talent that would have put the city and MUFC on the world stage for other reasons than the incident.
We can speculate that (based on the talent) the side would have the cup that year and probably have gone on to win many more when it matured.
It is a sad day, it is a great loss and certainly apart of our history.
RIP...................
It also makes you think in this day and age of overpaid pre-madonnas how much Duncan Edwards must have been worth?
When quotes from Tommy Doc says "You can keep all your Best's, Pele's and Maradonna's. Duncan Edwards was the best player ever to grace a pitch".
Or Charlton saying "The only player I ever felt inferior too".
When individuals such as these say that, even if you have never seen him play, you know he was a bit special!
mad pierre, midlands (06/02/2008 at 10:27)
Respect is due to the friends and family of those affected and THOSE old enough to have witnessed the tragedy. Dont build it into something its not. Most fans i know are younger than 60 and therefore dont know much about it, most who support teams other than red/blue dont give a stuff. It really is like propaganda- that is not disrespect to this tragedy it is fact. Im sure the families of those concerned do not like it being turned into a circus.
Pete (06/02/2008 at 10:28)