The Day The Babes Died

Much of Manchester United's current glamour predates the likes of Beckham, Cantona, Best and Duxbury. The Busby Babes were apparently a great side. I never saw them play but those who did, and I once went to a BBQ with Gordon Nutt, who played for Arsenal against them in what was to be the last time many of them played alive in England, says they were amazing.

Remember, no TV in them days so nothing on You Tube.

Anyway, Busby survived, dragged the survivors from the wreckage and built another team who conquered Europe in 1968 and a legend was born with a holy trinity of Best, Law and Charlton.

And Best, it will be remembered, grew up a fan of the biggest club in  the country, Wolves!

The airport in Munchen where United came to grief was later used for concerts and I must admit on one mad night I went to see ABBA tribute band Bjorn Again there after seeing 1860 Munchen earlier in the afternoon.

It was fitting therefore that the 25th anniversary of that disaster should come against the Arsenal in a League Cup semi final at Old Trafford. They had won the first leg 4-2 at Highbury and the second game didn't have much to commend it.


You know things are grim on the field when the biggest cheer of the night came when the scoreboard announced Ken and Dierdrie would be staying together! (Coronation Street in case you didn't know!)

To quote from the newspaper clipping of that game. Little did the write know just how long:

Never have I seen Manchester United greater - nor have I seen such superb fighting spirit in an Arsenal team for many seasons. All the 63,000 spectators at Highbury will agree this was a match to remember for a long, long time.