Football Poets

On watching the BBC2 drama “United”, shown last night, about the Munich air crash which claimed the lives of 23 people, including 8 Utd players and many of their staff and football journalists, on February 6th, 1958.

Mesmeric performance from David Tennant as Jimmy Murphy, Matt Busby’s right hand man.

* I can’t unfortunately remember exactly the classic line that David Tennant, as Jimmy Murphy, delivered in the boardroom, when the United board were ready to shut down the club for the season in the immediate aftermath of the crash.

One of the most chilling images in the programme, inspired the haiku above: all the coffins on arrival into Manchester, were laid out in the club gym, almost as if in team formation.

I loved the programme.

Just thought it was a bit naughty of BBC to promote it as ‘never done before’ – when they themselves had broadcast an excellent docudrama back in 2006, which prompted me to write ….. (click here to read …) Slush

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Following details from The Guardian

Twenty-three people died as a result of the Munich air disaster on 6 February 1958. A British European Airways Elizabethan, returning from Belgrade, where Manchester United had won a European Cup quarter-final 5-4 on aggregate, against Red Star Belgrade.

The plane crashed on take-off after refuelling.

Eight of the victims were Manchester United footballers: Geoffrey Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Duncan Edwards, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor and Liam Whelan.

Three were members of the club’s staff: Walter Crickmer, the secretary, trainer Tom Curry and Bert Whalley, the coach.

Eight were newspaper representatives: Alf Clarke of the Manchester Evening Chronicle, Don Davies of The Guardian, George Follows of the Daily Herald, Tom Jackson of the Manchester Evening News, Archie Ledbrooke of the Daily Mirror, Henry Rose of the Daily Express, Eric Thompson, of the Daily Mail, and Frank Swift, the former Manchester City and England goalkeeper, of the News of the World.

Two were members of the BEA crew: Captain Kenneth Rayment, the co-pilot, and Tom Cable, a steward.

Two other passengers also died: Bela Miklos, wife of the travel agent, and Willie Satinoff, a supporter.

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Jimmy Murphy had stayed behind that week for his other role – as Welsh national manager – they beat Israel to qualify for the 1958 World Cup finals.