“They would have gone on to dominate English Football for the next 8-10 years.” England international and Sunderland legend Stan Anderson

 

Munich 1958 'They would have gone on to dominate English Football for the next 8-10 years.'

whether Spurs would have done the first 20^th century double of League and Cup glory in 1961 I am not so certain.'

England international and Sunderland legend Stan Anderson

 

England international Stan Anderson played many games for Sunderland against Manchester United in the 1950s. Here’s his thoughts on the side that was tragically ripped apart in the Munich tragedy

Taken from Stan’s autobiography CAPTAIN OF THE NORTH, co-written by Mark Metcalf

 

It was hardly surprising that our crowds plummeted and there were only 19,865 for the visit of League Champions Manchester United at the end of the 1955-56 season. In a side that was just starting to blossom, Roger Byrne was at left full-back and he was a magic player. Bill Foulkes was solid and was still around twelve years later to play in the European Cup Final at Wembley when Matt Busby’s refashioned side won the European Cup by beating Benfica 4-1. Eddie Colman at right half was one of my favourite players of all time; he had swivel hips and always played with a big smile on his face. Playing in the same army side as him during national service was a pleasure and a privilege.

 

Then there was Duncan Edwards, a colossus of a man, arrogant not unlike Wayne Rooney today, but a brilliant footballer. There was also Tommy Taylor, great goal scorer and my good friend Dennis Viollet who was excellent. If they had managed to stay together I think that they would have gone on to dominate English Football for the next 8-10 years and whether Spurs would have done the first 20^th century double of League and Cup glory in 1961 I am not so certain.

 

I got to know Matt Busby pretty well when I moved into management of which more later, but what a manager, he survived Munich by the skin of his teeth and recovered to fashion a truly great club. He also had the courage at the end of the 1955-56 season to ignore the Football Association who was calling for Manchester United to follow Chelsea’s lead and refuse an offer to participate in the fledgling European Cup that was won its first season by Real Madrid.

 

Matt Busby was having none of that, as he wanted to compete and prove himself against the very best……………

 

The following weekend on February 8^th 1958 was one of the most depressing days of my football career. It was bad enough we got absolutely hammered, again, at Kenilworth Road, losing 7-1 to a Luton side we had beaten earlier in the season 3-0 at home. Gordon Taylor scored four for Luton. Much worse than the result however was what had happened at Munich two days earlier when the plane carrying Manchester United home from their European Match against Red Star Belgrade crashed during a re-fuelling stop there. 

 

21 people, players, reporters and staff were killed instantly. They included friends of mine – Eddie Colman in particular I knew well, but also Roger Byrne and David Pegg. Duncan Edwards had survived but was in intensive care – I was certain from having played with and against Duncan that he would survive. He was a colossus; I felt that if any man could pull through it would be him. Tragically he was to die 15 days later and the world lost a great footballer and a decent man. No match should have been played that weekend after the tragedy and although I am not blaming our defeat for off the field events I know I was myself not in a fit state to play a game of football. Every match should have been postponed that weekend.