Manchester United and the footballing world will stand in solidarity on the 60th anniversary of the Munich air disaster this Tuesday.
On February 6, 1958, United’s plane crashed on a flight back from a European Cup tie away to Red Star Belgrade, a tragedy which resulted in 23 people losing their lives.
Sir Bobby Charlton and Harry Gregg survived and will be at Old Trafford on Tuesday afternoon for a ceremony marking 60 years since the disaster, alongside the families of current and former players, staff, media and friends.
United manager Jose Mourinho and captain Michael Carrick will lay wreaths on behalf of the club and players, with a minute’s silence to be held at 3.04pm – the time of the fatal crash in Munich.
The first team and under-23s will be at an event that will include readings from former manager Sir Alex Ferguson, club director Michael Edelson and the club’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
United fans have organised a memorial ceremony in Germany at the monument marking the disaster in Munich, where club ambassador Denis Irwin and senior executives will join around 2,000 United fans.
Our Munich Air Disaster commemorations continue on Tuesday 6 February with a service inside Old Trafford. All are welcome to attend. pic.twitter.com/P69EQC1GFK
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 4, 2018
A few surviving doctors and nurses involved in the treatment of manager Sir Matt Busby and his team will be in attendance, with the fans donating art to the hospital in an expression of gratitude for the treatment they provided.
The mayor of Munich and senior figures from the city’s Bundesliga side Bayern will also be present, while another event is also being held in Serbia.
Ahead of United’s under-19s playing FK Brodarac in the UEFA Youth League on Wednesday, academy boss Nicky Butt and his squad will meet with the British Embassy in Belgrade along with officials from Red Star.
Vladica Popovic played for Red Star against United in 1958 and will be at the reception hosted in the same hotel that Busby and his side used 60 years ago.
The under-19s and club officials will lay a wreath and observe a minute’s silence at 3.04pm at Partizan Stadium – the venue for the European Cup quarter-final between the clubs.
The commemorative events began at Old Trafford on Saturday as Huddersfield arrived in the Premier League.
Hundreds of fans congregated under the Munich plaque to pay their respects outside the ground, where there were readings, prayers and a rendition of the Flowers of Manchester.
When inside Old Trafford, fans received a commemorative pack containing a book telling the story of the disaster along with a complimentary programme and letter from Woodward.
We will never forget. pic.twitter.com/Bjo3QrvnmS
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 3, 2018
“(Munich) is forever woven into the fabric of this club’s history,” Woodward wrote in a letter to fans, who impeccably observed a minute’s silence ahead of a 2-0 win that Juan Mata dedicated to the victims of the Munich disaster and their families.
“Obviously it was a special game, a very sad memory,” he told MUTV.
“It was a thing that changed the history of the club and the club showed the passion and the energy that we all have in Manchester United.
“So, we pay respect to the victims and their families, and they will always be in our memories.
“It was a game to win for them and we did it.”
Provided by Press Association Sport
