Munich air disaster - 50th anniversary: United make a hash of preparations.

Manchester United supporters have been angered by the club's insensitivity at the unveiling of a huge image of the Busby Babes which adorns virtually the whole of Old Trafford East stand facade. The image has been erected as this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster in which eight of the Busby Babes lost their lives.

In an age where sponsors logos appear just about everywhere, the club took the somewhat controversial decision to include their main sponsors logo alongside the famed photo of the Busby Babes team line-up which was taken before a European Cup tie in Belgrade in February 1958 just prior to the air crash.

I'm not giving the sponsor yet more publicity by naming them here, but the irony is that in protesting about the point they have received a lot more publicity than perhaps they might have done otherwise, though it is publicity of the sort than any half decent organisation would not want, given the gross insensitivity of this error of judgement. United have effectively put a sponsors name on a memorial. It's a bit like including a sponsors logo on a grave stone. You simply would not do it.

As if including the sponsors name wasn't bad enough, the club also managed to get the words wrong in the famous Manchester United Calypso song which has been sung by the fans throughout the last five decades in memory of the Babes. To their credit the club have agreed to amend the wording which should read "...bunch of bouncing Busby Babes".

However, the club have stated that they see nothing wrong with including the sponsors name in this memorial tribute, this speaks volumes about the people who run Manchester United.

The lousy local rag that is the Manchester Evening News is also cashing in on the anniversary by producing a special supplement, you do wonder where the profits of this venture will end up, no doubting in the coffers of the paper's owners.

Meanwhile, the official Manchester City supporters club have sent a letter to United asking if prior to the badly timed derby at Old Trafford rather than have a minute's silence, fans should applaud the disaster. You do not applaud disasters, it is as simple as that and City fans will, for once, have to behave themselves. United should not be dictated to by numpties who have no sense of respect, decency or history. It is so bad that Man City fans have had to be reminded by their own club by letter than one of their own Frank Swift perished in the crash.

In repsonse to the request a spokesman for United said "It's a solemn event."
He added: "We don't think applause is the best way to commemorate the death of 23 people."

Manchester City supporters have a long history of letting their club and Manchester down when the two sides meet by mocking the 1958 disaster. Let us hope that for once sense prevails on February 10th when the two sides clash.

Red Star Belgrade souvenir sold as controversy rages..

A Red Star Belgrade souvenir given to all United players at a banquet following the Busby Babes last game prior to the Munich air disaster has been sold at auction for over four times its reserve price for £4,100. The unknown seller who was given the souvenir as a 50th birtday present by his father, who it is claimed, found the it some four to six weeks later a quarter of a mile from the wreckage, says he is dismayed that some people have attacked his father over the sale.

Auctioneer William Andrews defended the sale, saying: "I am very happy with the history of the plate.

"The owner is a bit dismayed that people have attacked his father but it hasn't changed his outlook one bit.

"He is going to make a donation of a percentage of the sale of the plate either to a charity of Manchester United's choice or even to go to local schools so they can buy tickets for local school children to go round the Manchester United museum."

For their part United have said that they would have liked to have been offered the souvenir for display in the club museum.

Reds fans will be hoping that the msytery buyer at auction held at Ludlow Racecourse does the right thing and donates it to the club.


BBC news tv report from 1958 following the crash

Sold to the highest bidder.

Charlton upset at sale

We want our Red Star Belgrade plaque back...

After close on forty years of supporting the Red's, it still amazes me how some Manchester City fans are so bitter and twisted where the subject of anything to do with United is concerned.

Take for instance the latest revelation that a plaque given to United by Red Star Belgrade at a banquet directly after the game in February 1958 has suddenly re-surfaced and is being auctioned.

This plaque disappeared after the fateful crash a day later. It is now up for auction, after, it would appear, one of the rescue team, a British Aid worker, "retrieved" the plaque from the smouldering wreckage, and for reasons best known to himself, decided to take it home and keep it hidden for 50 years.

After the understandable outrage from Old Trafford some blues have contacted the Manchester Evening News with their usual anti-United bile.

One City fan has written in claiming that United have "exploited" the crash for 50 years. Another one suggests that United want the plaque back so they can display it in the museum and profit from extra admission charges. Bizarrely, one even condones the auction and profiteering of a crime for the simple reason United are not a British owned club.

Let me retort. It doesn't matter if your team is owned by a family of introverted American businessmen, a Russian gangster or even a former prime minister of an Oriental backwater with a dodgy Human Rights record. Something of ours was stolen, it doesn't matter how long ago - we want it back.

What cannot be disputed is the fact that whoever the dispicable person was who stole the plaque they were guilty of one of the most heinous acts of looting. What would be made of a fireman who came into a house to extinguish a blaze and helped himself to a family airloom?

There is also no doubt about the real owners of the plaque - it belongs to
Manchester United and should be returned immediately. End of story.

I feel saddened that some of these City fans still refer to us as "Munich's" and chant obnoxious and disgraceful songs about the disaster at derby games. Have they no idea that one of their greatest ever players, Frank Swift, also perished in the 1958 Munich air-crash disaster?

It's a sad indictment of our society when, just because of the hatred born out of seething jealousy, some of these imbeciles have nurtured about our club, they actually take the time and effort to write (I'm also surprised that some of them can) to a newspaper condoning an abhorrent criminal act while having pathetic little digs at United.

Will they ever learn?

PeteBug.