Random This Tragic Event Shook Soccer World In 1958, But Brought Sport’s Fiercest Rivals Togeth (12 items)

• (#11) Real Madrid Dedicated Its European Cup Win To Manchester United

   

  A post shared by RMCF Hala Madrid (@rmcfhalamadrid) on May 5, 2018 at 10:09pm PDT

   

  Real Madrid beat Milan in the final game of the European Cup on May 28, 1958. The team dedicated the win to Manchester United, and the club president, Santiago Bernabéu, offered his trophy to the team. There was profound respect between the coaches; Bernabéu even extended Busby a job opportunity at one point. He also volunteered Manchester one of his players, Alfredo di Stéfano (a gift the league may have blocked), and proposed the Manchester team take a vacation in Spain on his dime. 
• (#7) Manchester's Biggest Rival, Liverpool, Offered To Loan The Manchester Team Five Players

   

  A post shared by The History Of Football (@footballhistory124) on Feb 6, 2018 at 12:59pm PST

   

  Manchester United's interim coach, Jimmy Murphy, rebuilt the team. Though the rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester runs deeper than mere soccer, the tragedy of 1958 transcended traditional hard feelings. Liverpool offered Manchester United five players from its roster. Murphy later recalled how desperate his situation was, noting: 

  People wanted to help, but they could not give me the help I wanted. I didn’t need people to open letters and help in ways like that. I needed players. Liverpool and Nottingham Forest offered to do what they could, but I was left trying to sort out what I had, what I needed, and what I could get. Then the coffins started to arrive at the ground.
• (#1) Manchester United's Plane Crashed On Its Third Attempt To Take Off

   

  A post shared by Ian (@mrp2612) on Apr 7, 2018 at 11:15am PDT

   

  On February 6, 1958, Captain James Thain and his co-pilot, Kenneth Rayment, made three unsuccessful takeoff attempts. On the third try, the aircraft managed to achieve full power. As they made their way down the runway, measuring a little more than a mile, however, the plane skidded off the path. It crashed into a home, as well as a truck containing fuel and highly combustible tires, resulting in an explosion. The plane itself disintegrated, and there were small fires throughout the wreckage.
• (#4) The Pilot Almost Abandoned Efforts To Take Off From Munich, Which Would Have Avoided The Crash

  After eliminating Red Star Belgrade, the Serbian soccer team, from the European Cup on February 5, 1958, the Manchester United team joined reporters and supporters on board their plane returning to England. Along the way, the small plane stopped in Munich, Germany, to refuel.

  Captain Thain attempted a takeoff, but encountered difficulties with the aircraft's pressure gauges. After a second attempt, the passengers de-boarded the plane and went to the airport lounge. There was talk of waiting until the next day to try again - the team even sent word back to England they'd likely take a day to return home. Eventually, however, the passengers boarded the plane once more for an ill-fated attempt at takeoff.
• (#6) Former WWII Pilot James Thain Was Blamed For The Crash

   

  A post shared by Duncan Turner (@duncan_turner1) on Feb 6, 2018 at 10:52am PST

   

  In the immediate aftermath of the Munich crash, German authorities determined Captain Thain was responsible for the crash. According to investigators, Thain failed to have the plane properly de-iced before takeoff. 

  They said the airplane was thickly blanketed with snow, especially from the wings. In their final report, investigators stated, "Apart from the ice, we couldn't find any other reason which could have contributed to the air crash."

  Thain was an experienced Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot who had served during WWII, as had his co-pilot, Rayment. Thain ultimately walked away from the crash, but Rayment was seriously injured and died months later. 
• (#8) Manchester United Won Its First Game After The Crash

   

  A post shared by Manchester United Bahrain (@muscbh) on Nov 25, 2013 at 3:03am PST

   

  Manchester United played its first game less than two weeks after the crash, facing Sheffield Wednesday in a Football Association Challenge Cup - FA Cup - match on February 15, 1958. Coach Murphy cobbled together a team of mostly reserve and temporary players, but Munich air disaster survivors Harry Gregg and Bill Foulkes took the field as well.

  Many of the interim players were just teenagers, including 17-year-old Alex Dawson and 19-year-old Shay Brennan. Dawson went on to score 54 goals in his 93 games with the team, while Brennan stayed with United until 1970. Manchester United won the game 3-0. 

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