The Lost Babes
Manchester United And The Forgotten Victims Of Munich
Paperback and Hardcover
Written By: Jeff Connor
Much has been written about the Munich air disaster, and in particular
the lost generation of footballers that perished on that fateful day in
1958.
Players like Duncan Edwards, Tommy Taylor, Roger Byrne and Liam
Whelan - a native of Cabra in Dublin - were part of the exciting team
that was been moulded by Matt Busby. Their goal was to conquer Europe.
The icy runway at Munich put pay to that dream and it was another 10
years before Busby, who was twice given the last rites after the crash,
realised his own ambition for the club by guiding them to European Cup
success.
That sultry night in Wembley in May 1968 was a night to savour for all
Manchester United fans and a perfect way to remember the eight players
and three club officials who were cruelly taken from this world.
Their place in soccer immortality is ensured, whether it is in Manchester
or in the many other parts of the globe where United are followed.
Jeff Connor is a fan, yet he has only seen one game at Old Trafford
since Munich, preferring to remember the exciting style of football
played by the Babes before the disaster. His fascination with this
period lead him to focus on the players who survived Munich and the
relatives of the victims. While Connor had some reservations about
writing the book and cashing in on Munich, he was encouraged to do
so by the relatives.
They were stories to tell of neglect on the part of the biggest soccer
club in the world to help those who were directly affected by the
tragedy. Former players Johnny Berry and Albert Scanlon spoke of how
their confidence was shattered. Indeed Berry was later evicted from his
club house and never played for United again. The revered Northern
Ireland player Jackie Blanchflower lost his home and lived for many
years enduring both physical and mental trauma. The common view
echoed was that those who died in Munich had gone on to us a better
place, while those who survived were denied a chance for the wounds
to heal, as they should have done, with time.
It wasn't until 1997, on the eve of the Champions League final in
Munich that the surviving players gathered in a hotel and came up with
a plan to ask Manchester United for compensation. The question is why
it took it so long.
In his introduction to the book, Connor noted that the powers that be
at Old Trafford were somewhat sensitive about the subject of the
Munich air disaster. The many e-mails that Connor sent to United's
former Chief Executive Peter Kenyon were unanswered.
It is also interesting to note that Bobby Charlton, now a director of
Manchester United, was not present at the meeting in the Munich hotel.
This sensitivity on the part of Manchester United obviously hindered
Connor in giving a more detailed account on how the club as a whole was
affected by Munich. That's a pity, because in reading the book, you
feel there is much more to tell. The frustration felt by the victims is
palpable.
As a fan, Connor outlines the history of Manchester United and how
the club emerged in the post war years to become a power house of
English football. The formation of the Busby Babes is also explored in
much detail. There are countless books written about United and I didn't
think another history lesson was going to be on offer in 'The Lost Babes'.
Maybe we could have been spared this if Manchester United, in the words
of the author, were more forthcoming about the events and the aftermath
of what happened on that snowy day 51 years ago.
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