"God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast and when I run, I feel his pleasure."
The Busby Babes
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Richard Skinner, Chatham, Urbane Publications, 2016. ISBN 978-1-910692-57-8
The book tells the story of how Matt Busby built up the great Manchester United team of the late 1950s, how the heart of the team was killed in the Munich air crash in 1958 and what happened to individuals and the team afterwards.The story is well researched and told in minute details, player by player. The uniqueness of the “Busby babes” is illustrated by the comment “so talented and young was the squad of ’Babes’ that Busby didn’t need to buy a single player between 1953 and1957”.
The human side of the tragedy comes out in the sentiment expressed by more than one surviving player of guilt that they had survived while others had died. The struggle by Bobby Charlton and others to return to Old Trafford and play football again after what they had experienced is poignant. Harry Gregg describes finding the other goalkeeper, Ray Wood, in the wreckage, badly injured. Gregg admits to thinking: “Oh poor old Woody, he won’t bother me again. ‘Cos he was the other goalkeeper. Now that sounds a terrible thing, but that’s true”.
Three times the book recounts the last recorded words of Liam Whelan. Another player had just said that they were all going to die when Liam Whelan sitting on the outside of the table said. ’Well if it happens I’m ready to go’”. There is no doubt that Whelan, expressed his Christian faith in his final moments alive but exactly what he said is less certain. The monument at Old Trafford records it as “If the worst happens, I’m ready” and other sources as “If this is the time, I’m ready”.
Another reference to Christian faith – a particular interest of this reviewer – was with respect to Bert Whalley, a coach who died at Munich, described as a Methodist Lay Preacher, who on Sundays looked out for the young players who were a long way from home and “would invite them round to his house for afternoon tea. He served them tomatoes and ham salad, then took them to Sunday Service”. [That the author found out and recorded what was served for tea is an example of his thoroughness!]
On the other hand there were a few strange statements. Reference is made to Bobby Charlton’s 245 goals for Manchester United with the added comment: “No one has come anywhere close to scoring as many goals for United” – no one but Wayne Rooney who overtook Charlton shortly after the book was published.
The book refers to Professor Georg Maurer, the doctor in Munich most involved in the aftercare of the players, on the same page as a surgeon and a physician. Harry Gregg is referred to as a protestant yet quoted as saying: “And at that stage in my life for me to swear off a football pitch was like missing Mass or something, or not going to confession”.
A comprehensive tribute to those who perished at Munich for those who can remember it and those who cannot.