Fans want Munich silence re-think
The memorial clock at Old Trafford shows the time of the air crash on 6 February 1958
The memorial clock at Old Trafford commemorates the disaster
Manchester City's official supporters club has written to Manchester United to ask for applause to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.
A minute's silence is planned before the rivals' match at Old Trafford on 10 February to commemorate the 23 people who were killed in the plane crash.
But City fans feel applause would "drown out rather than highlight any idiot who does not show respect".
City have also urged their supporters to "uphold our good name".
Eight United stars and former City keeper Frank Swift were among those who lost their lives as a result of the crash, which happened on 6 February, 1958.
City's supporters group has written to both United and the Premier League ahead of the derby.
The letter says they "plead" with United to change their plans, adding: "Although there is some friendly rivalry between supporters of the two clubs, there is also a great deal of hatred.
"There will be some City fans who will not want to go along with the recognition of the disaster.
"We think it is obvious that if there is a minute's silence some fool will interrupt it and this will reflect very badly not only on Manchester United but on Manchester and football supporters in general."
However, United are believed to consider a minute's silence the most appropriate way to mark the anniversary of the disaster.
Manchester City's official stance is that they will support whatever decision United take.
They have also written to the 3,000 of their fans who have tickets for the derby to ask them to show respect.
The letter also points out that former City keeper Swift, who was working for the News of the World, was among those who died in the crash.
I find this intriguing. Who says that the divine way to honor people is to be silent? Why not honor and remember them with the loudest applause and cheers you can muster? As the City fans have stated, it would have its benefits. It may not be conventional, but I think it's smart because the rivalry WILL result in some idiocy which will be heard by all and may be very painful for some.
"Collar turned up, back straight, chest stuck out, he glided into the arena as if he owned the fucking place. Any arena, but nowhere more effectively than Old Trafford. This was his stage. He loved it, the crowd loved him" -Roy Keane on Eric Cantona
I agree, i bet any money that some drunk scum bag will shout during it or answer there phone. Silence or applause i honestly dont mind at all, so long as it's respected.
the applause might have been a good alternative for the FA too but i suppose they dont have the brain cells to implement it.
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i massively disagree. i was planning on an article on this very topic. by not having a moment of silence, you've already been defeated. what needs to happen is a media backlash if a moment of silence isn't respected and this way society will change and mature. If you keep on taking these moments away from the fans, all you do is foster the behavior in the future. it's time for the stick, not the carrot
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There is a reason I bleed red. United until I die.
manchester united also disagree with the idea.
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=525894
Quote:
Originally Posted by manutd.com
United reject applause idea
United have dismissed suggestions there could be a minute's applause at Old Trafford when fans mark 50 years since the Munich tragedy.
Tuesday's papers report opposition fans have urged the Reds not to hold a minute's silence before the Manchester City match on Sunday 10 February - the nearest fixture to the anniversary - because of fears the tribute may be disrupted by a dissenting minority.
But Phil Townsend, United's communications director, told us today:
"Manchester United have given great thought to the best way of remembering those who died at Munich. We feel a minute’s silence is the most appropriate way of paying tribute.
"We do not feel that applause is appropriate given that 23 people died.”
A number of tributes are planned for the City match. For example, the two sides will wear special kit that will not feature the clubs' sponsors.
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Wembley to hold Munich silence
Minute's silence to be held before England v Switzerland
Quote:
The Football Association has announced that a minute's silence will be held before England's friendly against Switzerland next Wednesday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.
Eight Manchester United players were among 23 people killed in an air crash in Munich on 6th February 1958.
A number of club officials and eight sports journalists were also killed in the disaster, which happened when the plane crashed while taking off from Munich airport on the way back from a European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade.
England's match at Wembley falls 50 years to the day after the disaster and the FA has confirmed England players will mark the occasion by wearing black armbands, and that there will be a minute's silence at the match.
FA director of communications Adrian Bevington said he was confident fans of all clubs would respect the silence.
Respect
Bevington said: "We will be having a minute's silence in respect of Munich at the England v Switzerland game.
"We believe very strongly that this should be and will be respected and that there's a feeling across the whole country that a minute's silence is the best and most appropriate way to remember everybody who lost their lives in the tragedy."
FA chief executive Brian Barwick has spoken with his United counterpart David Gill and club secretary Ken Ramsden to ensure the club are happy with the plans.
Bevington added: "The players will be wearing black armbands and there will be film on both giant screens of the Busby Babes.
Tribute
"There will also be a tribute to the Busby Babes in the match programme.
"This was a tragedy for Manchester United in 1958 but we should also recognise there were England players who were lost while representing English football in European competition."
they will and what's more important is that the media steps up on this one. they have proven on a weekly basis to be a bunch of weak bitches, but this is one time where their hype can really create a backlash. the country's mindset needs to change and hopefully a public reaction can really have an effect going forward.
Quality of Posts > Quantity of Posts
There is a reason I bleed red. United until I die.
I find this intriguing. Who says that the divine way to honor people is to be silent? Why not honor and remember them with the loudest applause and cheers you can muster? As the City fans have stated, it would have its benefits. It may not be conventional, but I think it's smart because the rivalry WILL result in some idiocy which will be heard by all and may be very painful for some.
All that's well and good, but here's the thing: Why should Manchester United feel obligated to make concessions to a visiting team (least of all City) and their fans over something like this? Whatever Manchester United chooses to do is entirely their prerogative, and nobody from the City side should have any leverage in this. In fact, if the potential for a City fan to spoil the tribute needs to be addressed by any club at all, it needs to be addressed by City.
The idea that the City fans feel it's their place to approach United is preposterous to me.
Baby May does her impressions of a Swiss roll and Bono
Man, this is going to be an emotional match. I definitely want to see the tribute videos and interviews from Sir Bobby Charlton and others about that day.
Quote:
I'd hate people to forget how good the Munich team were, but Sir Alex's thrilling team is the best tribute, says Sir Bobby Charlton
Sir Bobby Charlton has always represented a tangible and dignified link to Manchester United's glorious and tragic past.
A survivor of the plane crash that took the lives of eight team-mates in 1958, a European Cup winner 10 years later and part of the delegation who made initial contact with Sir Alex Ferguson 21 years ago, Charlton has been at the core of events that have shaped the club he continues to represent as a director and ambassador.
On Wednesday, he will take his place at an emotional Old Trafford ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of what people in his beloved Manchester refer to simply as 'Munich'.
Charlton survived the crash which killed 23
It will be a difficult day for one of Sir Matt Busby's favourite sons but Charlton firmly believes that the current United first team are an enduring tribute to his late manager and his fallen colleagues.
Charlton said: "They would be very proud of the way this team play, really, they would. Their coach was Jimmy Murphy, the manager was Matt Busby and their philosophy was always adventurous football.
"Matt always said to me: 'All those lads you see in the morning going into work at Trafford Park, they come to watch you on a Saturday. They have a boring job so you have to give them something a little bit special, something they will enjoy'.
"He was always saying: 'Don't be afraid to express yourselves' and that's how it is now with the wonderful and exciting players we have. They know how to express themselves and it's wonderful. And fitting."
At 70, Charlton remains immediately recognisable as the man who scored twice when United beat Benfica at Wembley to win the European Cup on behalf of those who had died 10 years before.
But to Charlton, Munich remains an open wound and he worries that as time passes and memories fade, so will the legacy of those who died.
He was only 20 at the time of the disaster and new to the team who were ripped apart on the afternoon of February 6, 1958.
Charlton clearly remains in awe of his late friends.
"You look at old films of the players and you think everything is slow and ponderous," he smiled.
"But, I tell you, in those days you had to earn your wage. The pitches were unbelievably bad, the ball was heavy, the weather was bad.
"What happened was a tragedy. It's really, really upsetting, even today. But it's better for me to tell people how good they were. I would hate to think people would forget it.
"People don't believe me sometimes when I tell them how good Duncan Edwards was. Tommy Taylor. David Pegg. Eddie Colman. Billy Whelan. They all had unbelievable ability.
"Look at Duncan. He was just a massive, massive talent. That's the only way I can describe him. There's a picture on the wall of the old youth team room and he looks twice the size of anybody else.
"In stature he was enormous. He was strong, he was tough, he could use his right foot, his left foot. He was a great long passer, a great short passer, he had great stamina and he could play in any position he wanted. And he was only 21. Incredible."
They say modern footballers do not care but United's first-team squad certainly listened earlier this month when Charlton addressed them after showing them a DVD of Munich. By all accounts, it was a remarkable occasion.
Dragged from the wreckage of the stricken plane by United goalkeeper Harry Gregg, Charlton suffered cuts to his head in the crash and spent a week in the same Munich hospital where the likes of Edwards lost their own struggles for life.
"I was young and concussed after the accident and I didn't find out until the following morning who had actually been killed," recalled Charlton, who has often spoken of the guilt he still feels.
"It was like someone reading out the names of pals you go to the dance with at the weekend.
"Friends who would invite you to go to their house for dinner at Christmas because you were living in digs. Everyone was so happy, and there was so much laughter on the plane because we had qualified in Belgrade.
"There was a first attempt to take off but they said we had a technical problem and would have to go back. We did that for a second time and, again, the message came through that we couldn't take off.
"And then, the third time they called us, the plane just went straight along the runway.
"When you fly you have a general idea how long it takes to take off and I was sitting there thinking there's something not quite right here.
"We went through a perimeter fence and then I don't remember anything until afterwards."
Travelling around the world with United and seeing Charlton in his customary seat on the plane, you wonder how on earth he manages to do it.
On this issue, he is pragmatic.
"First of all, you can't not fly any more. I'm not saying I can ever enjoy flying, but it doesn't worry me as much as it used to. Flying now is a lot less dangerous than it used to be.
"The accident happened simply because they didn't realise the speed of the aircraft, how much slush was on the runway, how much snow was coming down.
"These days, they wouldn't have taken off. I think about it quite often, about captain James Thain and what his thoughts were, and why we took off. But I suppose it will never be proved."
01-19-2008, 10:03 AM
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