Munich air disaster

The Munich air disaster occurred on February 6, 1958, when Flight BE609, a British European Airways "Elizabethan" class Airspeed Ambassador charter aircraft G-ALZU 'Lord Burghley', carrying players and backroom staff of Manchester United F.C., plus a number of journalists and supporters, crashed in a blizzard on its third attempt to take off from Munich-Riem airport.

Tributes

Music

• The English folk band The Spinners released a song about the disaster, titled The Flowers of Manchester, in 1962.
• The Mancunian singer Morrissey released a song called Munich Air Disaster 1958 (as a b-side to Irish Blood, English Heart) in 2004, and performed it live several times that year. It later appeared on his live album Live at Earls Court in 2005.

Film

Barry Navidi is currently working on a script for a Hollywood film about the Munich air crash. The Manchester Evening News (April 22, 2005) reported that the survivors had not been consulted and were concerned about how accurate the film would be. Bill Foulkes was quoted as saying, "If the film was made properly and was respectful to those who perished, it could be a tribute to the Busby Babes which could be seen for generations to come. And those great players who died that day deserve to be remembered. But what worries me is that none of the survivors have been contacted by the film-makers. And without that first-hand knowledge, I don't believe it is possible to make a film like this with any degree of accuracy." Harry Gregg said, "I am sure all of us who were lucky enough to survive the crash have the right to know how we are going to be depicted in the film. Even more important is what the film might say about our team-mates who died that day. They left behind wives and children who are still alive and people over in Hollywood need to take their feelings into consideration before making a film like this." John Doherty, a United player who had not travelled to Belgrade because of injury, was less restrained: "I think it's a terrible idea. It couldn't possibly be a tribute to the Busby Babes, because whoever is making the film doesn't know the people involved. Unless you were there, how could you know what conversations took place? ... As far as I'm concerned, the whole thing stinks. The only reason anyone would want to make a film like this is to make money."

Related Topics:
Barry Navidi - Manchester Evening News - April 22 - 2005 - Bill Foulkes - Busby Babes - Harry Gregg

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