Manchester United Banter Archive February 06 2018

06 Feb 2018 23:15:28
Todays commemorations were just another example of what makes Utd as a club so special. Not show biz glitz but honest mancunian values. Respectful, meaningful and dignified.

06 Feb 2018 23:01:56
Days like today are what make you realise how special it is to be a Manchester United fan. No matter what happens the red flag always flys high. I've grown up in the good times, yet I've always made a point of knowing our history. My grandfather drilled that into me as a kid.
I grew up on stories of Duncan Edwards, Sir Bobby and Tommy Taylor. The one story I want to share with you all is a story my grandad told me about a game at Highbury.
Duncan Edwards dragged us through the game to a 5-4 win ( I may be wrong) and he scored 2 of the most wonderful goals. He remarks how Duncan would drop back to get the ball to drag the team into the game. This turned out to be our last league game before the fateful accident.
Too this day I talk to my grandad about the great games, and he still looks back to that game and maintains there has never been a better team anywhere, they could have ruled the world. Through every single one of those men who took to the pitch this club lives on, our history shaped by them. This club can never forget them, and I'm so proud that we still honour their memories. I can only hope that we can make them players smile wherever they may be with our tributes, the way the brought joy to everyone who supported them.
I'm sorry this is almost a bit of a ramble, I can never really put into words how much heading these stories means to me and the fact that after all these years, mentioning Duncan Edwards can leave my grandad beaming from ear to ear.

A broken plane
A broken dream
A broken heart
A broken team
No words said
A silent vow
We loved you then, we love you now.

Caolán.

07 Feb 2018 00:06:36
Respect.

07 Feb 2018 00:47:11
Thanks for sharing caolan I really enjoyed reading that. Unfortunately I never got to see the Busby babes play but my grandfather was in love with them and still speaks in awe much like yours. It’s so sad that We never saw the fruition of this young and immensely talented team. My grandad often laments big Dunc and says he would have been one of the greatest players to have graced the game. Today’s tributes were beautiful and cements why we are the greatest club in the world.

07 Feb 2018 00:31:28
They were a fantastic team coalan and they would've ruled the football world. But their memory lives in our hearts.

Article about the last game before that terrible night.

goo.gl/dVLBw

07 Feb 2018 01:02:19
It’s important that the stories get passed through the generations, it’s a huge part of what keeps this incredible club alive.

07 Feb 2018 01:18:57
Thanks for that article AAA!

07 Feb 2018 18:26:11
In those days the results were given out as home team first, then away team. So, Arsenal 4 (my heart sank) then Manchester United 5. I can still feel that feeling of complete and utter joy. I was 8 years old!

06 Feb 2018 18:01:26
Think this is the poem Shan was talking about

Twas the night before Christmas, Old Trafford was bare. Twas the night before Christmas, Old Trafford was bare.
The staff all gone home, there was nobody there.
The lights cast a shadow, a soft glimmer which
lit up the soft green grass on the pitch.

Just as the clock gave out its twelfth chime
An old man appeared, as if frozen in time.
He gazed at the tunnel, then broke out in voice
"ITS TIME TO BEGIN. let's HAVE YOU MY BOYS"

Out from the tunnel appeared a lone figure
Same as in life, only infinitely bigger
The old man called out as he slowly drew near
"good evening Duncan, are the rest of you here"

The figure broke out in wide open smile
"Good Evening Sir Matt, it has been a long while
The rest are all coming, they'll be here soon, "
As seven more shadows were cast by the moon.

Whelan and Bent, Pegg, Taylor and Byrne,
Jones, and Colman, they came out in turn.
He greeted each one, just by calling their name
then proudly announced "do you fancy a game"

They took to the pitch, and the still night was broken
By leather on leather, not one word was spoken
They played once again, like they did long before
And imagined the sound of the Old Trafford roar

Edwards called out "come on lads let's pretend
That we've just scored a goal at the old Stretford End"
As they ran to the edge of the pitch by the goal
There in the stands sat a solitary soul.

His eyes were all puffy, his cheeks wet with tears
As his mind wandered back to those wonderful years
"come down and join us" they cried all as one
"yes come down and join them" said Matt "go on son"

The lonely man stood and with much pain he said
"I'm afraid I can't play with you, you are all dead.
You are all ghosts, and I am alive
That was the price that I paid to survive"

My role was to go on, inspire the team
And finally realise Matt Busbys dream
To tell of your greatness, and as I get older
To burden the weight of your life on my shoulders. "

The ghost of Sir Matt then raised up his head
Giving out a loud groan, he finally said
"Bobby, You survived, that much is true
But we wouldn't be here if it were not for you

For you are the one who has kept us alive
That was the reason you had to survive
If you were with us, all we have would be gone
And the game that we play could no longer go on

If you can't understand why it happened this way
Then come here and watch when United play
They sing about us, they remember us all
We live and we breathe with each kick of the ball

The legends that live here, Robson and Best,
Cantona, Law, Giggs, Scholes and the rest
They are us, we are them, we are all here as one
And that is the reason United goes on

So come down and join us, we're begging you do
You are still one of us, and we're still one of you"
And then Bobbys face rose and he gave them a smile
And he said "I would love to come play for a while"

They played and they played, as they did in the past
Only not quite as skillful, and not quite as fast
And when it was over, and when it was done
They'd defeated Benfica by four goals to one.

Then Sir Matt said "lads, its been fun you know
But It's now Christmas day, and we really must go"
They walked to the front of the stadium and turned
And Sir Bobby said "there is something I've learned"

"You did not die, on that February night
You're still here with us, as you're with me tonight
And you'll live on forever as long as we play
As the ghosts disappeared down Sir Matt Busby way.
The staff all gone home, there was nobody there.
The lights cast a shadow, a soft glimmer which
lit up the soft green grass on the pitch.

Just as the clock gave out its twelfth chime
An old man appeared, as if frozen in time.
He gazed at the tunnel, then broke out in voice
"ITS TIME TO BEGIN. let's HAVE YOU MY BOYS"

Out from the tunnel appeared a lone figure
Same as in life, only infinitely bigger
The old man called out as he slowly drew near
"good evening Duncan, are the rest of you here"

The figure broke out in wide open smile
"Good Evening Sir Matt, it has been a long while
The rest are all coming, they'll be here soon, "
As seven more shadows were cast by the moon.

Whelan and Bent, Pegg, Taylor and Byrne,
Jones, and Colman, they came out in turn.
He greeted each one, just by calling their name
then proudly announced "do you fancy a game"

They took to the pitch, and the still night was broken
By leather on leather, not one word was spoken
They played once again, like they did long before
And imagined the sound of the Old Trafford roar

Edwards called out "come on lads let's pretend
That we've just scored a goal at the old Stretford End"
As they ran to the edge of the pitch by the goal
There in the stands sat a solitary soul.

His eyes were all puffy, his cheeks wet with tears
As his mind wandered back to those wonderful years
"come down and join us" they cried all as one
"yes come down and join them" said Matt "go on son"

The lonely man stood and with much pain he said
"I'm afraid I can't play with you, you are all dead.
You are all ghosts, and I am alive
That was the price that I paid to survive"

My role was to go on, inspire the team
And finally realise Matt Busbys dream
To tell of your greatness, and as I get older
To burden the weight of your life on my shoulders. "

The ghost of Sir Matt then raised up his head
Giving out a loud groan, he finally said
"Bobby, You survived, that much is true
But we wouldn't be here if it were not for you

For you are the one who has kept us alive
That was the reason you had to survive
If you were with us, all we have would be gone
And the game that we play could no longer go on

If you can't understand why it happened this way
Then come here and watch when United play
They sing about us, they remember us all
We live and we breathe with each kick of the ball

The legends that live here, Robson and Best,
Cantona, Law, Giggs, Scholes and the rest
They are us, we are them, we are all here as one
And that is the reason United goes on

So come down and join us, we're begging you do
You are still one of us, and we're still one of you"
And then Bobbys face rose and he gave them a smile
And he said "I would love to come play for a while"

They played and they played, as they did in the past
Only not quite as skillful, and not quite as fast
And when it was over, and when it was done
They'd defeated Benfica by four goals to one.

Then Sir Matt said "lads, its been fun you know
But It's now Christmas day, and we really must go"
They walked to the front of the stadium and turned
And Sir Bobby said "there is something I've learned"

"You did not die, on that February night
You're still here with us, as you're with me tonight
And you'll live on forever as long as we play
As the ghosts disappeared down Sir Matt Busby way.

06 Feb 2018 18:32:30
Beautiful.

06 Feb 2018 18:52:05
Thanks Celtic. This i wonderful. So beautiful. Brings a tear down your cheek when you just picturise the poem. can't thank you enough.

06 Feb 2018 20:10:06
I put this on here at some point a while back. Makes me want to cry every time i read it. So well written and easy to picture the scene. Very sad!

06 Feb 2018 20:15:18
Incredible. Gets right to you, does that.

06 Feb 2018 20:45:57
Wow, that is an absolutely stunning poem. Draws you in and makes you visualise the scene. Thoughts are with the fans and survivors of this terrible tragedy.

06 Feb 2018 21:10:23
So beautifully written. Brought a team to my eye. I love our club even more and I didn’t think that was possible.

06 Feb 2018 23:33:30
Beautiful that should be read to the players every week before they go on the field.

07 Feb 2018 00:09:14
Respect.

07 Feb 2018 10:21:20
Amazin poem.

06 Feb 2018 15:34:17
I've mentioned it before, but I used to see Harry Gregg most mornings when I was working up in his neck of the woods. He'd be out walking the dog, and he'd always stop for a chat. He still loved talking about United.

I never dared asked him about Munich, but every now and then his thoughts would drift off, and I could see the pain still raw in his eyes.

An absolute hero, and a giant among men. Glad to see he's gone over to OT one last time, to say his goodbyes to his colleagues and friends.

I'm thinking of him today, and all those he had to leave behind.

06 Feb 2018 16:00:32
here here stevie.

06 Feb 2018 20:13:01
The word legend is thrown around far too easily these days. Harry Gregg is a TRUE legend! You can only imagine the torture he has gone through these past 60 years.

06 Feb 2018 14:34:02
Chelsea must be kicking themselves that they got rid of Matic.

{Ed002's Note - He wanted to leave so why would they be doing that. They will be thinking about the players they have and not those they don't have.}

06 Feb 2018 14:52:45
I'd imagine they'd be more concerned with the near two full squads of players on loan and how many will want to leave this summer. Or maybe the manager is an even bigger concern.

{Ed002's Note - They have no concerns about the loan players - each of which has a development plan and is individually monitored.}

06 Feb 2018 12:15:55
RIP to the Busby babes. Been reading up and researching the players that we sadly lost that terrible night and they truly were an amazing team that would have dominated for years. If any hasn’t seen it yet have a look at harry gregg’s poem it is heart wrenching and brings a tear to your eye. I never got the opportunity to watch the Busby babes but my grandfather fell in love with them and is the reason why I support united today. Always in our hearts and part of the DNA of the club.

06 Feb 2018 06:08:29
{Ed's Note - we have posted a new article entitled, Review Of The Day 6th February 2018