| Birth: | May 26, 1909, Scotland | | Death: | Jan. 20, 1994, England | 
British Football Player, Manager. Born in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, he was educated at St. Bride's School in Bothwell, then came South to play for Manchester City (1929 to 1936) and Liverpool (1936 to 1939), as well as playing one international match for Scotland, before the Second World War cut short his playing career. After the War, during which he served in the Army Physical Training Corps, he became the manager of Manchester United, and led his team to victory in the F.A. Cup (1948) and the Football League Championship (1952, 1956 and 1957.) Due to the fact that many of his players, notably Bobby Charlton and the late Duncan Edwards, were still in their teens, the team became known as the Busby Babes. In 1958, they were expected to be the first British club to win the European Cup. However, on February 6, on their return from the quarter final at Red Star Belgarde, the flight (a British European Airways "Elizabethan" class Airspeed Ambassador) stopped for re-fuelling at Munich Airport, and crashed on take-off in the heavy snow. Of the 43 people on board, 23 were killed: eight players; three officials of the club; eight of the nine sportswriters (two of whom, Henry Rose and Eric Thompson, are buried in the same cemetery as Busby); two of the aircrew; and two passengers. He was taken to the Rechts der Isar Hospital and was given the last rites on two occasions, but survived. The few remaining players, along with others from the youth squad, managed to reach the final of the F.A. Cup, but were beaten by Bolton Wanderers. Busby was then made a Commander of the British Empire. During the 1960s, he rebuilt the team with such legendary players as George Best and Denis Law, and they won another F.A. Cup Final (1963) and two more League Championships (1965 and 1967.) In 1968 at Wembley, Manchester United beat Benfica of Portugal 5-1 to become the first English side to win the European Cup. (The previous year, Glasgow Celtic from Scotland had been the first British side to do so.) Busby was then knighted, and retired as manager, although he continued to be involved with Manchester United, firstly as General Manager, then as a Director, then as the President. Busby's name may be known, even to non-football fans, because he was mentioned in the song "Dig It" on the Beatles' album "Let It Be" (1970). (bio by: Iain MacFarlaine)
Search Amazon for Matt Busby | | | Burial:
Southern Cemetery
Chorlton-Cum-Hardy
Lancashire, England
Plot: G 997 (Roman Catholic section) |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: Iain MacFarlaine
Record added: Mar 31, 2005
Find A Grave Memorial# 10710263 |
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