The Busby Babes and Munich 1958: How United Remembers

Remembering Munich

United remembers the Munich air disaster through its memorial plaque at Old Trafford, supporter-led ceremonies and accounts of the lives of all 23 people who died. These acts of remembrance connect the story of the Busby Babes with the wider group who travelled on the aircraft.

This guide explains what happened on the journey home from Belgrade, names the eight United players who died and looks at how supporters have gathered to remember them. It also suggests ways to learn more, at Old Trafford or from home.

The journey and its aftermath

On 6 February 1958, United’s aircraft stopped in Munich to refuel on its return journey from a European Cup tie in Belgrade. The first two attempts to take off were aborted. On the third attempt, the aircraft crashed.

The disaster claimed 23 lives, including those of eight United players and three club officials. Duncan Edwards survived the initial crash but died from his injuries 15 days later.

In the aftermath, Jimmy Murphy helped assemble a makeshift United team that reached the 1958 FA Cup final, where it lost to Bolton Wanderers. The final is part of the football story that followed Munich, but remembrance begins with the people affected by the disaster.

Questions supporters may have

Which United players died?

The eight players were Geoff Bent, Eddie Colman, Roger Byrne, Duncan Edwards, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor and Liam Whelan.

Their names are a starting point for learning about their individual lives. They also provide a connection between the football team known as the Busby Babes and the personal loss behind the history.

Where is the Munich Memorial Plaque?

The plaque is on the east side of Old Trafford. It was the gathering point for a ceremony marking the 65th anniversary in 2023, when hundreds came together below it. The service was organised by the fan group Munich58.

For a supporter visiting the stadium, the plaque offers a place to pause and reflect. A visit need not coincide with an anniversary: it can also be a moment to remember while learning about the club’s history.

What happened at the 2023 service?

The ceremony included songs, poems and a reading of the names of those who died. Wreaths were laid, followed by a minute’s silence. United’s account of the service describes a gathering that combined a shared act of remembrance with attention to individual names.

The reading of names is especially significant: it gives everyone gathered a moment to recognise the people behind a familiar historical account. The silence leaves space for private reflection within a public ceremony.

Who is Munich58?

A 2024 supporters’ brochure describes Munich58 as an independent organisation founded in 2001 to keep the memory of the Busby Babes alive for future generations. Its organisation of the 2023 ceremony is an example of supporters taking an active role in that work.

How remembrance has continued

Remembrance can take different forms. A ceremony brings people together in one place; a book gives readers time to learn about individual lives away from a crowd.

United’s 2022 article about its commemorative book The Flowers of Manchester says the book profiles all 23 people who died, as well as the 21 other passengers and crew who survived. For someone who knows Munich mainly as a football story, those profiles offer a way to explore the experiences of the wider group on board.

United also published plans for a 68th-anniversary service at Old Trafford on 6 February 2026, alongside tributes at Manchesterplatz to be led by the Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation. The announcement confirms the plans, not whether either event took place. It should not be treated as a report of what happened on the day.

The available accounts therefore offer snapshots rather than a complete timetable of every commemoration. The 2023 service shows what one gathering involved; the 2026 announcement shows what was planned. Checking that distinction helps keep a retelling accurate.

Taking part as a supporter

If you are at Old Trafford, you can visit the area of the Munich Memorial Plaque and take a quiet moment to reflect. If you hope to attend a service, check the relevant published information for its arrangements rather than assuming that a previous ceremony’s format will be repeated.

From home, start with the names of the players, then look beyond the squad to the other people on the aircraft. The Flowers of Manchester offers profiles of those who died and those who survived. United’s account of the 2023 ceremony is another place to read about a specific act of remembrance.

You might also share what you learn with a younger supporter. Taking time over the names and distinguishing a verified account from an assumption can make that conversation more meaningful. There is no single required way to remember: listening at a ceremony, reading a profile or pausing by the plaque can each give the history the attention it deserves.

Explore more of the club’s past in our Club History section, or visit Old Trafford & Matchday for more on the stadium. Our Fan Culture section looks at the wider experience of following United.