Twenty-three people lost their lives including eight of the Manchester United team, the immortal ‘Busby Babes’. Of the eight who perished most will have read about Duncan Edwards, who died fifteen days later of his injuries, Tommy Taylor, Liam Whelan, Eddie Colman (Snakehips) and Captain Roger Byrne. There were another three players who lost their lives that fateful day returning from Belgrade who are perhaps, and unintentionally, less well recorded. This blog post will take a brief look at these three players.
Geoff Bent
Geoff Bent was born on 27th September 1932 at Irlams ‘o the Heights, Salford then part of Lancashire. He died on 6th February 1958 aged 25. His father was a surface worker at Sandhole colliery and he and his wife, Clara, brought Geoff up in a matriarchal working-class family. At the age of 13 Bent, a keen swimmer, saved another child from drowning in the Manchester/Salford junction canal and was awarded a medal by his local ‘Humane Society’. Although encouraged by his father to play Rugby League he was only ever interested in playing Association Football. Starting his career as a forward he moved into defence first as a half-back then into the left-back position. He played for Barton Villa in the local league and in the 1946-47 season he captained the Salford Schoolboys to victory in the English Schools Trophy.
Geoff Bent played left-back for Manchester United from 1948 to 1958 making only twelve appearances as he was a permanent understudy for Unted skipper Roger Byrne, who also perished at Munich. Ther is no doubt at any other club Bent would have been a regular starter but at United where manager, Matt Busby, had assembled a pool of young talent Geoff was an invaluable understudy for Byrne. Many clubs tried to sign him but Busby was having none of it as his project was built around youth with experience and an understudy in all positions was an important aspect of his plan.
Geoff Bent
Geoff Bent was born on 27th September 1932 at Irlams ‘o the Heights, Salford then part of Lancashire. He died on 6th February 1958 aged 25. His father was a surface worker at Sandhole colliery and he and his wife, Clara, brought Geoff up in a matriarchal working-class family. At the age of 13 Bent, a keen swimmer, saved another child from drowning in the Manchester/Salford junction canal and was awarded a medal by his local ‘Humane Society’. Although encouraged by his father to play Rugby League he was only ever interested in playing Association Football. Starting his career as a forward he moved into defence first as a half-back then into the left-back position. He played for Barton Villa in the local league and in the 1946-47 season he captained the Salford Schoolboys to victory in the English Schools Trophy.
Geoff Bent played left-back for Manchester United from 1948 to 1958 making only twelve appearances as he was a permanent understudy for Unted skipper Roger Byrne, who also perished at Munich. Ther is no doubt at any other club Bent would have been a regular starter but at United where manager, Matt Busby, had assembled a pool of young talent Geoff was an invaluable understudy for Byrne. Many clubs tried to sign him but Busby was having none of it as his project was built around youth with experience and an understudy in all positions was an important aspect of his plan.
Geoff would no doubt have worn Roger Byrnes shirt when the latter eventually retired, Geoff being the younger by three years. He signed for Man Utd as a schoolboy and also took an apprenticeship as a carpenter in case the football career did not work out, the game in those days was not the certainty many players today take for granted. Alongside his apprenticeship he signed for United as an amateur going professional in 1951 playing alongside such player as a very young Bobby Charlton, Wilf McGuiness and the immortal Duncan Edwards. He was the perfect stand in for Roger Byrne and without the likes of Geoff Bent, Busby’s plans would perhaps never have reached fruition. He was a defender through and through and his job was to defend the goal not score them, a role he fulfilled perfectly. But for the Munch tragedy who knows what potential such players as Geoff Bent might have achieved. RIP Geoff Bent, never forgotten.
Mark Jones
Mark Jones was born on 15th June 1933 at Wombell, near Barnsley, South Yorkshire. He died on 6th February 1958 aged 24. Mark signed as an apprentice for Manchester United on leaving school in 1948, the year Matt Busby’s first great side lifted the FA Cup beating Blackpool 4-2. Like Geoff Bent with the uncertain world of football in those days Mark took an apprentice as a bricklayer in case things did not work out at Old Trafford. He had no fears on that score but youngsters were encouraged to take other employment as insurance. He played Centre-Half making his first two senior appearances for the team in the 1950-51 season. By 1955-56 when United won the First Division Mark was a regular starter for the team. He missed the 1957 Cup Final against Aston Villa due to an eye injury but did help United win the league, again, and almost the double!
Mark Jones made a total of 120 appearances for United 103 of those in the league. He was a defensive Centre-Half scoring one goal as, like Geoff Bent, his job was to stop the opposition scoring which he did very well. He was selected for England once but was not called upon. He was a little unlucky on the international scene because his career coincided with that of the great Billy Wright of Wolverhampton Wanderers, the established player for England in that position. But for the Munich disaster many saw Jones as Wrights natural successor for England. Mark Jones made 103 league appearances, 7 FA Cup and 10 European Cup turn outs for Man Utd. He is buried in Wombwell near Barnsley, the place of his birth and was survived by his wife, June and son Garry. His daughter, Lynne, was born four months after the Munich tragedy. RIP Mark Jones one of the immortal Busby Babes.
David Pegg
David Pegg was born on 20th September 1935, Highfields, South Yorkshire and died on 6th February 1958 aged 22. He is buried in Redhouse cemetery. His father was a coal miner and with his wife, Jessie, they reared three children. A memorial chair was dedicated to David at St. Georges Church. Pegg's sister, Irene, contributed to a 1998 ITV documentary, The Busby Babes: End of a Dream which commemorated the 40th anniversary of the tragedy. He signed for Man Utd in 1950 making his first team debut against Middlesborough on 6th December 1952 aged just 17. By the age of 20 David was a regular member of Matt Busby’s starting eleven collecting a First Division winner’s medal in 1956 a fete repeated the following season in 1957, United having won back-to-back league titles. In the same year he helped United reach the semi-finals of the European Cup and also collected a runner’s up medal in the domestic FA Cup. Peggs performance in the European Cup semis against Real Madrid inspired the Spanish giants to sign a new right-back to counter David's skills in the future as was then expected. Pegg played outside left for United and his skills are said to have dazzled the Madrid defenders. David Pegg was capped once for England in 1957 and no doubt, but for Munich, this would have been one of many caps for the national team.
David was one of eight players to perish at Munich on 6th February 1958 and the potential of that team was infinite. Bobby Charlton another youngster coming through the ranks of Matt Busby’s side survived Munich, Harry Gregg, MUFC keeper, and Bill Foulkes having gone back into the wrecked fuselage to carry him out of danger's path. The likes of these players are unlikely ever to grace a football field again. It is my contention that had the team survived they would have eclipsed the mighty Real Madrid as Kings of Europe.
Twenty-three people lost their lives in the Munich disaster, eight of them United players, England’s finest of the day. Former Manchester City Goalkeeper, Frank Swift then a reporter for the News of the World also perished. To all those who died as a result of the crash, including co-pilot Keneth Rayment - only 21 people survived and to all who perished, players, supporter, cabin crew and reporters - RIP, you’ll never be forgotten. “We’ll never die, we’ll never die, we’ll never die, we’ll keep the red flag flying high, cos Man Utd will never die”.
At Broadhurst Park on Tuesday 6th February the flag was lowered and a minutes silence observed at FC United’s home league game against Radcliffe Borough.
Mark Jones
Mark Jones was born on 15th June 1933 at Wombell, near Barnsley, South Yorkshire. He died on 6th February 1958 aged 24. Mark signed as an apprentice for Manchester United on leaving school in 1948, the year Matt Busby’s first great side lifted the FA Cup beating Blackpool 4-2. Like Geoff Bent with the uncertain world of football in those days Mark took an apprentice as a bricklayer in case things did not work out at Old Trafford. He had no fears on that score but youngsters were encouraged to take other employment as insurance. He played Centre-Half making his first two senior appearances for the team in the 1950-51 season. By 1955-56 when United won the First Division Mark was a regular starter for the team. He missed the 1957 Cup Final against Aston Villa due to an eye injury but did help United win the league, again, and almost the double!
Mark Jones made a total of 120 appearances for United 103 of those in the league. He was a defensive Centre-Half scoring one goal as, like Geoff Bent, his job was to stop the opposition scoring which he did very well. He was selected for England once but was not called upon. He was a little unlucky on the international scene because his career coincided with that of the great Billy Wright of Wolverhampton Wanderers, the established player for England in that position. But for the Munich disaster many saw Jones as Wrights natural successor for England. Mark Jones made 103 league appearances, 7 FA Cup and 10 European Cup turn outs for Man Utd. He is buried in Wombwell near Barnsley, the place of his birth and was survived by his wife, June and son Garry. His daughter, Lynne, was born four months after the Munich tragedy. RIP Mark Jones one of the immortal Busby Babes.
David Pegg
David Pegg was born on 20th September 1935, Highfields, South Yorkshire and died on 6th February 1958 aged 22. He is buried in Redhouse cemetery. His father was a coal miner and with his wife, Jessie, they reared three children. A memorial chair was dedicated to David at St. Georges Church. Pegg's sister, Irene, contributed to a 1998 ITV documentary, The Busby Babes: End of a Dream which commemorated the 40th anniversary of the tragedy. He signed for Man Utd in 1950 making his first team debut against Middlesborough on 6th December 1952 aged just 17. By the age of 20 David was a regular member of Matt Busby’s starting eleven collecting a First Division winner’s medal in 1956 a fete repeated the following season in 1957, United having won back-to-back league titles. In the same year he helped United reach the semi-finals of the European Cup and also collected a runner’s up medal in the domestic FA Cup. Peggs performance in the European Cup semis against Real Madrid inspired the Spanish giants to sign a new right-back to counter David's skills in the future as was then expected. Pegg played outside left for United and his skills are said to have dazzled the Madrid defenders. David Pegg was capped once for England in 1957 and no doubt, but for Munich, this would have been one of many caps for the national team.
David was one of eight players to perish at Munich on 6th February 1958 and the potential of that team was infinite. Bobby Charlton another youngster coming through the ranks of Matt Busby’s side survived Munich, Harry Gregg, MUFC keeper, and Bill Foulkes having gone back into the wrecked fuselage to carry him out of danger's path. The likes of these players are unlikely ever to grace a football field again. It is my contention that had the team survived they would have eclipsed the mighty Real Madrid as Kings of Europe.
Twenty-three people lost their lives in the Munich disaster, eight of them United players, England’s finest of the day. Former Manchester City Goalkeeper, Frank Swift then a reporter for the News of the World also perished. To all those who died as a result of the crash, including co-pilot Keneth Rayment - only 21 people survived and to all who perished, players, supporter, cabin crew and reporters - RIP, you’ll never be forgotten. “We’ll never die, we’ll never die, we’ll never die, we’ll keep the red flag flying high, cos Man Utd will never die”.
At Broadhurst Park on Tuesday 6th February the flag was lowered and a minutes silence observed at FC United’s home league game against Radcliffe Borough.
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| Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist. |
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