http://www.red11.org/jsp/MatchReports.jsp?matchdate=1958-02-01
1958-02-01 Arsenal 4-5 Manchester United
Highbury (63,578) (LgDiv1) ()
Lineup: Gregg, Foulkes, ByrneR, Colman, JonesM, EdwardsD, Morgans,
Charlton, TaylorT, Viollet, Scanlon
Goals: EdwardsD1 Charlton1 TaylorT2 Viollet1
This is the first and only time, you'll read about a Gunners defeat in this
series. But the 63,600 fans who packed into Highbury will surely tell you
what a golden game it was.
Arsenal rebuilding after the post-war glory years mounted a thrilling fight
back, after United had shown the quality that had clinched two championships
in the last two seasons.
Older fans will remember that game for another reason. It was the last game
the famous Busby Babes played in England before their brilliant side was cut
to shreds in the Munich air disaster.
United fancied their chances of adding a third successive title that year.
And they were set on depriving Real Madrid of the big one, the European Cup.
They had run the great Real mighty close in last season's semi-final. They'd
already built a 2-1 lead against Red Star Belgrade to carry to the second
leg the following Wednesday.
United drew 3-3 in Belgrade to reach the Semi. Flew back in triumph, and
then tradegy struck after their plane refulled at Munich.
Thoughts of impending doom seemed a million miles away, as the fans lapped
up a nine goal thriller that February afternoon. By half-time United must
have thought they were home and dry. They'd hit the Gunners with three
thrilling goals.
Dennis Violett skipped through the Arsenal challenges, found Albert Scanlon
and the majestic Duncan Edwards lashed in a decisive shot Jack Kelsey
reached but couldn't hold. Scanlon outpaced the Arsenal defence, chipped
back from the by-line , and Bobby Charlton raced in to drive in the second.
Seconds before the interval, Tommy Taylor smashed in the third. Arsenal
looked buried.
The Gunners Welsh skipper Dave Bowen had other ideas, he drove his team
forward, and the Gunners hammered three goals to level in four astonishing
minutes. Bowen lobbed through to David Herd, who smashed the first with a
stinging volley. Vic Groves headed down Gordon Nutt's centre to Jimmy
Bloomfoeld and the inside left blasted home the second. Nutt drove another
across, hard and low, Bloomfield flung himself full length. His header flew
past Gregg, United astounded.
Arsenal surged forward for a sensational winner, United gathered themselves
to hit back. Charlton and Scanlon split the Gunners defence, Violett
plundered goal number four, Taylor cracked the fifth past Kelsey from an
almost impossible angle.
Still Arsenal refused to give in. Tapscott slammed the Gunners fourth.
United had to defend desperately in the last 15 minutes. Arsenal couldn't
summon one more lethal effort and the points went to United.
Duncan Edwrads, Tommy Taylor, Roger Byrne, Mark Jones and Eddie Colman had
played their last ever games in England that day. Geoff Bent, Liam Whelan
and David Pegg who missed the Highbury thriller were to die at Munich too.
One of English football's greatest sides were destroyed.
Highbury had seen the last of Busby's Babes playing at their greatest.....
TEAMS
ARSENAL
Kelsey, Charlton, Evans, Ward, Fotheringham, Bowen, Groves, Tapscott, Herd,
Bloomfield and Nutt
MANCHESTER UNITED
Gregg, Foulkes, Byrne, Colman, Jones, Edwards, Morgans, Charlton, Taylor,
Violett and Scanlon
*****
From: Spike
Going from memory of reading 'The End', all the gooners remember applauding
both teams off the pitch after the game. Most of them say that they wanted
to see the Busby babes as much as their own beloved Arsenal, not because
they were 'plastic fans' or 'fairweather' but because Highbury was known for
having a sporting crowd that appreciated good football when it saw it. What
are the odds that that game would have finished to a chorus of boos if it
happened in OT or Highbury today?
*****
From: Westie 2 Goons
I popped home at lunchtime to get my copy of The End by Tom Watt. It's
basically a collection of memories about The North Bank at Highbury. There
are a few memories about the game you mentioned before the Munich air crash.
I haven't got much time today so I just quickly selected a couple of things.
First one by a guy called Laurence Marks.
"I always remember going to that Man United game before the air crash. I was
standing where I used to stand, in the corner at that end, and Duncan
Edwards came up, right near where I was standing. We had a full-back called
Dennis Evans and, as Edwards came into the area, he hit him really hard.
This was the first time I realised footballers did this kind of thing. And I
heard Edwards say: 'Oh fucking get up!' Right in front of me. If I'd been up
in the seats I wouldn't have heard a thing. And later in the game, they were
both going for a 50/50 ball and you just knew Evans was going to do him. I
think it was the captain, Dave Bowen, shouted and and Evans pulled back and
Edwards got the ball. If he'd have gone through, he'd have injured him and
Edwards wouldn't have gone to Munich. It happened right in front of me. "
Very quickly just a few words in the book from Dennis Evans himself.
"The atmosphere that day, there were 65,000 people in the ground I'd say,
and everyone was cheering. Not because of Arsenal, not because of Manchester
United. Just cheering because of the game itself. Beautiful it was. No one
left till five minutes after the game. They just stood cheering."
Hope this is what you were looking for.
Theatre Of Dreams: http://www.Red11.org
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All you need to know about Manchester United Football Club
Webmasters: Barry Leeming & Bill McArthur
Reports: Salford Lass & Red Kelly Graphics: Sam Hayward
Stats: Paul Hinson "Official MuTV Masterfan" 1999
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