Never say ManU

Busby Babes

First blog in 2 years. Is there a better way to start again than explaining the newer fans why a person must never say ManU.
 

Let's go back to 6th February 1958. The team was returning from a European match, having defeated Red Star Belgrade in the Quarter-Finals. The flight stopped in Munich to refuel because a non-stop flight back to Manchester was unrealistic back in the days. 

The British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from an ice covered runway. The aircraft was carrying the Manchester United team, nicknamed the Busby Babes. The crash not only derailed the team's title ambitions, but also destroyed the nucleus of what could've been the greatest team of their generation. The fatalities included Duncan Edwards, who initially survived the crash but died in hospital about 2 weeks later. It took 10 years for the club to recover after the tragedy, having won the European cup led by the man Busby in 1968.

The rebuild

After the tragedy, it was a terribly trying time for United. Surprisingly, the club was supported by Real Madrid and Liverpool. 

Real Madrid raised funds for the club through friendlies and charities that led to a great relationship through mutual respect. Real's president also offered United a chance to sign Alfredo di Stefano, who was arguably the greatest player of his generation, on loan, which was not approved in the end. The club made a memorial pennant with the names of the Munich deceased called "Champions of Honor" which was sold in Spain to raise money.

Liverpool also offered players on loan and offered to pay their wages.

Jimmy Murphy who was the assistant manager of the club at the time was monumental in our rebuild while Busby recovered in hospital. He was lucky not to be the part of the crash as he was busy managing the Welsh National team. United only won one game after the crash and failed to retain the title as we fell to 9th place in the league table. However, we did manage to reach FA Cup finals, but lost 2-0 to Bolton. As for the European Cup, we managed to shock Milan by winning 2-0 in Old Trafford in the first leg of the semi-finals, but ended up losing 4-0 in the away tie.

Busby resumed his managerial duties the next season. Eventually, Busby built a second generation of the Busby Babes, including the United legends George Best and Denis Law, that 10 years later in 1968 went on to win the European Trophy. Bobby Charlton and Bill Foulkes the only survivors of the crash starting in that team.

This brings us to the question. Why never say ManU?

The term ManU was first coined by West Brom fans who chanted this about Bobby Charlton, one of the crash victims, as they said:

"Duncan Edwards is manure, rotting in his grave, man you are manure—rotting in your grave."

Now it was the turn of the Liverpool and Leeds United fans, who made their own versions of the chant

"Man U never intended coming home"

On combining the first letter of the chant, it comes out to be 'MUNICH'.

In conclusion, saying ManU is disrespectful and shameful and must not be used. Instead, call them United, Man United, Utd, MUFC or the Red devils.

A small fun fact about why United is called the red devils:

Local rugby club Salford, a city based in the greater Manchester area, was popularly knows as the red devils. The team having played a match in Old Trafford months after the Munich crash inspired Busby, who eventually adopted the nickname for his club. He liked the more intimidating name "Red Devils" than the innocent "Busby Babes"