Respect For Munich
Liverpool and Manchester United are the biggest rivalry in English football, not just for footballing reasons but also for their great city’s historical reasons. But these two great clubs share so much in common, great success in domestic competition and also in Europe, with so many brilliant players throughout their history, but unfortunately both United and Liverpool have suffered pain and tragedy too, with lives lost but never to be forgotten by the clubs.
Liverpool suffered at the Heysel and Hillsborough disasters and United tragically lost most of their great young team in 1958 in that tragic air disaster in Munich. Unfortunately because of the great rivalry between the two teams the supporters do show much hatred towards one another, and unfortunately some supporters target the other’s disaster to inflict emotional pain on the other.
This will never stop as there is an element of idiots in every support around the country who think this type of “banter” is “clever”. But the vast majority of United and Liverpool supporters are sensible enough and do show respect to each other, and especially to these tragedies that make up such important parts of both clubs’ history.
Today is a sad day for Manchester United on the anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster, where 23 people lost their lives, 8 of them players of one of the greatest young footballing sides never allowed to reach their potential because of fate.
The young team that manager Matt Busby had put his faith in was remarkable as they won the League the two years prior to the disaster which earned them the position of becoming the first English team to venture into European competition.
United were returning from Belgrade after drawing with Red Star Belgrade 3-3 in the European Cup quarter-final, which was enough to take them through to the semi-final. But unfortunately they never made it home after stopping to re-fuel at Munich.
Who knows what this talented young team could have achieved ?
Like the Heysel and Hillsborough disasters, the Munich Air Disaster will never be forgotten. Manchester United showed great respect for the 96 victims of the Hillsborough disaster before this season’s league fixture between the two sides at Anfield, and although there is a great rivalry there is also a great respect between the two clubs and between the true supporters of both clubs. The rivalry will continue and so will the respect, so from the supporters of Liverpool I would just like to say our thoughts are with you as we all pay our respects on the anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster.
You’ll Never Walk Alone