06 Feb 08 Munich Air Disaster

On 6 February 1958, the chartered aircraft was bringing the Manchester United entourage back from a European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade in Yugoslavia and had stopped at Munich’s Riem Airport to refuel.

The British European Airways (BEA) plane caught fire shortly after take off with 38 passengers and six crew on board.

Twenty-three people died – the young players, eight newspaper journalists and seven members of backroom staff.

Matt Busby, the team manager was seriously hurt, and was given several blood transfusions. He rebuilt the team, with Bobby Charlton (pictured here both at the time of the accident, and more recently) becoming one of the star players, saying it would take at least five years, and five years later Manchester United went on to win the F.A Cup. Matt died of cancer, aged 84, in January 1994.