Duncan Edwards

Duncan Edwards ( born October 1, 1936 in Dudley, † February 21, 1958 in Munich) was an English footballer.

Sports career

Edwards was born in Dudley Middle English. Even when he was eleven years old, a teacher fell to his abilities.

Also scouts from Manchester United he fell to young. It fit perfectly into the concept of coach Matt Busby. This had to build at this time a new team and had intended to use players from their own youth.

He made his debut in the first division in 1953 in the 0-4 defeat against Cardiff City. Soon he was irreplaceable for the team. Manchester United played in the following years in the league great on. So they were in the 1955/56 season with eleven points ahead of the runner-up champion, as much as never before. Even the year after Manchester United was confident champion.

In the five years in which he played in the first division, he made 175 appearances and scored 21 goals.

In 1955 he had his debut in the jersey of the English national football team at the classic against Scotland. Until his death he had completed 16 games for England in five Torerfolgen. Also its use in the 1958 World Cup was considered virtually certain.

The air disaster in Munich

His fledgling career ended abruptly on February 6, 1958: Manchester United was on board the flight BEA 609 on the return flight from the European game at Red Star Belgrade ( 3:3, Manchester had qualified for the semi-finals ). When Auftankstopp in Munich -Riem it was discovered problems. At the third attempt to start the machine finally slipped due to the slush on the back of the runway of Selbiger and exploded. Seven players died.

Edwards was severely injured taken to the Rechts der Isar Hospital. He had lost a lot of blood and severe internal bleeding. On February 11, he fell into a coma. He died on 21 February. His body was later taken to Dudley, where he was also buried. He was buried in the same grave as his sister Carol Anne, who died in 1947 at the age of 14 weeks.

Matt Busby later said that it would like him never a player. He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002.