A decade ago, I worked with Paddy Crerand on his autobiography. The legendary United midfielder had seen it all and had a story to tell. George Best had once come to live briefly at his house, Bill Shankly would call him for a chat on a Sunday.
Paddy had won the European Cup. He was one of the first television pundits when he sparred with Brian Clough during the Mexico World Cup in 1970. Crerand was always at his most enthusiastic when talking about Matt Busby.
This Sunday marks 25 years since Busby passed away in Manchester aged 84. A large message reading ‘Forever Grateful. Sir Matt. 26th May 1909 – 20th Jan 1994’ has been unfurled on the glass fronted East Stand behind his statue, the first one ever put up at Old Trafford. Fans will see it before Saturday’s game against Brighton.
Is it really 25 years since a lone piper walked onto the field to complete silence from United and Everton fans following Busby’s death? United were on their way back when Busby died and would win the treble in Barcelona on what would have been his 90th birthday.
The Scot managed three great Manchester United sides between 1946-1969. The first featured my Uncle, winger Charlie Mitten, between 1946-50. The second side was even better, the Busby Babes.
They were decimated at Munich. Busby’s greatest triumph was leading his team to be the first English team to lift the European Cup – a decade after the Munich Air Disaster. He did that in 1968, but in the semi-final second leg away to Real Madrid, United were losing 3-1. Busby’s side had won the first leg 1-0 at home with a goal from Best, but in Madrid they were been pulled apart.
Madrid were 3-1 up and heading to another European Cup Final to try to retain a trophy they considered their own.
Our mural to remember Sir Matt Busby.
This Sunday marks 25 years since Sir Matt passed away and, in tribute, a mural has been unveiled at Old Trafford… #MUFC pic.twitter.com/kQyKh9knyh
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 17, 2019
“We walked off the field bewildered,” recalled Crerand. “There was no escape. The stadium was so big that everywhere we looked we saw happy smiling faces who were revelling in our suffering. In the main stand, the home fans were being friendly and trying to get off with our wives.”
It should be pointed out that Noreen Crerand was Miss Daily Record 1958 and would have been very attractive to any Madrilenos.
In the dressing room, Crerand saw only ‘frustration, desperation, anger, and disappointment. Few teams had the quality to take us apart, but Madrid had just done that. And some. It was Matt who brought us to our senses. He stressed the fact that we were only losing 3-2 on aggregate and that we needed to score just one goal to get us back in it. (Away goals didn’t count double then).”
Busby felt that if United scored one goal then the huge crowd, still the second biggest to watch United in the club’s entire history, would become nervous and that would be transmitted to the players. And so Busby started to speak to his demoralised team. It was a last roll of the dice.
#OnThisDay in 1964, Sir Matt Busby plays three distinct #mufc players together for the first time – @SirBobby , Denis Law and George Best!
Each of them got on the scoresheet in a 4-1 away victory vs. #WBA, and the rest is history… pic.twitter.com/igJiGyl7sC
— Dean Taylor (@Dean98T) January 18, 2019
Crerand could hardly believe his ears when he heard what Busby had to say. ‘Well, lads,’ the manager began calmly, ‘We’ve been playing a defensive game … and we don’t play it very well, do we? So let’s go out and attack and we should be all right. If we are going to lose then it might as well be by six goals.’
Crerand and his team mates had hardly had a kick of the ball, and Busby was asking them to attack. It was a stroke of genius. As Matt continued his tone became steadily more emotional – something which resonated with them all. Busby kept saying: ‘Now come on boys, believe in yourselves. We’re Manchester United; let’s have a go at them.’
Crerand recognised his desperation, but also how well he was hiding it. “Matt probably thought that he would never lift the European Cup. He knew that his side were getting older, as he was, and he also knew this was his last chance. He desperately wanted to lift that trophy for the boys who had died in Munich. I could feel his pain at half-time, but he succeeded in spreading belief and calm.”
Not that this was all Busby said.
“People sometimes questioned Matt’s tactical ability,” said Crerand. “I never did. He wasn’t one for drawing boards. He once told me that football wasn’t played on a drawing board with a piece of chalk, but we had to change our game radically otherwise Madrid were going to destroy us.
Un po' di leggende #ManUtd: #Charlton, #Law, #Best, #Busby, #Kidd, #Crerand, #Sadler. #memorabilia pic.twitter.com/xlRzZXpdXg
— Calcio Nostalgico (@c_nostalgico) August 4, 2014
Matt walked back into the centre of the dressing room so that he had everyone’s attention. We remained seated, hanging on his every word.
“Amancio had tortured us and whacked Nobby Stiles on the thigh. ‘Nobby, let Amancio know you are there,’ he said sternly. He was hinting, but the message was clear – hit him early in the second half. Nobby nodded. David Sadler was told to push up and Matt switched us to 4-3-3. That became 4-2-4 at times. As we took the pitch for the second half, our heads were lifted. Matt had made us think we could do it.”
What followed was the greatest 45 minutes of Crerand’s football life. Madrid thought the game was won and began to relax. United sensed their opportunity. “Not many teams had made us look fools, so it was time to try and do the same to Madrid. I doubt the home fans had ever seen a team play four attackers in the Bernabéu, but Matt’s words kept ringing in our heads. And boy, did we have a go.”
“Nobby went right out and kicked Amancio straight up in the air. You couldn’t get away with it now, but you could then. Neither the referee nor the linesman saw the incident. Nobby then went up to the ref and, pointing at Amancio, said, ‘He’s injured ref.’ For the rest of the game Amancio barely got a touch of the ball.
Remember, this Sunday will be 25 years since our first father of football passed away, the great and beloved Sir Matt Busby. All true United fan should know about him, he built respect for the club and the high standards that we are known for today. @ManUtd pic.twitter.com/mXOIoXU8S3
— Lisa Redgirl (@lisal_9) January 16, 2019
But with fifteen minutes to play United still hadn’t scored and were losing the tie, until Crerand hit a free-kick into the penalty area which was headed on by Bill Foulkes to Dave Sadler who scored to put United level on aggregate. A replay in Lisbon had been pencilled in. It wouldn’t be needed.
“Real Madrid died,” said Crerand. “Three minutes later I took a long throw for George down the line. George beat both Sanchis and Zocco. They watched bewildered as he ran towards the byline and pulled the ball back for Bill Foulkes. Can you believe it? Our centre-half was playing like a centre-forward. My first reaction was, ‘What’s that idiot doing there?’ But Bill knew best this time. Sixteen years a United player and a Munich survivor, he struck the ball brilliantly into the goal.” It was 3-3 on the night, and 4-3 to United on aggregate.
Some United fans ran on the pitch at the final whistle from behind the goal. The trainer Jack Crompton came from the side and hugged the players. The team went back to the Hotel Fenix and hundreds of fans surrounded it and started applauding. They were singing – to the tune of ‘Michael, Row the Boat Ashore’ – ‘We got rid of Real Madrid, Hallelujah!
United were going to Wembley for a final against Benfica, where they’d win 4-1. At the celebratory party in London’s Russell Hotel, Matt Busby sang Louis Armstrong’s It’s A Wonderful World while standing on a table. Afterwards, when asked whether he was thinking of the fallen Munich team at that point, he admitted, “Deep down the sorrow is there all the time. It becomes part of you.”
Just as Matt Busby has become forever part of Manchester United, setting the standards for others to follow.
