BBC Radio 5 live is to air a special show about the people who rebuilt Manchester United in the days, weeks, months and years following the Munich air disaster.
The event, which happened 60 years ago this month, left eight of the famous Busby Babes dead after a plane carrying the United squad crashed on takeoff from Munich Airport during winter weather conditions in Germany.
23 people died including players, journalists and aircraft crew.
The special programme After Munich: How They Rebuilt United airs on Monday night (5th February) at 9pm on 5 live, and has been produced by independent production company Made in Manchester.
MIM Creative Director and programme producer Ashley Byrne says: “A lot has been said about the Munich crash over the years but rarely has much been said about how United rebuilt afterwards. This show celebrates some of the unsung heroes in United’s recovery, those junior players who stepped up to help keep Manchester United going. Names like Mark Pearson and Alex Dawson have largely been forgotten about but as we hear they were crucial in helping United survive.”
Among those recalling how Manchester United rebuilt in the aftermath of the disaster is former United goalkeeper David Gaskell who used to live with Duncan Edwards and Billy Whelan who both died in the crash.
Meanwhile former United players Harold Bratt and Peter Jones recall how assistant manager Jimmy Murphy helped to keep the young players on track while Matt Busby recovered in hospital.
Ashley adds: ‘It’s been great to add this programme to the many other sports history shows MIM has made over the years. We’re passionate about history and sport and so bringing the two together is something of a labour of love for the team.’
MIM is one of the radio production companies which regularly produces the BBC World Service series Sporting Witness. Other recent programme produced by MIM for the BBC have included Pandemic for the World Service, about the 1918 flu outbreak which killed 50 million people and Marc Almond’s Torch Song Trilogy for BBC Radio 2.
#ManchesterUnited tonight @5liveSport special programme remembering unsung heroes who helped save United afterMunich https://t.co/hIoeZ78fuf
— Made in Manchester (@MIMProductions) February 5, 2018
