Sir Matt Busby

[Tomtom]

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/3529/smb.jpg

SIR MATT BUSBY

Nationality: Scottish
Manager From: 01 Oct 1945
Years as Manager: 30
Football League Titles 1952, 1956, 1957, 1965, 1967
FA Cup 1948, 1963
European Cup 1968
FA Charity Shield 1952, 1956, 1957
FA Charity Shield Joint holders 1965, 1967

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The man who was to become one of English football's greatest-ever managers was born in Scotland, in the village of Orbiston, Lanarkshire, on 26 May 1909.

As a player, he represented two English clubs. He joined Manchester City on 11 February 1928, and made his debut the following year against Middlesbrough. Busby was then transferred to Liverpool for a fee of £8,000 in March 1936.

Busby became United's first boss after the war, having turned down the job of assistant manager at Liverpool. He accepted the position on 19 February 1945, and then joined the club full-time
on his demobilisation from the armed forces in October 1945. In doing so he filled a post left vacant since the resignation of Scott Duncan in 1937 and temporarily filled by club secretary Walter Crickmer.

Following demob, Busby took charge of a club with a bomb-damaged stadium and a £15,000 overdraft. His first signing for United was Jimmy Murphy, his great assistant manager who served the club until 1971. Together they created United's first great post-war team built around the defensive capabilities of Johnny Carey, John Aston and Allenby Chilton and the attacking skills of Charlie Mitten, Jack Rowley and Stan Pearson.

United were FA Cup winners in 1948, defeating Blackpool 4-2. Then, after finishing runners-up four times in 1947-49 and 1951, Busby's men brought the title to Old Trafford in 1952.

Far from being blinded by their success, Busby and Murphy had the foresight to plan ahead and prepare for the day when their first great team would need replacing. The club's scouting system was expanded and reorganised and in the early 1950s, the new youth policy bore its first fruit as Jeff Whitefoot, Jackie Blanchflower and Roger Byrne stepped up to the first team. By 1953 a new team was being blooded in the First Division as
Bill Foulkes, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Liam Whelan, Eddie Colman and Duncan Edwards all broke through. League success soon followed as this new young side, soon christened the 'Busby Babes', won the League title in both 1956 and 1957 and reached the FA Cup final in 1957.

Busby was still looking to the future, trailblazing the way for English clubs by entering the European Cup in 1956/57 - initially against the wishes of the Football League. United reached the semi-finals, losing to eventual winners Real Madrid.

The following season, 1957/58, bristled with promise and United were still
challenging in all three competitions by February when disaster struck. On 6 February 1958, the aeroplane bringing the team home from a European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade crashed after refuelling in Munich. Twenty-three people were killed, including eight of Busby's players - Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Duncan Edwards, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor and Billy Whelan. Three club officials also perished - secretary Walter Crickmer, trainer Tom Curry and coach Bert Whalley.

Busby almost lost his life as well - he was twice given the last rites while lying gravely ill in a German hospital.
Fortunately, he survived and returned to Manchester 71 days after the crash. In the meantime, Jimmy Murphy - who missed the tragedy because of his commitments as manager of the Welsh national side - brilliantly guided a patched-up team to an emotionally charged FA Cup Final. Bolton Wanderers beat United 2-0 at Wembley.

After taking up the managerial reigns again in August 1958, Busby began to add some big money purchases to his homegrown talent. The likes of Albert Quixall, Noel Cantwell, Denis Law and Pat Crerand joined United in the late 1950s and early 1960s. This group of players reached the FA Cup final in 1963
and beat Leicester City 3-1 to claim the club's first trophy after Munich.

League titles followed in 1965 and 1967, giving Busby the chance to conquer Europe in the following seasons. In 1965/66, United reached the semi-finals, just as they had done in 1956/57 and 1957/58. But in 1967/68 they went further, to the final at Wembley where they faced Portuguese side Benfica.

On another night of great emotion, United triumphed 4-1 after extra-time to win the European Cup for Busby. It was a fitting tribute to the players and staff killed and injured 10 years before and was
Busby's crowning achievement as United manager. They almost retained the Cup in 1968/69, before bowing out to AC Milan in the semi-final.

Busby retired at the end of the '68/69 season, but stayed on as general manager while Wilf McGuinness became the man in charge of the team on a day-to-day basis. The new arrangement lasted little more than a year - on 28 December 1970, Busby was invited by the Directors to return to his old job and replace McGuinness until the end of the season.

A respected figure throughout his career, Busby was awarded the CBE in 1958 and made the 66th
Freeman of Manchester in 1967. In 1968, he was named Manager of the Year and was knighted following United's European Cup triumph.

In 1972 he was made a Knight Commander of St. Gregory by the Pope. He became President of Manchester United in 1980, was elected Vice-President of the Football League in 1982 and went on to become a life member. In 1993 Warwick Road North, the road which runs past the front of Old Trafford, was renamed Sir Matt Busby Way in honour of the man described as 'Mr Manchester United'.

In addition to managing United, Busby also guided the British Olympic football team
to a semi-final place in the 1948 Olympics and in 1958 was manager of Scotland, giving an 18 year-old by the name of Denis Law his first cap.

Sir Matt Busby died on 20 January 1994 at Alexandra Hospital, Cheadle, after a short illness. His funeral a week later saw thousands line the streets of Manchester as his cortege drove from Chorlton to Old Trafford and finally to Manchester's Southern Cemetery. Tributes to Sir Matt came from around the world and supporters of many different clubs sent thousands of shirts, wreaths, pictures and scarves to create a multi-coloured memorial. A bronze statue of Sir Matt was
unveiled on 27 April 1996 at the Scoreboard End of Old Trafford as Manchester United remembered the man who epitomised the club.

Five years after Busby's death, the modern United side emulated his greatest feat by winning the European Cup. Poignantly, the date of that triumph, 26 May 1999, would have been Matt's 90th birthday.

[Andi Istiabudi]

Wah kok gak ada yg kasih comment ? Sepi-sepi aja nih...
Padahal ini pelatih besar dan legendaris MU lho ...
Kemungkinannya cuma 2, yaitu banyak yg tidak kenal sosok Sir Matt Busby atau banyak yg gak ngerti bahasa Inggris krn artikelnya pakai bahasa Inggris, huahahahaha...

[Ucup Carrick]

legenda united yang awalnya berkarir di liverpool dan city....

[rondwisan]

klo penampakan wajah George Best mejeng di lembaran uang di belfast, kini Opa Matt Busby mejeng di perangko nih :shakehand::-bd

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news.stv.tv/scotland/ - 07 October 2009, 15:40
Sir Matt Busby celebrated on new stamp

http://files.stv.tv/img/articles/128645-sir-matt-busby-celebrated-on-new-stamp-410x230.jpg

Manchester United legend unveiled on new commemorative stamp celebrating eminent Britons.

Sir Alex Ferguson has paid tribute to football legend Sir Matt Busby as he unveiled a new stamp celebrating the former Manchester United manager's achievements. He said the footballer, born 100 years ago in the Lanarkshire mining village of Orbiston, was "one of the truly great football managers".

He managed Manchester United between 1945 and 1969 and is the longest serving manager in the history of the club, winning the FA Cup twice and the league championship five times.

He also guided the team to victory in the European cup in 1968, 10 years after 23 people, including eight Manchester United players, were killed in the Munich air crash of February 1958.

The former Manchester City and Liverpool player, who died of cancer in 1994, is one of ten people to be honoured in the Royal Mail's eminent Britons series of stamps. The stamps "celebrate individuals who have made a remarkable contribution to British life".

Sir Matt's stamp was unveiled at Old Trafford by fellow Scot, Sir Alex.

He said: "They are all illustrious names in this latest issue of commemorative stamps.

"Great Britons indeed and there can be no doubting that Sir Matt Busby deserves his place amongst such eminent company. He was one of the truly great football managers.

"Everyone at Manchester United will take great pride from this honour which has been bestowed on the late, great, Sir Matt Busby."

A framed print of the stamp was also given to the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden Park in Glasgow.

Other people celebrated in the series include Scots writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Samuel Johnson, Mary Wollstonecraft, Fred Perry, speed record breaker Donald Campbell, astronomer Sir Martin Ryle and disabled rights campaigner Judy Fryd.

[rondwisan]

http://www.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/2009/images/091008-sir_matt_busby_manchester_united_stamp.jpg



klo ini post card apa tiket yaa ... ???

http://www.picturedrome.net/images/autographs/watermarked/mattbusby.jpg

[rondwisan]

ada serie yang lean nih dari pic di atas ...

http://www.picturedrome.net/images/autographs/watermarked/bobbyc-n-ticket.jpg

http://www.picturedrome.net/images/autographs/watermarked/Gbest.jpg

[eMJi_197]

wewww.....kerennnn :thumbup:

[Redsbusby]

http://www.tshirtsunited.com/images/designs/goodenough_design.jpg

[Redsbusby]

Sir Matt Busby saat memenangkan Trphy Cahampions Eropa

http://dhekywardana.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/113matt_468x689.jpg?w=468&h=689


Show Off Time :D

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Red marauders: Manchester United and Busby show off their trophy after becoming the first English team to lift the European Cup in 1968.

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Berkat seorang Gregg, penjaga gawang United era 58 bersama DUncan Edwards dan Bobby Charlton, nyawa Sir Matt Busby terselamatkan sesaat setelah kecelakaan Pesawat yg dikenal dengan "Munich Disaster".

http://dhekywardana.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/munich-thebusbybabes.jpg?w=260&h=260

European Cup semi-finalists

United's magical Busby Babes had already won two league titles and reached the semi-finals of the European Cup in 1958 before eight of their players were killed in the Munich air crash. It remains one of football's darkest ever days.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/04/28/article-1174512-0009CC5A00000578-486_468x348.jpg
Tewas terlalu dini : Ray Woods, Duncan Edwards, Tommy Taylor, Billy Whelan, Geoff Bent, Bill Foulkes, Jackie Blanchflower, Colin Webster, Dennis Viollet, Eddie Colman dan Johnny Berry. Edwards, Bent, Taylor, Whelan and Colman tewas saat "Munich air crash of February 58"


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Bersama penerusnya, Legenda terbesar yang segera dibuat patungnya :D, Sir ALex Ferguson!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3r0VgRQqz50/Sp2I5TNfr5I/AAAAAAAAARc/upWZ5GUOG8I/s320/3.jpg


__________________________________________________ ___________


Patung untuk penghargaan kepada SIr Matt Busby, pelopor sistem pembinaan pemain di seluruh level Klub Man United hingga bisa menjadi sehebat ini.

http://www.tmwmtt.com/blog-extreme-groundhopping/2008/2008-06-03SirMattBusby.jpg

Ok, capek dulu :D :ngacir:

[Andi Istiabudi]

klo ini post card apa tiket yaa ... ???

http://www.picturedrome.net/images/autographs/watermarked/mattbusby.jpg

http://www.picturedrome.net/images/autographs/watermarked/bobbyc-n-ticket.jpg

http://www.picturedrome.net/images/autographs/watermarked/Gbest.jpg

Mungkin saya bisa membantu, untuk amplop bergambar yang disertai perangko di kalangan kolektor perangko (filatelis) disebut sebagai First Day Cover (FDC). Di Indonesia biasa disebut Sampul Hari Pertama (SHP).

SHP/FDC ini biasanya diterbitkan perusahaan pos suatu negara bersamaan dengan diterbitkannya perangko seri tersebut. Namun SHP/FDC selalu dicetak terbatas sehingga selalu menjadi incaran kolektor perangko karena harganya yang meningkat terus. Nah, di kalangan filatelis ada kebiasaan untuk meminta tanda tangan orang yang berkaitan dengan tema perangko tersebut. Misalnya SHP Final Champions 1968 yang ditandatangani Sir Matt Busby, SirBobby Charlton dan George Best karena akan mempengaruhi harga SHP tersebut yang tentunya menjadi semakin mahal di masa datang.

Semoga penjelasan dan informasi tersebut bermanfaat ...

[rondwisan]

hehehe ..., thanks pencerahannya Oom ... :peace:
sebenernya udah tau juga kok ..., nanyanya cuman iseng ... :hammer:
pas ambil pic-na klo gak salah udah ada keterangannya juga sih .... :malu:

[Andi Istiabudi]

hehehe ..., thanks pencerahannya Oom ... :peace:
sebenernya udah tau juga kok ..., nanyanya cuman iseng ... :hammer:
pas ambil pic-na klo gak salah udah ada keterangannya juga sih .... :malu:

Ya mudah-mudahan informasi tadi bermanfaat dan berguna bagi member lain yang belum mengetahuinya. Bebagi ilmu dan wawasan kan berpahala, hehehe ...

[rondwisan]

gak ada bosennya baca historis salah satu United legend ini :peace:
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ManUtd.com - 27/10/2010 07:10
Sir Matt remembered

http://picsrv.manutd.com/?fif=/manu/img_10_24176_5241.jpg&obj=iip,1.0&wid=480&hei=179&rgn=0.00808080808080808,0.06472919418758256,0.9696 969696969697,0.23645970937912813&cvt=jpeg

Today (Wednesday 27 October 2010) marks the 65th anniversary of Matt Busby's first match in charge of United.

The arrival of one of English football's greatest-ever managers was heralded by a home fixture in Football War League (North) against Bolton Wanderers - however, with Old Trafford rendered unusable by German bombs, the game was played at Maine Road. The Reds won 2-1 with goals from Johnny Carey and Harry Worrall.

A former Manchester City and Liverpool player, Busby had in fact accepted the position of United manager on 19 February 1945, but he had to wait until October to join the club full-time following his demobilisation from the army.

Together with his loyal assistant manager Jimmy Murphy, Busby created a team good enough to win the FA Cup in 1948 and to challenge for the League Championship. After finishing runners-up four times, Busby's men won the title in 1952.

Far from being blinded by their success, Busby and Murphy had the foresight to plan ahead and prepare for the day when their first great team would need replacing. The club's scouting system was expanded and reorganised, soon yielding a young team that won the title again in 1956 and 1957 and reached the FA Cup final in 1957. This young team was christened the 'Busby Babes.'

Busby trailblazed the way for English clubs by entering the European Cup in 1956/57 - initially against the wishes of the Football League. United reached the semi-finals, losing to eventual winners Real Madrid.

The following season, 1957/58, bristled with promise and United were still challenging in all three competitions by February when disaster struck. On 6 February 1958, the aeroplane bringing the team home from a European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade crashed after refuelling in Munich. Twenty-three people were killed, including eight of Busby's players and three club officials.

Busby almost lost his life as well - he was twice given the last rites while lying gravely ill in a German hospital. Fortunately, he survived and returned to Manchester 71 days after the crash. Taking up the managerial reigns again in August 1958, Busby began to rebuild United, bringing in some big money purchases to add to his homegrown talent. The new group of players reached the FA Cup final in 1963 and beat Leicester City 3-1 to claim the club's first trophy after Munich.

League titles followed in 1965 and 1967, giving Busby the chance to conquer Europe in the following seasons. In 1965/66, United reached the semi-finals, just as they had done in 1956/57 and 1957/58. But in 1967/68 they went further, to the final at Wembley where they faced Portuguese side Benfica.

On another night of great emotion, United triumphed 4-1 after extra-time to win the European Cup. It was a fitting tribute to the players and staff killed and injured 10 years before and was Busby's crowning achievement as United manager. Busby retired at the end of the following season, but stayed on as general manager while Wilf McGuinness became the man in charge of the team on a day-to-day basis. The new arrangement lasted little more than a year - on 28 December 1970, Busby was invited by the Directors to return to his old job and replace McGuinness until the end of the season.

A respected figure throughout his career, Busby was awarded the CBE in 1958. Ten years later, was knighted following United's European Cup triumph. In 1993 Warwick Road North, the road which runs past Old Trafford, was renamed Sir Matt Busby Way in honour of the man described as 'Mr Manchester United'.

When, after a short illness, Sir Matt died on 20 January 1994, thousands of people lined the streets of Manchester and similar numbers of shirts, wreaths, pictures and scarves were laid in tribute at Old Trafford. A bronze statue of Sir Matt was unveiled at the stadium on 27 April 1996, as a permanent memorial to the man who epitomised the club.

Five years after Busby's death, United won the European Cup for the first time since 1968. Poignantly, the date of that triumph for Sir Alex Ferguson's side, 26 May 1999, would have been Matt's 90th birthday.

[Supernan]

Sir Matt Busby: Tribute to the original master of Manchester United

Last updated at 7:58 AM on 16th December 2010

When Sir Alex Ferguson takes his place in the dug-out for Sunday's Barclays Premier League match at Chelsea he will become Manchester United's longest serving manager, passing Sir Matt Busby's mark of 24 years, one month and 14 days. Busby was manager over two stints from October 1945 to January 1969 and from December 1970 to June 1971.

Fergie's first day of work at Old Trafford was November 6, 1986. United's boss has often attributed his astonishing success to the ethos which Busby built at the club and regularly sought his predecessor's advice before Busby's death in 1994. The two Scots even share the same first name - Alexander - with Busby known by his middle name of Matthew.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/12/15/article-0-00398F0D00000258-180_634x350.jpg
Boss with his Babes: Busby before successfully defending the title in the 1956-57 season


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Pipe dream: the Scot oversees pre-season in 1967

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/12/15/article-0-0C783A95000005DC-291_306x320.jpg
and mucks in to sort fan mail at Old Trafford

[Supernan]

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His master’s voice: United players report for training in the 1950s

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Wayward son: manager and star player George Best (left) attend an FA hearing after Best was sent off against Chelsea in 1971

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Busby (right) in his office during the 1957-58 season. The league championship trophy sits on his cluttered desk

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Fighting spirit: Busby battles back from the brink in a Munich hospital (right) following the 1958 air crash before returning to a hero’s welcome in Manchester more than two months later (left)

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Inspiration: the United boss makes use of the break in play to focus his side for extra-time in the 1968 European Cup final win over Benfica


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Happy days: Busby proudly shows off the European Cup

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Brains trust: the warmth between manager past and present is clear as Busby and Ferguson chat in 1991

[Sir Busby Ferguson]

the great manager of OT..

hanya SAF yg pntas brdiri sjajar dgn sang master..:-bd:devil3:

[rondwisan]

http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2011/0822/sirmattbusbyandsiralexfergusonmanchesterunited2011 0822_576x324.jpg

Sandy Busby interview
Fergie's resurrection of club Busby built
Soccernet, Mark Lomas - August 28, 2011



When the BBC aired a film about the 1958 Munich air disaster earlier this year, it provoked a mixed response from fans and critics. The production of 'United', a new tribute to the great Manchester United side that was decimated by a plane crash more than half a century ago, was praised for keeping the legend of the Busby Babes alive for a wider audience. However, actor Dougray Scott's portrayal of Sir Matt Busby left the family of the team's iconic boss incensed. Among other issues, his son Sandy condemned the failure to depict the United boss in a tracksuit, saying: "The film-makers have put my dad in an overcoat and a trilby hat. He looks more like a gangster than a football manager."

http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2011/0823/sirmattbusbyandbobbycharlton20110823_205x285.jpg
Sir Matt Busby and Bobby Charlton survived the Munich air disaster and, along with Bill Foules, went on to lift the European Cup a decade later

But it is difficult to imagine Sandy Busby ever being incensed about anything. With a cheerful demeanour and an infectious enthusiasm about all things United, Sandy spends an hour discussing the legacies of his father and Sir Alex Ferguson, while also giving a vivid and emotional account of how February 6, 1958 and its aftermath unfolded for him.

Talking to Busby Jnr about Munich is a poignant experience. He describes how the city of Manchester was united in shock and grief as news emerged that the plane carrying a team of some of the world's most promising players, along with club staff and journalists, slid off an icy runway as United returned from a European Cup quarter-final victory over Red Star Belgrade.

"I was coming back from Blackburn Rovers, where I was on the books, late in the afternoon and on all the newsagents' placards was written 'Manchester United in plane crash'," Sandy tells ESPNsoccernet. "I ran into the nearest telephone cubicle, phoned home and my aunty who was staying with us at the time was screaming her head off for me to get home."

What followed was an anxious wait for news about who had perished and who had survived; Busby Jnr flew out to Munich to be with his gravely ill father, who was twice read the last rites in hispital before eventually pulling through. Sandy recalls how his dad had "tears streaming down his face" upon hearing of the players who had died - Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor and Billy Whelan. The name of 21-year-old Duncan Edwards - described by Busby Jnr as "the greatest" and a "giant of football" - was added to the list of 15 days after the crash.

On hearing the full extent of the tragedy, Sandy remembers his distraught father stating "well that's it, I'm finished with football," before being convinced to continue in memory of the Babes by his wife. It was a decision that would further shape Manchester United's future as Busby went on to build another great side which, led by George Best, Denis Law and Munich survivor Bobby Charlton, won the European Cup in 1968.

"When my father became manager in 1945, the club were in financial difficulties but his idea was to build a young side that would take the club straight to the top, which they had succeeded in doing until the disaster," Sandy explains. "The great Liverpool manager Bob Paisley said that team would have won everything for the next ten years.

"My dad never lost his faith in blooding young players but he realised he couldn't wait for them in the same way as he had done before. He had to go out and buy a few players to help rebuild the team. When they finally won the European Cup, I think a big weight was lifted off his shoulders. After the game was over, he and Bobby Charlton were hugging each other with tears in their eyes and I'm sure they were thinking about the boys who had died. They lost eight players and two others never played the game again. So what an achievement it was to build a new team and to win the European Cup."

The 4-1 victory over Benfica at Wembley proved the pinnacle of Busby's illustrious 24-year career with United and his move upstairs a year later left a void at Old Trafford that remained unfilled until another ambitious Scottish manager travelled down south from Aberdeen in 1986: Alex Ferguson.

"The managers that followed my dad didn't think quite command the same respect as him. He was still around the club and, though it was tough for him to take a back seat, he said that when he took over as manager he told the directors 'nobody interferes with my football teams' and he promised to do the same. It was hard for him, especially when the club weren't doing well, He got himself upset as he only wanted one thing: success for Manchester United Football Club.

"Then of course along came the great one, Alex Ferguson. I'm not just saying it now because he's had success, but my father turned round and said 'I think we've got the right one' when he first came. The first two years didn't go too well but he was building even then. My father was the foundation of Manchester United, Sir Alex was the resurrection."

Things did not immediately go to plan for Ferguson and after three trophyless years in the job, he was thought to be an FA Cup third-round defeat to Nottingham Forest away from being fired. United won the game and the Cup that year to begin two decades of near-ceaseless silverware. Busby Jnr, though, is not convinced the board would have pulled the trigger had Ferguson's side lost to Forest.

"I don't think the board had any intention of giving him the sack. He went in there and shook the carpet, the club was a bit stagnant and there was nothing coming through until he arrived. People think that Alex came out of the blue but he had had so much success up in Scotland, he took Rangers and Celtic on and won, and even beat the great Real Madrid in the Cup Winners' Cup final. His CV was impressive when he came down. Gradually he bought certain players in and the league title came."

While the bosses before him struggled with the shadow of Busby looming over them, Ferguson thrived on it. Sir Matt's office was a place that the young United manager frequented when he needed advice and it's possible that it is also where Ferguson's antipathetic attitude towards the press was moulded.

"They got on very well," Busby Jnr says. "Alex now and then went to visit my dad in his little office and he'd knock on the door and they'd speak. During Alex's bad spell, he told my dad that the back pages were giving him some stick. My dad always had a clever simple reply and his reply was 'Alex, why do you read the back pages? Don't read them, just get on with your job. After my dad died, he said he missed the smell of my dad's pipe when he walked along the corridor."

The similarities between Ferguson and Sir Matt Busby went beyond the pair's Glasgow roots, with Sandy recognising that shared traits, including an insatiable will to win and an emphasis on family, played a big role in their respective triumphs. The biggest point of comparison, of course, being their vision for Manchester United to blood the country's best youngsters, giving them an opportunity to shine and reaping the rewards of their superior abilities.

"I used to run the United souvenir shop and when Alex first walked in with [assistant] Archie Knox, they came in and shook hands with us and wished us all the best and I think he bought every book in the shop, he immersed himself in all things Manchester United. From the laundry women up to the chairman, he knows everybody and it's a happy family atmosphere. My dad used to do that, too. They are similar in their knowledge of players and in the way they treat them. And also the way they treat people. They give people respect and they get respect.

"The group of players that Sir Alex brought through obviously brought comparisons with the Babes and I think they were very similar. That was another thing Alex did, building up the training ground at Carrington. I remember him saying that he wanted to build the most modern, state-of-the-art training ground there is, for both the first team and developing young players. The new complex is unbelievable. And they're expanding again now.

"It was the same with my Dad - the first thing I can remember my dad doing when he took over at United was transforming the Cliff training ground. It was a broken down place and the first thing he did was to get some floodlights put in so on Tuesdays and Thursdays the young players could come and train and the coaches could get together. He put that in place; Sir Alex put Carrington in place.

"I'd guess that maybe the differences come in the dressing room. My father had a very easy way of telling a player that he wasn't doing too well or he'd made a mistake. I think Sir Alex is a bit different and gets quite highly charged in the dressing room. But they are very similar - family always came first for my dad and it does for Sir Alex too. At Manchester United he's resurrected that feeling."

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Sir Alex Ferguson recently overtook Sir Matt Busby as Man Utd's longest-serving manager

The barren 26-year spell between Busby's last league title and Ferguson's first exemplifies how difficult it can be for a club to replace a manager who permeates every pore of a club. It is a situation that directors, players and fans are nervously bracing themselves to face again when Ferguson finally decides to end his record-breaking association with United. With the Red Devils' return to prominence coinciding with the prosperous Premier League era it may seem unlikely that they can ever now be knocked off their pedestal and it is certainly difficult to conceive that they could meet the same fate as the 1974 side, who were relegated six years after the club claimed European glory. But for Busby Jnr, Ferguson's potential retirement should certainly be met with caution.

"I think he should stay for as long as is possible. Someone was recently asking me, 'who do you think they'll get next?' I said that if I were a director at Manchester United I'd put a gun to his head and say you've got to sign a new contract for the next ten years. He'll keep going for a while yet. He's a fit man, he looks after himself.

"I'd fear for them when he leaves. Where are they going to find another Matt Busby or Alex Ferguson? It will be very, very hard for a new manager to come in. If a scout went after a young player and said 'Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson are interested', the young player wouldn't need to think twice. Those two names are synonymous with success and it was like that with my dad.

"During my dad's time, his achievements were second to none. His idea and dream was starting to fill the team in with young boys. He hit the jackpot with the Babes but then came the disaster, and he had to go again. Now, of course, you've got Sir Alex, winning the 19th league title was remarkable and I know my dad will be over the moon up there. I think Alex would love to beat Paisley's record of three European Cups. I remember the first one he won, coming back on the plane from Barcelona. He was coming down the aisle and he said, 'Sandy, I still can't believe it'. He was like an excitable little lad. It means everything to him."

[rondwisan]

legenda united yang awalnya berkarir di liverpool dan city....

post mengenai Sir Matt Busby dari web the KOP nih ... :peace:
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Sir Matt Busby

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On January 20th 1994 Sir Matt Busby, one of the great men of footbal, died. Famous throughout the world of football for his achievements as the manager of our great rivals Manchester United, Busby was also an outstanding player and played for Liverpool in the years running up to the Second World War.

Originating from the mining area of Lanarkshire that also saw the emergence of our own Bill Shankly and Celtic's immortal Jock Stein, Busby would form a holy trinity of great managers with his two countrymen.

He started his playing career as an inside forward but switched to right half early on at Manchester City. It proved an inspired decision and Busby's elegant play and brilliant use of the ball led The Guardian in 1935 to say "In Matt Busby, City have at best a player who has no superior as an attacking half-back".

Capped by Scotland while at Maine Road, Busby joined Liverpool for £8,000 from Manchester City in March 1936 and was immediately made captain. He led the team with distinction under new manager George Kay but as with many players at the time found the peak years of his career lost between 1939 and 1945. On declaration of war Busby was among several Anfield players who immediately signed up with the King's Liverpool Regiment.

Just prior to the war Busby was to meet a man who would remain a close friend throughout his life: Bob Paisley. Paisley was signed as a young player from Bishop Auckland in May 1939 and he was immediately taken under the wing of his captain. Paisley said of him "He was a man you could look up to and respect. He'd played the game and people like him weren't solely tied down with tactics, which was a valuable lesson for me".

As the war came to a close and football returned to the national agenda Liverpool offered Matt a position as club coach. Before he could take up the appointment Manchester United offered him their vacant manager's job and Liverpool chairman Billy McConnell persuaded the Reds' board to release him.

The club he took over was in disarray and were considered to be the second team in their city. They also had to play their games at Maine Road up until 1948 due to bomb damage at Old Trafford. Though Liverpool were to win the first post war title in 47, it didn't take long for Busby to make his mark and the FA Cup in 48 and League in 52 soon followed.

Through the mid 50s Busby replaced his ageing team with a collection of exciting youngsters who would become famous as the Busby Babes. League titles followed in 56 and 57 but then tragedy struck on February 6th 1958. On returning home from the second leg of a Europan Cup quarter final against Red Star Belgrade, the team plane crashed on a stopover at Munich airfield killing twenty of the aircraft's passengers, including eight of the players and severely injuring Busby.

In the aftermath of the disaster Liverpool along with Nottingham Forest offered to loan Manchester Utd players so they could fulfill their fixtures, Busby's links with our club remaining strong. On recovering from his life-threatening injuries Busby was determined to rebuild his side and win the European Cup in honour of those lost in Munich. He was to set about this task with a passion.

It was during this rebuilding period that a great managerial rivalry was born. Down the East Lancs Road a Glenbuck Cherrypicker was effecting a revolution at Anfield. Bill and Matt knew each other well and had played together for Scotland in wartime internationals including a famous 5-4 win over England at Hampden.

The managerial rivalry of Shankly and Busby would be synomynous with 60s football and Liverpool and Manchester United would go on to share four titles between 1964 and 1967. In 1968, ten years after the Munich Disaster, Busby achieved his holy grail and with a 4-1 win over Benfica at Wembley he became the first manager to win the European Cup with an English side.

As ever Busby was inexocrably linked to his Scottish peers; Stein and Celtic had become the first British side to lift the trophy the year before and Shankly's best chance infamously blunted by Inter Milan and a corrupt referee in 1965. Liverpool would have to wait until Busby's great friend Paisley steered us to Rome in 1977 before we could taste the ultimate in European glory.

Busby was knighted for his achievements in 1968 and just a year later had retired from management. He remained at Old Trafford in a range of increasingly senior roles ending up as club president in 1982.

Many still argue that he cast too great a shadow over the club and this was partly to blame for the failures of subsequent managers in the next 24 years but that is a simplistic and false argument. Sir Matt died on 20th January 1994 aged 85 having seen his club win their first title in 26 years - and their first since he was in charge.

While Sir Matt Busby will always be remembered for re-building Manchester United and surviving the Munich air disaster, he should also be remembered as a man of integrity and honour, a Red player of note, and a great captain.

Sir Matt Busby (Alexander Matthew Busby)

Born 26th May 1909 Bellshill, Lanarkshire
Died 20th January 1994 Cheadle, Staffordshire
Liverpool debut: 14th March 1936 v Huddersfield Town (away) Football League Division One: Lost 0-1
1st team games: 125 1st team goals: 3
International caps: Scottish International
Other clubs: Manchester City 1929-36 (FA Cup winner 1934)
Managerial career: Manchester United 1945-69 (5 League titles, 2 FA Cups, 1 European Cup)

[rondwisan]

In the aftermath of the disaster Liverpool along with Nottingham Forest offered to loan Manchester Utd players so they could fulfill their fixtures, Busby's links with our club remaining strong.

kemaren sempet ngobrol ama salah satu temen yang menginfokan, ternyata ada satu fakta menarik pasca Munich Disaster, Liverpool meminjamkan beberapa pemainnya ke United (sama Forest juga ya)

Respect di atas Rivalitas :shakehand:

[Ucup Carrick]

gaFdxWsO5rM

interview sir Matt di tahun 1973....

VKA3rtlk2xg

Suasana pas Sir Matt Wafat....

[fajrinited]

:hb: :hb: :hb:
SIR MATT BUSBY
:mudance: :muflag:

[Andi Istiabudi]

Happy Birthday Sir Matt Busby !!!

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[AdministratoR]

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[zudomiriku]

Manchester United remove Sir Matt Busby's plaque from his old director's box seat and relocate his family's season tickets

* After his retirement, Sir Matt Busby was awarded a plaque on his seat in the Old Trafford directors box along with season tickets for his family
* The club have now taken down the plaque from their late manager's seat
* The Busby family's tickets have also been moved elsewhere in the stadium

Manchester United have removed a plaque from Sir Matt Busby's old seat at Old Trafford – and have also shifted his family from the director's box.

The club have taken down the plate, which was attached to Sir Matt's seat following his retirement and have given their late former manager's family, who had three seats alongside it, season tickets elsewhere in the stadium.

Sir Matt, who passed away in 1994, is seen as one of United's greats after playing a key role in the history of the club.

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Following Sir Matt's death his family continued to receive tickets for the director's box

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The club have taken down the plate and given their late ex-manager's family tickets elsewhere

The Scot was manager in 1958 and on the plane carrying his 'Babes' which crashed at a Munich Airport and claimed the lives of 23, including eight players.

Despite being seriously injured, Sir Matt would recover and go on to build an iconic United side which would lift the European Cup a decade later.

Following his death his family continued to receive tickets for the director's box.

However, the plaque has been removed and new tickets, for a separate area of the stadium which include hospitality, have been issued.

A source said: 'This is just another example of how the club has changed – and not for the better. Sir Matt will always be a legend here but what has gone in the past doesn't seem to count for much these days.'

United have been contacted for comment.

Amanda Eustace, daughter of Sir Matt's son, Sandy who died in 2014, told the Manchester Evening News: 'My dad always said it was a privilege to have those box tickets. We have been extremely grateful to United for what they have given us over the past years.

'We do still have season tickets, which is absolutely fantastic.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3773602/Manchester-United-remove-Sir-Matt-Busby-s-plaque-old-directors-box-seat-relocate-family-s-season-tickets.html

[Andi Istiabudi]

http://www.manutd.com/sitecore/shell/~/media/67D68A355926453F94D52EA856D152C4.ashx?w=1280&h=720&rgn=0,651,1955,1752

CLUB TO DISPLAY SIR MATT'S FIRST CONTRACT

- Club secures ownership of historic document
- Contract to be displayed inside Old Trafford stadium

Manchester United has added Sir Matt Busby’s first contract with the club to its Old Trafford Museum collection, thereby securing an item of memorabilia which changed our history.

The contract, which details the agreement that secured his services in 1945, has been acquired by the club from a private collector for an undisclosed fee.

The document, which has never been displayed before, will now form part of the museum, which already boasts over 500 medals and trophies from throughout the club’s 140-year history.

The eight-page agreement lists the clauses in Sir Matt’s initial five-year contract, including his annual salary of £675, together with his housing arrangements.

Speaking of the acquisition, Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, commented:

"In a quarter of a century as manager, Sir Matt Busby changed the face of Manchester United and his role in shaping this club is well known.

"From the devastating 1958 Munich Air Disaster to the pinnacle of becoming the first English side to win the European Cup just 10 years later, Sir Matt Busby has written such a large part of the history of this club and it is important we recognise and remember what he achieved.

"I’m sure supporters will welcome this addition to the museum, as an artefact which changed this famous old club forever."

The contract will be on display from Friday 25 May and supporters wishing to see it, along with other Sir Matt Busby memorabilia, can visit the Old Trafford Museum, which is open daily between 10:00 and 16:00 BST.

www.manutd.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

Ini dia penampakan kontrak bersejarah Busby dengan United :)

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[zudomiriku]

Sir Matt Busby's Manchester United contract from 1946 (including £675-a-year salary and a rent-free house) to be displayed at Old Trafford museum

* Sir Matt Busby's 1945 Manchester United contract has returned to Old Trafford
* A private collector was in possession of it and it was about to go up at auction
* However, it has returned and will be placed on display at Old Trafford's museum
* The contract states a £675-a-year salary and includes a rent-free house

It is the document that changed the course of Manchester United’s history.

And now the contract which secured the services of the legendary Sir Matt Busby is back in the club’s hands.

A private collector was in possession of the 1946 agreement, which states that the Scot should ’further the attractiveness of the team’s football’, and was set to put it up for auction, with a guide price of around £30,000.

https://s9.postimg.cc/olqwxma1b/4_C86_ABB300000578-5757337-_Sir_Matt_Busby_s_1946_agreement_will_re.jpg (https://postimg.cc/image/41m2z4ua3/)
The five-year contract began on October 22, 1945 and was worth £675 a year

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The agreement was in the hands of a private collector and was going to be put up at auction

However, club officials acted swiftly to ensure that the contract – thought to have been discarded by United during a clearout years ago – came back to Old Trafford before it could go under the hammer.

As a result, it will now take pride of place in United’s museum.

The document provides a wonderful illustration of Busby’s shrewd nature, disclosing that he was set to be paid £675-a-year but secured an increase to £1,000-a-year.

Busby had actually started working for United a year previously under a gentleman’s agreement and the contract ensures that his pay was backdated by 12 months.

The deal included a rent-free house and four weeks’ holiday. It also underlined United’s commitment to entertaining supporters, stating: ‘He shall use all proper means in his power to further the quality of play of the teams and the attractiveness of the football’.

Busby certainly met that obligation over a magnificent 24 years in charge. Initially he built the famous ‘Busby Babes’ an exhilarating young side which looked set to conquer Europe until tragedy struck on a Munich runway in 1958.

Following the disaster, which claimed the lives of 21 passengers including seven players Busby, who himself was badly injured in the crash, lifted himself out of his hospital bed to create another magnificent side which would lift the European Cup on a poignant night at Wembley a decade later.

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The contract states that the club will provide a 'dwellinghouse free of rent' for Busby

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The contract also states the the players' manager will be entitled to four weeks' holiday. The 72-year-old document will be placed on display at the museum at Old Trafford on May 25

By the time he moved upstairs in 1969, United had won 13 trophies and had become arguably the biggest club in the world.

United’s Executive Vice Chairman, Ed Woodward, welcomed the first deal of the summer, which came following an undisclosed fee.

‘In a quarter of a century as manager, Sir Matt Busby changed the face of Manchester United and his role in shaping this club is well known,’ he said. ‘From the devastating 1958 Munich Air Disaster, to the pinnacle of becoming the first English side to win the European Cup just ten years later, Sir Matt Busby has written such a large part of the history of this club and it is important we recognise and remember what he achieved.

‘I’m sure supporters will welcome this addition to the museum, as an artefact which changed this famous old club forever.’

The contract will go on display from May 25.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5757337/Sir-Matt-Busbys-Manchester-United-contract-1946-displayed-Old-Trafford-museum.html

[Andi Istiabudi]

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OLE: SIR MATT WAS WATCHING ON IN 1999

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Sir Matt Busby was looking down on the 1999 UEFA Champions League final, the day when the legendary former Manchester United boss would have turned 90.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s Reds memorably scored twice in injury time to beat Bayern Munich and clinch the Treble, with the club’s current caretaker boss steering the winner high into the net to spark scenes of sheer elation at the Nou Camp.

As a player, the Norwegian was fully aware of the impact Sir Matt had on United . When we asked him about the great Scot, 25 years after he sadly passed away, Solskjaer replied: “Oh, he laid the foundation [for United].

“You can see the way Sir Alex built the club, or rebuilt the club if you like, [it] was on the values of Sir Matt and those beliefs and principles.”

Solskjaer still remembers a poignant moment before kick-off at the Nou Camp.

“It would have been his 90th birthday on 26 May in 1999 for the Champions League final so, of course, I’m aware of Sir Matt’s legacy,“ said Ole.

”There is a story from that night, just before the game, when his son and daughter were in the stadium and there were a couple of doves just flying up [in the air].

“They both looked at the doves at the same time and said: 'He’s watching', and I think he would have been.”

Busby, of course, became the first man to guide an English club to success in the European Cup by winning it with United at Wembley in 1968, a decade after the Munich Air Disaster.

The epic triumph secured by Solskjaer's goal in Barcelona was only the second time the Reds lifted the trophy, with a third following in 2008, courtesy of the penalty shoot-out victory over Chelsea in Moscow.

www.manutd.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

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'AS LONG AS THERE'S UNITED, SIR MATT IS ALIVE'
by Paddy Crerand

Let me tell you about Sir Matt Busby. You could be in a packed room – a hotel, a restaurant, wherever – and it would be bustling with people. All of a sudden you'd be able to hear a pin drop. You didn’t even have to turn around because you already knew what had happened: Matt had entered the room.

He had this vast, massive aura. I saw it in action loads of times. He commanded respect and believe me when I say that he was respected by everybody. He lived not far from me and sometimes I’d go for a walk and see him out and about on the street. I swear, every single car would beep him. Every person would stop and toot their horn for him. He was one of these great, iconic figures who you don’t often meet in life.

The thing with respect is that you have to earn it, and Sir Matt did that. He was a very humble man. He could be excused for being a little big-headed after all he’d achieved as a player and a manager, but there was none of that about him whatsoever. He was the most honest man you could meet. In all the years I knew him, I never once heard him swear. Not once. Ask anyone who worked with him and they’ll all say the same.

The funny thing is, nobody else ever swore when he was there, either. For me, that wasn’t easy! I had to keep the bad language in until he’d left – as did Jimmy Murphy. Jimmy was another terrific fella, and he’d be swearing all over the show once Sir Matt had left the room, telling us to destroy the opposition.

The first time I ever saw Matt, I was playing for the Scottish league against the Italian league at Hampden Park in November 1961. Denis Law was playing for the Italian league, funnily enough, and Matt was at the game. He was going to sign Denis anyway, but I think he was there to have another look at him. I saw Matt come into the hotel beforehand, but didn’t speak to him. I was in awe.

I had a blinder against the Italian league that day and we won 1-0. Maybe that was the reason I got to meet Matt a little over a year later when he wanted me to sign for United. I came from Scotland with John McPhail, a newspaper reporter, and Noreen, my partner. We weren’t married at the time, so when we arrived at the hotel – my first time in a flash hotel – it turned out that Matt had booked us separate rooms!

When I met Matt the next day, I was just in total awe. Being in a room with him, with this huge figure, it was something else. The conversation wasn’t a long one. He spoke about the reasons for signing me and explained that it would be my job to get the ball to the forwards. He was a midfield player and, from what I hear, he was a replica of me in that he wasn’t the quickest.

I think I was going to sign for United regardless of how our meeting went. I was more or less a captive audience. Manchester United were a massive name in Glasgow already because they were one of the few teams you could see on television. I’d watched United play in the European Cup before the Munich tragedy and they were sensational.

I actually signed with United on the fifth anniversary of Munich. It was five years to the day, but we never spoke about it. Nobody ever mentioned Munich to Matt – or even spoke about it around the club, actually. I don’t recall ever hearing him talk about it. What he did talk about a lot was the European Cup. That was the big one for him and he never stopped talking about it. The goal of everything, more or less, was to win the European Cup. It was always great to win the league, but mainly because it gave you another crack at winning the big one.

United hadn’t won anything since Munich, but we won the FA Cup in my first campaign. We had the makings of a great team and, the following season, we added George Best into the mix. Now, Matt tried to be like a father figure to every player.

As soon as he signed a player for United, he would speak with their parents to make them happy with the man who was looking after their boy. He’s going to do the best for you. It might not work out for everyone, but you could be assured that Matt would do his best to help every one of them. He looked after George more than anyone.

With George’s talent, however, it wasn’t long before he was front-page news as well as back-page news. At that time, it was unheard of for a player to be on the front of newspapers, so Matt had to deal with something new and completely different, in the Swinging Sixties, in a city where there were clubs opening up on every corner. It was a playground for a young, single lad like George.

Matt must have sent me out looking for George a million times, and I tried to protect the lad wherever I could. The media followed him everywhere. He couldn’t go to the toilet without being followed. I remember one guy in a club; he’d been having a go at George all night and if he was warned off once, he was warned off a hundred times. He just didn’t stop, so I ended up breaking his jaw.

Matt gave me a right going over. He slaughtered me for letting down the club. A few weeks later, I saw him and his wife Jean out in a restaurant in Manchester, so I went over. Jean, straight away, starting telling me how I’d done the right thing in hitting the guy, whose behaviour had been out of order. Matt didn’t say a word!

But I was still in trouble for what I’d done. On the day I went to court, I knew I was in real bother. The room was packed with United fans, but even having that support didn’t lessen the fear. Everything was due to start at 10 o'clock and at five minutes to, Matt just came in and wordlessly sat beside me. The courtroom broke out in applause for him! I ended up avoiding prison and I think Matt’s presence might have helped with that.

A few years later, there was another incident when there was a bit of bother with somebody in the pub I was running at the time. That time, Matt gave me a character reference. Looking back, I gave him cause for concern on a few occasions down the years. It wasn’t fear with Matt, but you wouldn’t want to annoy him. I never really, really upset him, but I had six red cards in all my time at United and he would go off his head each time. There was a few times when he understood what I’d done, but don’t forget that in those days you’d have to hit somebody with a sledgehammer to get sent off, with all the tackling that went on.

My red cards were always for fighting or for punching somebody. One time, Matt got caught up in it. During our European Cup tie with FK Sarajevo in 1967, it was a fight from start to finish at Old Trafford and I told one of their players that I’d get him in the tunnel at full-time. I did, but he ended up swinging for me and getting Matt. We’d been accustomed to having a post-European game banquet with our visitors at the Midland Hotel. Funnily enough, that was one of the games that put a stop to that tradition!

Whenever anybody was in trouble with Matt – if they’d done anything wrong during a game or done something off the pitch that he didn’t approve of – he wouldn’t tell them off in front of everybody. He wouldn’t have a go in front of the other players and I think that’s a great thing, just basic good psychology. What he was great at was getting you individually. At Old Trafford, you come out of the dressing room, walk towards the exit and you have to go past the referee’s room. That’s where he’d hide and he’d yank you in there on your way past. Most of the players ended up running past that room on their way out! If he got you, though, you knew he was telling you something to help you.

The most animated I ever saw Matt was a few months after the Sarajevo game, just after we drew 3-3 with Real Madrid to go through to the European Cup final. He was going crazy with pure happiness, shaking everybody’s hand, hugging everybody; we were through to the European Cup final and he was absolutely chuffed to bits.

He was obsessed with Europe and all the players were aware of that. We wanted to win it anyway because we wanted to be the best team, but it made it even more important to do it for Matt. It was a huge thing to be European champions because not many teams had done it up to that point. We were very confident that we’d beat Benfica in the final at Wembley. It felt like we knew we were going to win it – until the last minute of the game when Eusebio went through on goal, of course!

We should have been three or four up but didn’t get there and in the end we were fortunate to survive that late scare. Then, at full-time, Matt spoke to us all. It was the end of May, a hot day, there wasn’t a breath of air left to take. You wouldn’t believe how hot it was. Matt told us not to show the Benfica players that we were tired. Fifteen minutes later, we’d scored three in the first half of extra-time.

When the final whistle went, straight away, everybody’s thoughts turned to Matt. Can you imagine what must have been going through his mind – and Jimmy’s mind – to have finally won the European Cup after Munich? Matt was the one who took English clubs into Europe and, after everything he and the club had been through, he’d finally won the big one. We wanted him to go up and lift the European Cup, but he wouldn’t, even after everything. Wouldn’t do it. Can you believe that?

I would always see Matt long after I’d finished playing and he’d retired. My daughter went to school with his grandkids – Sheena’s kids – so they were in the same clique. I’d see him every week, more or less, and he was totally unchanged. The whole family were just terrific people. Sandy [his son] was a great lad and Jean, Matt’s wife, was always fantastic. While Matt was manager, if the team was away in Europe, or away on tour for weeks at a time, Jean would go and check in with the families to make sure that everything was alright. Both she and Matt recognised that the players weren’t the only important people involved with the club.

They knew your kids, your grandkids, your parents, knew everybody in your family. He made a point of that with his players. He was that type of person. Of course, towards the end, we all knew that Matt was ill. Everyone went to see him during his illness, sometimes individually, sometimes in twos or threes. There was never a shortage of people wanting to see him.

I never said goodbye to Matt, as such. You knew he was very ill, but you always thought that Matt Busby was invincible, that he’d never die. When you look around Old Trafford today, hear the fans still singing his name, see his statue, see everything that he made happen, you realise that he’s still here, still alive.

As long as there’s a Manchester United, Sir Matt Busby is alive.

www.manutd.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

HOW SIR MATT BUSBY LED US TO GREATNESS

It's 25 years since Sir Matt Busby, the man who transformed Manchester United into one of the greatest clubs in the world, passed away. But just how did he do it?

While there was a Manchester United before Sir Matt Busby, it bore no comparison to the Manchester United that now occupies Sir Matt Busby Way. The Reds were “a team with no ground and no money”, as the Scot succinctly put it. Throw in the absence of any tangible success for over three decades prior to Busby’s arrival, and a glance to the present day underlines just how much of his groundwork has gone into the goliath institution known around the modern world.

An ex-Manchester City and Liverpool player with no managerial experience, taking his first role at an ailing club; success was by no means nailed-on, but seldom have two parties been a better match for one another. Matt’s appointment was a plot twist none saw coming, a move of such inspiration that it changed the landscape of English football. Busby hauled United – and the rest of the country, over time – into the spotlight of the continental game, showed it to the world and watched on as it captured the collective imagination.

Even at 35, with no direct experience, Matt had a clear vision of his style of management, having noted core issues in football management – most notably the disparity between players and managers. As he evolved from one towards the other, he vowed to implement his learnings in order to get the most from his squad. When club owner James W Gibson met with Busby in February 1945 to discuss doing so at United, the Scot outlined his vision in such compelling fashion that the planned offer of a three-year contract was quickly upgraded to a five-year deal.

The terms of Busby’s charge were simple: total control. “I would be the boss,” he explained. “This being so, I would not have any excuse if I failed. Nor would I offer any. They could kick me out.”

Matt had honed his leadership skills as Company Sergeant-Major Instructor Busby during the Second World War, and after being demobbed he began his new role in October 1945. It was not until four FA Cup games the following January that United contested a competitive game under their new manager, but Busby’s first full season, 1946/47, yielded a second-placed finish – the club’s best since the 1910/11 title triumph.

The enlistment of assistant manager Jimmy Murphy was a key part of the Reds’ upturn in fortunes, and the duo’s second term together culminated in a thrilling victory over Blackpool in the 1948 FA Cup final. United’s 4-2 win remains an all-time classic, but even in the immediate aftermath of the success, Busby and Murphy were pondering the best way to move their successful but ageing side to the next level.

The answer lay in the club’s Manchester United Junior Athletic Club (MUJAC) system, into which the manager would repeatedly delve over the coming years. “Matt’s ideal was to create at Old Trafford the sort of spirit one gets in a school team in which players grow up together, and know one another both on and off the field,” Murphy later revealed. “It was not enough to have a group of fine young footballers; they had to have a sense of belonging.”

That was fostered over the coming seasons as a succession of top young talents were assimilated into first-team duty. Two homegrown players had featured in the 1948 FA Cup final win over Blackpool; by the time the Reds clinched the 1955/56 First Division title against the Seasiders, the team contained eight players reared in-house.

Busby insisted that his Babes be given the chance to compete in the recently formed European Cup, defying the Football Association’s wishes to do so. The rest, of course, is history. The Reds’ second tilt at the competition ended in tragedy in Munich, prompting Busby to regularly berate himself for surviving where others had perished. Though he initially wanted to turn his back on football, Busby was talked around by his wife, Jean, who said: “I am sure those who have gone would have wanted you to carry on.”

Though it was an excruciating process to rebuild first himself, then United, Matt Busby did so in a remarkably short space of time. Five years on, his heartbroken club had won the FA Cup. Another half-decade on, two league titles already secured, he had led them to the European Cup so coveted by his Babes.

A knighthood swiftly followed and, after his retirement, a place on the board of directors before the role of club president beckoned.

Though United’s fortunes faltered after winning the European Cup, the arrival of Alex Ferguson in 1986 marked a watershed in the club’s history. “Sir Matt was extremely supportive when I arrived at Old Trafford,” Ferguson later revealed. “The welcome he gave me was marvellous and he helped me to settle down at the club. I never forgot it and I never will.”

By the time of Sir Matt’s death on 20 January 1994, he had seen his beloved United reclaim domestic rule while playing football worthy of the Babes; a fitting send-off for the man to which all the United hallmarks can be traced back. Ferguson built his Old Trafford success on familiar foundations: a reliance on homegrown talent and a commitment to attacking football. The Sir Matt Busby way.

www.manutd.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

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