I was there ...

by Dave
(Lymington)

This truly historic match was my first ever ManU game. My older brother took me plus our younger brother to the match as a treat - and so it proved to be! We were ManU fans because our Mum was from there, despite us living in the South East all our lives. We have all three remained true fans ever since.

I was only 10 years old and - to be honest - can remember very little of the game itself. The massive crowd made a big impression - the noise was well beyond what I was used to at The Den supporting Millwall. But I do remember the impression of strength and sheer physicality that Duncan Edwards displayed. An old fashioned, muddy, 'February' pitch, a heavy ball and traditional 'brown' boots did nothing to restrain this naturally powerful and athletic man. I was amazed at the speed of the wingers, with or without the ball. And seeing nine goals scored in a game was hardly typical either.

I read an article by Terry Venables several years ago describing this famous game. It seems he must have been stood quite close to me and my brothers near the once-famous clock at one corner of the old Highbury. My brother still treasures the match programme from that game. Sadly, the whole memory has become rolled up with the emotions evoked by the news of the Munich crash just a few days later. It made me wish I had kept a diary and recorded what I really thought of the Busby Babes on what was, for several of them, their last ever game in England. Whatever else, I recall, I still describe the match as 'ManU thrashed Arsenal, 5-4' for that is how the game really seemed to me.