Considered one of the heroes of the Munich air disaster that decimated the Manchester United team in 1958, Harry Gregg died at the age of 87, the foundation that bears his name announced on Monday. "It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of Manchester United and Northern Ireland legend Harry Gregg," wrote his foundation on his Facebook page. "Harry died peacefully in the hospital surrounded by his family. "
It is with great sorrow that we inform of the death of Manchester United and Northern Ireland legend Harry Gregg, OBE, ...
Gepostet von Harry Gregg Foundation am Sonntag, 16. Februar 2020A former Red Devils guardian, Gregg rescued several people, including a baby and teammates Bobby Charlton and Jackie Blanchflower, from the wreckage of the plane carrying the team on February 6, 1958. Twenty-three people were died in total in the accident. "Courage is one thing, but what Harry did was more than courage. Above all, it was kindness, "wrote George Best in Harry Gregg's autobiography," Harry's Game ".
Gregg had joined Manchester United in December 1957 for 23,500 pounds, which was the most expensive transfer in history for a goalkeeper at the time. He was then voted best goalkeeper at the 1958 World Cup, just months after the crash.
Erected as a hero by Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United coach for 27 years, Gregg humbly spoke of the courage he had shown in the accident. "I would be lying if I said that I think about it all the time. In fact, I would go crazy, "he said in 2018 before a tribute ceremony commemorating the 60th anniversary of the drama.
"I would be lying if I said that I think about it all the time"
“I know the media would like to talk about what happened on the track. I don't hold it against people for that. But if all that I did, or all that I accomplished, is what happened in Germany, in Munich, if my life amounted to that, then I would not have accomplished great -something, "he said.
The accident occurred on February 6, 1958 while the team was returning from a European Cup match in Belgrade. After a stopover in Munich, the plane crashed during takeoff in terrible weather conditions.
Eight young players on the team, who had just won two consecutive championship titles, died in the disaster, while coach Matt Busby was seriously injured. Bobby Charlton is now the last surviving player still alive.
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The crash is forever etched in the history of the club, which won the European Cup of champion clubs ten years later, in 1968 in Wembley. Without Harry Gregg in the cages, transferred two years earlier to Stoke City.