Manchester United fans unveil replica of Munich Air Disaster memorial close to home

New Munich Air Disaster Memorial
New Munich Air Disaster memorial unveiled in Manchester Credit: ITV News

A new memorial honouring the 23 people who lost their lives in the tragedy has been unveiled in Manchester - 65 years on from the Munich Air Disaster.

Among those killed were eight of Manchester United's famous Busby Babes who were returning home from a European Cup match when their plane crashed trying to take off from Munich airport on 6 February 1958.

The new memorial outside the Railway Club in Stretford will look familiar to many Manchester United supporters.

It's a replica of the one that stands in Munich near to where the crash happened.

Club legends Alex Stepney and Paddy Crerand joined United supporters at the officially unveiling.

Alex says: "To have a replica done is absolutely incredible. It's what it's all about, Munich will be remembered all the time.

"I can remember, we both can remember, it's one of those things that you remember where you were when it happened."

Brian Mulholland from the Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation says he wanted to have the new memorial to honour the Busby Babes.

He says: "The ground is only around the corner and it's nice to have something in Manchester.

"The Germans who look after the site (in Munich) are amazing the Red Docs and Bayern Munich. So we thought we should have something here in it's hometown."

Munich Air Disaster memorial at Manchesterplatz in Munich

Jackie Cosgrave is the landlady the Railway Club in Stretford where the memorial has been put up. She hopes fans from all over the world will now come to see it.

She says: "We're right near Old Trafford and it just makes sense to do something like this and it's just been amazing.

"We've got loads of United fans coming and friends all over the world who are United fans so just wanted to do that for them."

Stephen Merry had the job of recreating the original memorial at Manchesterplatz in Munich.

The lifelong Manchester United fan says he couldn't be happier with how the replica has turned out.

He says: "It's from the heart and I'm really pleased with it. I've been brought up with Munich, I'm Manchester United I go home and away, it's just part of me."