2 November 1929 - The Blue Side Of Busby

On 2 November 1929, 20-year old inside left forward Matt Busby made his professional debut. For Manchester City.

Despite being best known as the manager who raised Manchester United to glorious heights, including five First Division titles and the European Cup, Busby began his career on the blue side of town, signing with City in February 1928 at the age of 17. His first contract was worth £5 per week and included a clause that allowed him to leave after a year if he chose to rejoin his mother, who had emigrated to the United States.

But despite not getting a first-team appearance in that first year, he decided to stick it out with City and eventually got his debut at home against Middlesbrough. City won 3-1.

Busby stayed with City for eight seasons, making a total of 229 appearances and winning the 1934 FA Cup. In 1936, he moved to Liverpool where he played for four more seasons before World War II interrupted league play in 1939.

During the war, Busby got his first taste of management, taking charge of an Army side. When the war ended, he was preparing to return to Liverpool in a coaching role, but the move was interrupted by Manchester United, who offered him the job as manager. He accepted and proceeded to establish United as one of Europe's dominant sides.

6 February 1958 - The Munich Air Disaster

On 6 February 1958, an airplane containing Manchester United's players and staff crashed in Munich, killing 23 passengers. The fatalities included eight United players and three staff members, as well as two crew members and eight journalists.

United were returning home from a 3-3 draw with Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup when their plane stopped in Munich to refuel. As the flight crew prepared to take off, they were twice forced to cancel the departure due to engine trouble. Meanwhile, heavy snow caused slush to build up at the end of the runway. During the third attempt, the plane committed to take-off, reaching a speed at which it was no longer possible to stop safely. But it hit the slush at the end of the runway, which dropped the plane's speed below the level needed to get airborne.

Unable to stop, the plane crashed through a fence and broke apart, with portions of the fuselage hitting a house, a tree, and a fuel shed, causing the latter to explode. Twenty passengers died instantly, while Captain James Thain and United goalkeeper Harry Gregg both helped clear survivors from the flaming wreckage--Gregg literally dragged teammates Bobby Charlton and Dennis Viollet to safety by their belts.

Reporter Frank Swift died on the way to the hospital, while co-pilot Kenneth Rayment passed away after three weeks in intensive care. United's star wing half, Duncan Edwards--who had finished third in voting for 1957 European Footballer of the Year--died after two weeks in the hospital. United Manager Matt Busby's injuries were so bad that he received last rites while in the hospital, but he survived and returned the lead the team again the next season.

The club came close to folding after the devastation of Munich, but Busby managed to rebuild the team and led them to the European title 10 years later. Two members of that title-winning team, Bobby Charlton and Bill Foulkes, were survivors of the Munich crash.

14 January 1969 - Busby Bows Out

On 14 January 1969, Manchester United manager Matt Busby announced his retirement after 23 years in charge at Old Trafford, effective at the end of the season. As it turned out, it was a temporary retirement.

Although Busby had played for 12 seasons--8 for Manchester City and 4 with Liverpool--before World War II interrupted his career, he had no prior managerial experience when United hired him on 19 February 1945. He quickly mastered the learning curve, leading United to a second-place finish when the league resumed play in the 1946-47 season. They again finished in second place for three of the next four seasons (1948, 1949, 1951) and claimed Busby's first silverware, the 1948 FA Cup, before winning the league in 1952.

Busby was with the team on the way home from a European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade when their plane crashed in Munich on 6 February 1958. Seven players and three club officials were killed, while Busby himself was so injured that he twice received last rites. Remarkably, he recovered from his injuries after two months in the hospital and resumed his managerial duties for the 1958-59 season.

In all, Busby's United won five league titles (1952, 1956, 1957, 1965, 1967), two FA Cups (1948, 1963) and one European Cup (1968).

Upon his retirement, he remained with the club as a director while trainer Wilf McGuinness took over as manager. Busby briefly returned to the touchline when McGuinness was sacked in December 1970, but again retired at the end of that season.

4 October 1933 - Busby's Brief International Career

On 4 October 1933, wing half Matt Busby debuted for Scotland in a 3-2 loss to Wales at Ninian Park in the British Home Championship. He played for Scotland seven more times during World War II, but the 1933 appearance was his only official one for the Scottish national side.

Busby was in the midst of an impressive playing career for Manchester City, for whom he made a total of 229 appearances between 1928 and 1936, scoring 14 goals and winning the 1935 FA Cup. (The photo to the right shows Busby meeting the future King George VI at the 1933 FA Cup Final.)

In 1936, he transferred to Liverpool, where he played until 1939, making 122 appearances. His playing career officially ended with the outbreak of World War II as he, along with many other Liverpool players, signed up for military service with the King's Liverpool Regiment.

Wales went on to win the 1933-34 British Home Championship with a 2-1 win over England and a 1-1 draw with Ireland. Scotland finished at the bottom of the table, losing all three of their matches.

After the war, Busby started a successful management career with Manchester United, where he stayed from 1945 to 1969, and then from 1970-71. He also briefly managed a unified British national side in 1948 and the Scottish national team in 1958.