I was saddened to learn of the passing of hero survivor from the 1958 Munich air disaster Manchester United legend Harry Gregg who died this week at the age of 87. The Magherafelt native, who was once the world's most expensive goalkeeper, made a total of 210 appearances for the Old Trafford club following stints with Linfield, Coleraine and Doncaster Rovers respectively. A World Cup in 1958 followed with Northern Ireland, where he earned a total of 25 caps; this just months after walking away from the crash which would take away the lives of the majority of his teammates.
Like many, I was not fortunate enough to witness Harry's 'heroics' on the football pitch. But what sets Harry's 'Hero' status apart from other legendary names to have graced the beautiful game was that he was a real-life 'Hero' off the field too. 23 lives were lost when Manchester United's air-plane stopped in Munich to refuel in horrendous conditions. Twice they tried to take-off, twice they abandoned. The fateful third attempt via the snow-laden runway was to prove disastrous, crashing into a fence at the end of the runway before ploughing into a house and losing it's left wing.
In an act of complete selflessness, a still conscious Harry Gregg acted fast in pulling survivors from the burning wreckage. Among them was a Serbian woman and her baby daughter. TV footage many years later reunited them where he was told to his astonishment that she was also pregnant with a baby boy at the time too. When prompted by a journalist to respond to the gratitude received, a visibly emotional Gregg uttered the words "These people owe me nothing". It tells you everything you need to know about the man in one sentence.
Widely acknowledged in the annual commemorations to mark the tragedy, perhaps it's now time this legend of the club be given a lasting legacy in his death. Many supporters have been vociferous in their calls for Manchester United to have another national treasure immortalised alongside Best, Law, Charlton, Ferguson and Busby in the form of a statue at the Theatre of Dreams.
An ironic tribute given that while statues stand still - on that fateful day of the 6th of February 1958 - one courageous man thankfully, did not.
Harry Gregg, 'The Reluctant Hero', and one of our own - may you rest in peace.
