Today I would like to look back at a player who very few of us would have been lucky enough to have seen play live; but one whose name should be known and remembered by every true Manchester United fan.
Many regard him as the best player ever, in fact even the great Bobby Charlton claims that Duncan Edwards is the best player he has ever played with or against; high praise from a player who played with George Best and against Pele. England’s great captain, Bobby Moore nicknamed him the ‘Rock of Gibraltar’ for his physical presence on the pitch. In fact great numbers of football fans believe that Moore would not have been the famous no.6 in our World Cup year had Duncan not had his life cut tragically cut short aged just 21 in the Munich Air Crash.
Edwards played at wing-half (nowadays it would be the equivalent of defensive midfield) but such was his versatility that one game he started at centre forward but following an injury to a centre-half he ended the match in defence. He was the youngest player ever to play in the First Division and England’s youngest player since the war.
Often Duncan would be described as having a huge physical presence, legs like tree trunks but with a terrific footballing brain to back his physicality up. It was said that he was equally adept with both feet, capable of playing cross field passes with either, a great aerial ability and a thunderous shot. Defensively as well, it is heavily noted that the timing of his tackles were impeccable and his stamina like no one else. Many say that he is one of the toughest players the game has ever seen.
During his time at United, he helped the club to two league titles and a European Cup semi-final, as well as gaining England qualification for the 1958 World Cup. He had an impressive international career, despite it’s brief timescale. In 18 caps he managed to score 5 goals from a deep position, including one against West Germany in a friendly victory, after which the German press nicknamed him ‘Boom Boom’ due to his ferocious shot.
His career, as well as England’s World Cup hopes were cut down in 1958 when he was aged just 21 in the terrible Munich Air Crash. Although he was not killed at the scene, he died a few weeks later in hospital from his injuries. It is said that despite him having a kidney transplant that eventually went wrong; he asked the United assistant manager, Jimmy Murphy, what time kick off was against Wolves the following weekend. However a few days later he passed away; a long time after he was supposed to go, but for his incredible strength to survive.
Duncan still lives on in all true Manchester United fans minds; even those who are too young to have seen him play live, like myself. Who knows what ‘Big Dunc’ could have achieved if he was not taken at such a tender age? Most likely he would have been classed as the greatest player ever to have pulled on a United jersey, a European Cup and World Cup winner and he would have no doubt formed a super team with himself, Bobby Charlton, George Best and Denis Law all in one side, that would have surely dominated Europe. Maybe he would have even been indisputable the best player ever to have lived? Who knows? What we do know for sure, however, is that he truly was a United legend.
Duncan Edwards
Born: 1 October 1936
Died: 21 February 1958
Man Utd appearances/ Goals: 151/20
England appearances/ Goals: 18/5
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