Duncan Edwards - Manchester United Legend

Duncan Edwards Stats
Full Name	Duncan Edwards
Birthplace	Dudley, England
Height	180cm (5ft 11ins)
Date of Birth	01/10/1936
Date of Death	21/02/1958
Position	Wing half
Leaugue Club Football
Manchester United (1953-28)		177	21
Total		177	21
International Football
England (1955-1958)		18	5

Introduction

Although Duncan Edwards played less than two-hundred competitive games over a short five year career, he is regarded by many - who were lucky enough to see him play - as arguably the greatest English born player to have graced 'The Beautiful Game'.

A collosus amongst men Edward's in his short, but succesful career helped Manchester United win two League Championships and reach two European Cup semi-finals before losing his life at the age of 21, fifteen days after he had suffered multiple injuriies in the Munich Air Disaster.

Duncan Edwards Early CareerAlthough Duncan Edwards, is nowadays fondly remembered for his supreme footballing talents, it could've been so much different, had he competed in the National Morris and Sword Dancing Festival, instead of attending the trial he had for the English Schools Foootball Association's U-14 team. Not many people know this, but the young footballer was a gifted Morris dancer too and could've easily made a career in it. However, football had always been in is heart and there was no way he was going to miss out of the great opportunity afforded to him.

Needless to say the great Duncan Edwards impressed the selectors on trials day and was drafted into the first XI, making his debut against a Welsh Schools U-14 team on 1 April 1950 at Wembley Stadium. Such was his presence in the team that he was quickly awarded the captaincy, a position he held for two seasons.

By the time his spell for the E.S.F.A. U-14 team had come to an end he had begun to attract the attention of scouts up and down the country, with Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers leading the way in recruiting him, however, it is Manchester United who beat both the Midlanders in the race to securing Edward's services, after Joe Mercer, the English School's coach and old friend of Matt Busby's urged the canny Scot to sign the player, which he did on amateur forms on 2 June 1952.

Duncan Edwards Manchester United Career Once Edwards had joined Manchester United he was introduced into the youth team and helped them win the prestigious F.A. Youth Cup in his first season. However, before the final of that competition had even been played, so precocious was his talent that he had already made his debut for the first team, which he did in a 4-1 First Division defeat against Cardiff City on 4 April 1953, aged just 16 years and 135 days old, becoming the second youngest player to have played for Manchester United, behind Jeff Whitefoot (16 years and 105 days old).

Duncan Edwards' breakthrough at Manchester United came in the 1953-54 season, when after an injury to left-half Harry Cockburn and a man-of-the-match performance in a friendly against Kilmornock was given the a chance in the first team. The young Midlander grasped the opportunity with both hands, going on to make 25 appearances in total that season. Not only was he appearing regular for the first team he also played an integeral role in the club winning it's second consecutive F.A. Youth Cup.

The 1953-54 season also saw the player called up to the England U-23 squad for a game against Italy on 20 January 1954, aged 17 years and 111 days and was also placed under scrutiny to be called up to the full England squad, but unfortunately for the player, the day the comittee, who picked the England team at the time, were due to meet, Edwards had pretty much of a nightmare game against Arsenal in a First Division fixture.

The following season Edwards established himself as a first team regular and scored his first Manchester United goal in a 4-1 defeat of Blackpool at Old Trafford on New Years day 1955. Edwards went on to score another 5 goals and finished that season with a record that read played 36 scored 6.

As Duncan Edwards' Manchester United career began to take off he began to impress the England selctors more and more, with his mature performances and was eventually called up to the England B team to take on their West German counterparts in March 1955. Although he did not have the best of games, the youngster was drafted in to the full England team a week later, making his debut in a 7-2 thrashing of Scotland on 2 April 1955 in the British Home Championship. Edwards' appearance in game aged 18 years 183 days meant he became England's youngest ever post war player, a record that stood for more than 40 years, until Michael Owen broke it by 124 days in a friendly against Chille in February 1998.

Despite Edwards having made his full England debut three weeks earlier, the player was still eligible to play in the F.A. Youth Cup, so manager Matt Busby controversially played him in the final, a move which paid off for United, as they won the game to secure their third consecutive Youth Cup.

A few weeks after he picked up his third F.A. Youth Cup winners medal, Duncan Edwards was called up to the England squad, which went on to tour Europe, playing games against France, Spain and Portugal. When he returned from England's seven day European venture he began a cumpulosry two year stay in the army to complete his National Service. Fortunatley for Manchester United he was allowed leave alongside fellow red Bobby Charlton, who was undertaking his National Service at the same Shrewsbury barracks, to play in the club's fixtures. During his time in the army he inevertibly played for their football team and in the 1956-57 he reputedly played in over 100 games for club, country and the services.

During the 1955-56 season Edwards was struck down by a severe case of flu, which kept him out of action for nearly two months, however, this didn't stop him from appearing 33 of United's matches as the club went on to win their first League Championship, by finishing a staggering 11 points (16 points with today's points system) ahead of second placed Blackpool. At the end of that season (26 May 1956 Edwards was once again called up to the England squad, to take on West Germany at Berlin's Olympic Stadium and scored his first goal in the famous white shirt.

In the 1956-57 season the wing-half made 34 appearances for The Reds as they won the League for the second year running. This time pipping bothTottenham Hotspur and Preston North End to the crown by eight points. In addition to his domestic acheivements Edwards helped Manchester United reach the semi-finals of the European Cup, as they crashed out at that stage 5-3 on aggregate to eventual winners Real Madrid, however because of their latest League ttile they would be able to contest the European Cup the following season.

Like me, for those of you who are Manchester United anoraks, Duncan Edwards made his European Cup debut on 26 September 1956, in the club's preliminary round 10-0, second leg victory over Belgian side, Anderlecht.

The following season Edwards began to establish himself as one of the best players in Britain, if not Europe and become a cornerstone of the England four national team by featuring in all four of the national side's 1958 World Cup Qualifiers. Such was Edwards' versaltility, In the first group game against Denmark at Wembley Stadium on 5 December 1956 that he was paired with fellow red Tommy Taylorin attack and with England norrowly leading 3-2, thanks to a Taylor hat-trick, Edwards popped up with two vital goals to put the game beyond doubt.

The 1957-1958 started brightly for Duncan Edwards as he played a starring role in Manchester United's impressive start to the season as The Reds won eight of their first eleven matches and scoring 33 goals. His great form at the time had prompted reports that the top Italian clubs were preparing a big money swoop for the player. Unfortunately a couple of months later on 1 February 1958 Edwards would play his last game on English soil, when the Busby Babes travelled to Highbury to take on Arsenal in a First Division fixture, that ended with United running out 5-4 victors. Despite Edwards getting on the scoresheet in the game, his was criticised in some sections of the media for putting in a mediocre performance. Just days later Duncan Edwards played his last ever match, when United battled to a 3-3 draw in the European Cup in Belgrade to the superb Red Star, the result meant United went through to the semi-finals of the competition.

The Death of the Great Duncan Edwards
On the way home from that glorious night in Belgrade, the plane carrying the Manchester United team and coaching staff crashed, after an unscheduled stop to re-fuel in a snowy Munich. Seven of the Busby Babes perished at the scene. Duncan Edwards was rushed to the Rechts der Isar Hospital, with serious leg injuries, fractured ribs and extensively damaged kidneys. Although the player's condition was critical, the medical staff who were treating him gave him a 50:50 chance of survival, but were far less sure that he would play football again.

However, after serious complications with his damaged kidneys, Edwards began to bleed internally, and although doctors were "amazed" by his sheer fight for life, he died from his injuries in the early hours of 21 February 1958.

Five days later the great Duncan Edwards was buried at Dudley cemetery, Worcestershire, an occassion that drew more than 5,000 mourners.

Duncan Edwards Honours

Manchester United
Football League: 1956, 1957

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