TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| Albert Scanlon Manchester United footballer who survived the Munich air crashBy a strange and sad irony, Albert Scanlon, who has died aged 74, played what was probably his finest game for Manchester United just five days before the 1958 air crash at Munich airport in which eight of the "Busby Babes" team were among 20 killed. That performance, a match I was fortunate enough to report, took place at Highbury against Arsenal – a remarkable, oscillating affair in which the Babes ran out 4-5 winners.Scanlon, on United's left wing, was in effervescent form, displaying his speed and skill at their best. Three of United's goals were set up by him as he tormented the right flank of the Arsenal defence. There was speculation then that he might be capped by England, but any chance of that was arguably ruined by the Munich disaster, in which he was seriously injured. In another twist of irony, he was also on the brink of a transfer to the Gunners before the calamity occurred during the team's return from a European Cup match in Belgrade.The crash, which claimed the lives of three England internationals, Duncan Edwards, Roger Byrne and Tommy Taylor, also left Scanlon badly traumatised. David Pegg – another more skilled and certainly more consistent leftwinger than the somewhat unpredictable Scanlon, who until recently had kept Scanlon out of the United side – was among the dead.Unlike other survivors such as Jackie Blanchflower, the Northern Ireland centre half, and the compact outside right, Johnny Barry, at least Scanlon was not only able to play again, but did so as early as the following season, when he did not miss a league game.Born at Hulme, Greater Manchester, Scanlon broke into the first team at Old Trafford as a teenager in the 1954-55 season, but his talents at that time were not matched by his self-confidence. On his return to the league team in 1959, he scored no fewer than 16 goals and was thought to be in the finest form of his career, though he never quite lost his reputation for inconsistency.When in 1960-61 Bobby Charlton was moved by Matt Busby, back in charge after recovering from his injuries, from his habitual role at inside forward to left wing, where he immediately flourished, Scanlon was sold to Newcastle United, having played 127 league and cup matches for Manchester United, scoring 35 goals.But his career was now in decline, and his 22 games for the Magpies between 1960 and 1962 produced five goals. From Tyneside, he moved down the league to Lincoln City where, between 1961 and 1963, he played 47 league games, scoring 11 goals. Between the 1962-63 and 1965-66 seasons, he appeared for another club of modest attainment, Mansfield Town, where his 108 appearances brought him 21 goals.On retiring from the game, Scanlon worked as a dock labourer before ending his working life as a factory nightwatchman.• Albert Joseph Scanlon, footballer, born 10 October 1935; died 23 December 2009Manchester UnitedBrian Glanvilleguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
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