History: When Arsenal Played the Busby Babes in Their Final Match on English Soil
As many know, the Munich Air Disaster was one of the worst tragedies in football history, occurring almost 70 years ago.
On 6 February 1958, 23 of the 44 people on board Manchester United’s plane lost their lives, either in the crash or subsequently from their injuries, as the team travelled home after drawing 3-3 with Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup quarter-final a day earlier.
So how does Arsenal fit into this story?
Well, the Gunners were the last English side the Busby Babes faced before the tragedy, in an extraordinary match at Highbury which Arsenal lost 5-4, just five days before the Munich Air Disaster.
Arsenal and Manchester United Meet at Highbury
At the time, Arsenal were a mid-table side being managed by former 1930s legendary winger Jack Crayston, who had helped us secure five league titles during the Golden Era. However, he struggled to replicate the success which defined his playing days at Highbury.
For United, they were managed by Matt Busby, hence the title ‘Busby Babes’. Busby rebuilt the Red Devils following the Second World War, eventually leading them to five First Division titles, two FA Cups and the European Cup in 1968, when Portuguese giants Benfica were beaten 4-1 at Wembley.
Manchester United were a powerhouse of a team, having secured the First Division title twice in succession during the 1950s, when Arsenal hosted them on 1 February 1958 in front of 63,578 spectators.
This was more than we can seat at the Emirates (60,704) currently and considerably more than Highbury’s capacity during its latter years.
Duncan Edwards, one of the greatest all-round players of his time, opened the scoring inside the tenth minute (0-1).
Just after the half-hour mark (34), future 1966 World Cup winner Bobby Charlton doubled the visitors’ advantage, leaving Arsenal with a mountain to climb.
With minutes to go until the referee blew his whistle for the break, Tommy Taylor ensured Manchester United walked into the narrow players’ tunnel at half-time with a three-goal lead (43).
Whatever Crayston said to his players during the interval, which remains unknown to this day, certainly worked, because Arsenal would give United a run for their money in an impressive second-half comeback.
Nine Goals and a Match Football Would Never Forget
Within 13 minutes of the restart, David Herd pulled one back for the Gunners as the men from North London started to roll their sleeves up at last (1-3).
This didn’t stop Arsenal in the least from attempting to fight back, and inside the space of a couple of minutes (60, 61), Jimmy Bloomfield scored twice to make things level (3-3), much to the delight of the Highbury faithful.
In the 65th minute, Dennis Viollet, who fortunately survived the Munich Air Disaster, reinstated the Busby Babes’ lead (3-4).
United kept up their attack, witnessing Taylor find the back of the net again (72), making it 5-3 as he aimed to wrap up the game for Busby’s team.
Five minutes later, Derek Tapscott slid in a fourth for the men in red and white, but Arsenal couldn’t find an equaliser, eventually losing 4-5.
As Arsenal’s official history of the encounter recalls, it was one of the greatest games ever played at Highbury, although its significance would change so tragically just five days later.
The Gunners would finish the 1957/58 campaign under Crayston in 12th place, whilst the Red Devils finished ninth in what became a devastating season following the Munich Air Disaster.
Busby himself was seriously injured and spent weeks recovering in hospital, having come close to losing his own life alongside so many of his young players.
United would appear in the 1958 FA Cup final only months later, where, in a show of brave defiance, they were beaten 2-0 by Bolton Wanderers, with the powerful Nat Lofthouse scoring both goals.
But the memory of that remarkable afternoon at Highbury remains part of both clubs’ histories. What had been a thrilling nine-goal encounter became the final match the Busby Babes would ever play on English soil together.
