Manchester United fans pay their respects at a memorial service in Munich. Photograph: Sebastian Widmann/Bongarts/Getty Images

Flowers of Manchester: the football world remembers Munich 60 years on

This article is more than 6 years old

The Busby Babes, current Manchester United players and legends of the game have been paying their respects

The club

Manchester United have been remembering their Flowers of Manchester, the eight players who died in Munich on 6 February 1958 on the way home from a European Cup quarter-final in Belgrade.

In the cold snow of Munich, they laid down their lives
But they live on forever in our hearts and our minds
So come all supporters and hold your heads high
For Manchester United will never die.#FlowersOfManchester pic.twitter.com/0yXWw9kUQv
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 6, 2018

#FlowersOfManchester pic.twitter.com/4Utx6QLy0y
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 6, 2018

Learn more about the tragedy which claimed 23 lives in Munich 60 years ago: https://t.co/AYztJMiJFz pic.twitter.com/WmjoP0VIUg
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 6, 2018

The Babes

How the Munich disaster devastated – and changed – football journalism

Two former Manchester United players, Harry Gregg and David Gaskell, have recalled their experiences of their team-mates and the night the plane crashed.

Tuesday marks 60 years since the Munich Air Disaster took the lives of 23 people, including eight @ManUtd players.

Survivor Harry Gregg has written a poem for his team-mates. pic.twitter.com/5PHfxO8daR
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 5, 2018

"I've never discussed the Munich with anyone"

"There was no counselling, players were expected to get on with it"

"I couldn't cope"

60 years on #MUFC Busby Babe David Gaskell opens up about the loss of his friends during the air disaster.

PODCAST 🎙: https://t.co/xxXQbdYIN7 pic.twitter.com/A0RcNq9Onz
— BBC 5 live Sport (@5liveSport) February 5, 2018

The players

Many of the current team – including club captain Michael Carrick and local boys Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard – have been speaking about what the Busby Babes mean at Old Trafford today.

60 years on from the Munich air crash. Today we remember and pay our respects to all those we sadly lost. We will never forget. #BusbyBabes #FlowersOfManchester 🙏🏻🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 pic.twitter.com/50bgF0GMRl
— Michael Carrick (@carras16) February 6, 2018

Forever remembered #FlowersOfManchester 🌹@ManUtd pic.twitter.com/xf1rWs0TYt
— Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) February 6, 2018

The Munich Air Disaster is something I was always aware of growing up but in truth I didn’t understand its influence on @ManUtd until I joined the club.
— Ashley Young (@youngy18) February 6, 2018

60 Years On ❤ pic.twitter.com/ghuuuCGZYF
— Marcus Rashford (@MarcusRashford) February 5, 2018

Today we remember the tragedy of Munich. We will never forget. #FlowersOfManchester pic.twitter.com/ffHCCDYz7r
— Antonio Valencia (@anto_v25) February 6, 2018

Hi! Here is my latest post. One Hour Behind: ’Always in our memory’ https://t.co/KWjjM1xzHg
— Juan Mata García (@juanmata8) February 5, 2018

The world of football

Clubs and players from around the world – including the second best player to have ever lived – have been remembering the Busby Babes.

Today, 60 years on, we remember the people who died in the @ManUtd Munich air disaster. More than footballers, journalists, workers. They were fathers, sons, brothers; all taken away too early by this crash. #FlowersOfManchester
— Pelé (@Pele) February 6, 2018

🔵 #ACityUnited 🔴 pic.twitter.com/tncO7guCfq
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 6, 2018

Our thoughts are with all of those affected by the Munich air disaster.

60 years ago today, but never forgotten. #FlowersOfManchester pic.twitter.com/f6xhP38EYu
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 6, 2018

Manchester United legend Duncan Edwards at Highbury on February 1, 1958, five days before the Munich air disaster.

60 years, never forgotten #FlowersOfManchester pic.twitter.com/lTA8NYBcN8
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) February 6, 2018

60 years later... We still remember. And we always will. @ManUtd #flowersofmanchester #fkcz pic.twitter.com/vgVAk7irlf
— FK Crvena zvezda (@crvenazvezdafk) February 6, 2018

Gone, but never forgotten. #FlowersOfManchester pic.twitter.com/Qy7vOuhz9R
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) February 6, 2018

The Munich disaster 60 years on: 'They were the best team by far'

We will never forget 🌹 #FlowersOfManchester pic.twitter.com/OeWaiXsaBN
— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) February 6, 2018

Sixty years ago a disaster struck football and @ManUtd - our next @ChampionsLeague opponents... The Busby Babes will live on forever.#FlowersOfManchester #Cordiality #Respect pic.twitter.com/oko1ivAuzE
— Sevilla FC (@SevillaFC_ENG) February 6, 2018

Our thoughts are with Harry Gregg today on the 60th anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster. #FlowersOfManchester pic.twitter.com/V8jJ0RJC7c
— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) February 6, 2018

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