One cold and bitter Thursday
In Munich Germany
Eight Great Football Stalwarts Conceded Victory
Eight men will never play again, who met destruction there
The Flowers of English Football
The Flowers of Manchester
Matt Busby’s team were flying home, returning from Belgrade
This great United Family, all masters of their trade
The pilot of the aircraft, the skipper, Captain Thain
Three times he tried to take off, and twice turned back again
The third time down the runway disaster followed close
there was slush upon that runway and the aircraft never rose
It ploughed into the marshy ground, it broke it over turned
and eight of the team were killed as the blazing wreckage burned
Roger Byrne and Tommy Taylor, who were capped for England’s Side
And Irelands Billy Whelan and England’s Geoff Benn died
Mark Jones and Eddie Coleman and David Pegg also
They all lost their lives as it ploughed on through the snow
Big Duncan he went too, with an injury to his brain
And Irelands Brave Jack Blanchflower will never play again
The great Matt Busby lay there, the father of his team
Three long months were to pass, before he walked again
The trainer, coach and secretary and a member of the crew
Also eight great sporting journalists, who with United flew
and one of them was Big Swifty, who will ne’er forget
the finest English goalkeeper, that ever graced the net
Aye, England’s Finest football team, its record truly great
Its proud successors mocked by a cruel turn of fate
Eight men will never play again, who met destruction there
The Flowers of English football, the Flowers of Manchester
