Dukla Prague represented a well-drilled unit within the subsequent spherical. They had been, in any case, the Czechoslovak military group. United’s thrilling attacking play was ample for a 3-0 residence victory which might have been considerably bigger had been it not for the professional goalkeeping of the guests. And Busby needed extra, as a result of travelling behind the Iron Curtain into Jap European was a troublesome take a look at. It was a chill and dank Prague December that created a tough pitch on which Eddie Colman was “sure-footed as a mountain goat,” in accordance with Frank Taylor, serving to United to an combination victory.
Progress secured, United endured a depressing journey residence as fog pressured a major delay and re-route by way of Amsterdam. The Reds suffered in consequence, drawing 3-3 with Birmingham Metropolis at Previous Trafford, main membership secretary Walter Crickmer and Busby to constitution a airplane to take them for our subsequent European journey, to Belgrade, by way of Munich.
Within the days of two factors for a win, a draw after a European journey was not so unhealthy — only one level dropped. However then it was one other slip-up as a late aim condemned United to a primary residence defeat to Chelsea for 38 years. The Londoners had been one other direct group whose success in opposition to United offered a elementary problem to Busby’s long-term venture and whole footballing philosophy. He wanted to do one thing to show that the soccer his United group performed was not simply enticing, however efficient, too.
Busby himself was defiant, insisting United “shall be there on the finish of the season for the League championship and the Cup.
“The group are taking part in nice soccer, however it isn’t coming off. It occurs to everybody, however we will recover from it. We will be there as a result of I do know my boys have the standard.”
That they’d, however Busby’s public phrases and personal ideas had been, like all good soccer managers, various things. He needed extra high quality and located it in two sources: the switch market, and the youth set-up.
This was at all times the best way with Busby — a mix of uncommon, good, big-money purchases with common introductions of recent blood from the Academy.
Albert Scanlon and Kenny Morgans had been the younger lads, alongside the marginally extra skilled Bobby Charlton, whereas Matt made Harry Gregg the world’s most costly goalkeeper as he joined from Doncaster Rovers. The Northern Irishman’s fashion was recent in its distinction to Ray Wooden, who he was changing.
Whereas Gregg stayed with captain Roger Byrne in his first few days in Manchester, he defined it to his new teammate: “The penalty field is my area and if the ball comes into it, I’ll go for it.”
Byrne inspired him on this perspective. “You come and knock us out of the best way if you need to! We will need to have no extra messing about within the penalty space.”
Harry made positive of that. In what the Irish press in attendance referred to as a “story-book debut,” Gregg helped United to a primary clear sheet in seven league video games and “impressed in his coolness, daring and anticipation.”
It was these three attributes that will flip him into one in all our membership’s all-time heroes along with his actions at Munich Airport simply 47 days later.
