Editing Matt Busby (section)

==Managerial career==

===Arrival and early days at Manchester United===
During the [[Second World War]], Busby served as a football coach in the [[Royal Army Physical Training Corps|Army Physical Training Corps]], and the experience resulted in Liverpool offering him the job of assistant to their then-manager [[George Kay (footballer)|George Kay]]. However, the experience had also forged Busby's opinions about how football should be played and governed, and when it became clear that they differed from those of the Liverpool board, their chairman Billy McConnell allowed Busby to pursue alternative employment.

After Manchester United had tried to sign Busby from Manchester City in 1930, he became good friends with United's fixer, [[Louis Rocca]]; their relationship was helped by the fact that both were members of the Manchester Catholic Sportsman's Club. United were in desperate need of a manager to take over from club secretary [[Walter Crickmer]] after the war and a board meeting was called in December 1944 so as to ascertain who that new manager might be. Knowing that Liverpool had already offered Busby a job, Rocca convinced the United board to "leave it to [him]" and immediately wrote a letter to Busby, addressed to his army regiment. The letter was vague, referring only to "a job", just in case it fell into the wrong hands, namely the Liverpool officials.

In February 1945, still in uniform, Busby turned up at Cornbrook Cold Storage, one of the United chairman [[James W. Gibson]]'s businesses at Trafford Park to discuss the contents of Rocca's letter with the chairman. Busby requested that he be directly involved in training, pick the team on matchdays and even choose the players to be bought and sold without interference from the club directors, who, he believed, did not know the game as well as he did. Such a level of control over the team was unprecedented in the English game, but the United chairman was in no position to argue. Busby was originally offered a three-year contract but managed to secure himself a five-year deal after explaining that it would take at least that long for his revolution to have a tangible effect.

The contract was signed that day – 19 February 1945 – but it was not until 1 October that Busby officially took over the reins at Manchester United. In the interim, he returned to the Army Physical Training Corps, whose football team he took to [[Bari]], Italy, in the spring of 1945. There, he took in a training session for a football team made up of [[non-commissioned officer]]s led by [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]'s former half-back Jimmy Murphy. Impressed by the Welshman's oratory skills, Busby engaged him in conversation and offered him the job of chief coach at Manchester United, which Murphy accepted verbally there and then, before joining the club officially in early 1946. The two men immediately put their mark on the side, leading them to the runners-up spot in the league, behind Busby's former employers Liverpool, by the end of the 1946–47 season. Manchester United were runners-up in the league in 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1951, and won the FA Cup in 1948, before winning the league championship in 1952. This was a welcome success for a club which had last won a major trophy in 1911 and had spent the interwar years bouncing between the First and Second Divisions.

By 1952, however, the side captained by [[Johnny Carey]], was beginning to show its age, and a new set of players had to be found. Busby, who had achieved a great deal of success in spite of his lack of previous managerial experience, was expected to spend large sums of money on high-profile players. Instead, he gradually replaced the older players with players as young as 16 and 17. These included right-back [[Bill Foulkes]], centre-halves [[Mark Jones (footballer, born 1933)|Mark Jones]] and [[Jackie Blanchflower]], wingers [[Albert Scanlon]] and [[David Pegg]] and forward [[Billy Whelan]]. Among them was [[Duncan Edwards]], judged by many to be England's finest player of his era,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/2008/02/01/edwards_duncan_charlton/ |title=Charlton remembers 'greatest ever' |publisher=Sportsnet.ca |date=1 February 2008 |access-date=24 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207014521/http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/2008/02/01/edwards_duncan_charlton/ |archive-date=7 February 2009 |url-status=dead  }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSL2719728120080202?feedType=RSS&feedName=inDepthNews |title=Edwards had everything but time on his side |publisher=Reuters |date=1 February 2008 |access-date=24 October 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=James |last=Wright |url=http://www.thefa.com/England/MensSeniorTeam/NewsAndFeatures/2003/72868.aspx |title=Greatest England XI – Sir Bobby Charlton |work=TheFA.com |publisher=The Football Association |date=7 November 2003 |access-date=24 October 2009 }}</ref> and capped by England at 17 – setting a record for the youngest-ever full international that remained unbroken for more than 40 years. He made relatively few signings from other clubs between 1951 and 1957, rare examples being winger [[Johnny Berry]], forward [[Tommy Taylor]] and goalkeeper [[Harry Gregg]].

Busby managed the [[Great Britain men's Olympic football team|Great Britain team]] at the [[Football at the 1948 Summer Olympics|1948 Summer Olympics]]. The team reached the semi-finals, but lost 3–1 to the eventual runners-up, [[Yugoslavia national football team|Yugoslavia]].

In 1956, just after United won another league title, Busby was offered the [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]] managerial role. The [[List of Real Madrid CF presidents|Real Madrid president]] at the time, [[Santiago Bernabéu Yeste]], told him that the role was "like managing paradise". Busby responded by declining the job and adding "Manchester is my heaven".

===The Busby Babes and the Munich tragedy===
{{Main|Munich air disaster}}
[[File:Manchester United FC 1957.jpg|thumb|Busby (back row, far right) in a [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] team photo in 1957]]
During this period, the team picked up the affectionate nickname the [[Busby Babes]], because of the youthfulness of many of the players he fielded. They won the league in both 1956 and 1957, and were runners-up to [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] in the [[1957 FA Cup Final]]. The young side was so successful that centre-forward Tommy Taylor and goalkeeper Harry Gregg were United's only major signings over a spell of almost five years.

Busby and his team began the [[1957–58 in English football|1957–58 season]] ready for a second bid to win the treble of the [[The Football League|Football League]] title, FA Cup and [[European Champion Clubs' Cup|European Cup]]. On the way home from a European Cup tie against [[Red Star Belgrade]] on 6 February 1958, their plane [[Munich air disaster|crashed]] on the runway at [[Munich-Riem Airport]]. Seven United players and three club officials were among the 21 people who died at the scene, while Duncan Edwards died from his injuries two weeks later as the final death toll reached 23; two other players (Johnny Berry and Jackie Blanchflower) were injured to such an extent that they never played football again. Busby's old friend from Manchester City, the goalkeeper [[Frank Swift]], who had travelled to Munich in his post-playing career as a journalist, also died. Busby suffered multiple injuries and twice received the [[last rites]], but he recovered from his injuries and left the hospital after nine weeks.

He was not aware of the extent of the Munich tragedy until some three weeks after the crash, as doctors felt he was not strong enough to know the truth until then. Towards the end of February 1958, he asked a Franciscan friar at the hospital how Duncan Edwards was faring; the friar was unaware that the news of Edwards's death had been kept from him and felt that it was his duty to inform Busby that Edwards was dead. His wife Jean then had to tell him of all the other players and officials who had lost their lives.

He reportedly told his wife that he felt like quitting the manager's job, as he had feelings of guilt over the disaster. Busby had gone against the wishes of [[Football League]] officials by pressing for Manchester United's participation in the European Cup and had not felt able to challenge the aircraft's pilot about taking off in heavy snow. Jean urged him to carry on with his duties in honour of the players who had died. In March 1958, Busby also had to face the torment of player Johnny Berry – who suffered career-ending injuries in the crash – complaining that Tommy Taylor was a poor friend for not visiting him in hospital, unaware that Taylor had been killed; Busby had been urged to keep the news from Berry at this stage, which he found particularly difficult.

In the meantime, the team was managed by [[Jimmy Murphy (footballer)|Jimmy Murphy]], who had been taking charge of the Wales team at the time of the crash, and so was not present. Busby attended a new-look United side's [[1958 FA Cup Final|FA Cup final]] defeat against [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]] three months later, and resumed full managerial duties for the [[1958–59 in English football|following season]].

Busby had been appointed the manager of Scotland before the Munich disaster.<ref name="sfa"/> [[Dawson Walker]] took charge of the team during the [[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958 World Cup]] instead.<ref name="sfa"/> After recovering from his injuries, Busby managed Scotland in two games later that year against Wales and [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]].<ref name="sfa">{{cite web |url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/football_manager_profile.cfm?page=3087&managerID=2 |title=Matt Busby |work=scottishfa.co.uk |publisher=[[Scottish Football Association]] |access-date=20 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831083954/http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/football_manager_profile.cfm?page=3087&managerID=2 |archive-date=31 August 2017 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Busby gave an 18-year-old [[Denis Law]], then with Huddersfield Town, his first Scotland cap.<ref name="sfa"/> He had already expressed an interest in signing Law for United by this stage, although he had yet to be successful in doing so.

===The post-Munich side===
[[File:Manchester United FC 1960.jpg|thumb|Manchester United F.C. in 1960 – from the left, standing: [[Maurice Setters]], [[Bill Foulkes]], [[Ronnie Cope]], [[Harry Gregg]], [[Albert Scanlon]], [[Bobby Charlton]]. Front row: [[Warren Bradley (footballer)|Warren Bradley]], [[Albert Quixall]], [[Dennis Viollet]], [[Shay Brennan]] and [[Joe Carolan]].]]
After the crash, Busby built a new side around Munich survivors including Harry Gregg, [[Bobby Charlton]] and Bill Foulkes. A number of surviving players including Albert Scanlon, [[Kenny Morgans]] and [[Dennis Viollet]] resumed their careers but moved on to other clubs in the four years following the disaster.

As well as promoting reserve and youth players including [[Shay Brennan]] and [[Johnny Giles]] to the first team, Busby also delved into the transfer market to sign players including [[David Herd (footballer)|David Herd]], [[Albert Quixall]] and Denis Law. Northern Irish teenager [[George Best]] was scouted for Manchester United by Bob Bishop and signed to the club's playing staff by chief scout [[Joe Armstrong (football scout)|Joe Armstrong]], making his first team debut in September 1963.

Busby successfully rebuilt United, as he guided them to a 3–1 victory over [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] in the [[1963 FA Cup Final]]. They were league champions in 1965 and again in 1967, with a defeat on the final day of the [[1967–68 in English football|1967–68 season]] seeing rivals Manchester City snatch the title away.

During the [[1966 World Cup]], Busby compiled a scouting report on the Portugal side for England manager [[Alf Ramsey]]. Busby added a note saying: "Dear Alf... first of all congrats – keep it up. I know you have knowledge of Portugal but have included a report which may help. Wembley final the next stop is the wish of Yours Truly, Matt."<ref>{{cite news |last=Stringer |first=Connor |date=24 November 2024 |title=Sir Alf Ramsey's 1966 England World Cup 'masterplan' found in old suitcase |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/11/24/sir-alf-ramseys-1966-england-masterplan-found-in-suitcase/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |work=The Telegraph |issn=0307-1235}}</ref>

===European glory and retirement===
[[File:Matt Busby statue Old Trafford.jpg|thumb|upright|A statue of Sir Matt Busby in front of [[Old Trafford]] stadium]]
The biggest success of his career came on [[1968 European Cup Final|29 May 1968]] when the team won the [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]]. He retired as manager at the end of the following season, having announced his intention to do so on 14 January 1969,<ref name="otd">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/14/newsid_3334000/3334059.stm |title=1969: Matt Busby retires from Man United |work=BBC On This Day |publisher=BBC |access-date=14 October 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1969/01/15/archives/busby-ends-career-as-a-soccer-coach.html?sq=Matt%2520Busby&scp=4&st=cse |title=Busby ends career as soccer coach |work=[[The New York Times]] |page=52 |date=15 January 1969 |access-date=25 April 2009 }}</ref> but remained at the club as a director, handing over managerial duties to trainer and former player [[Wilf McGuinness]].<ref name="otd"/> When McGuinness was sacked in December 1970, Busby returned to the manager's seat on an interim basis until a new permanent appointment was made after the end of the season. The job went to [[Frank O'Farrell]] in June 1971 after United were unsuccessful in approaching [[Jock Stein]] and [[Don Revie]].

He carried on as a club director for 11 years, before being made president in 1980.<ref name="otd"/>

Busby was appointed [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (CBE) in the [[1958 Birthday Honours]],<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=41404 |date=3 June 1958 |page=3521 |supp=y }}</ref> and was [[Knight Bachelor|knighted]] following the European Cup victory in 1968 in [[1968 Birthday Honours|that year's Birthday Honours]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=44600 |date=31 May 1968 |page=6299 |supp=y }}</ref> He was made a Knight Commander of St Gregory by the Pope in 1972.