MATT BUSBY

Despite an unspectacular playing career, Scottish half-back Matt Busby went on to become one of the greatest managers in the history of football. In nearly a quarter of a century in charge of Manchester United, he overcame the terrible tragedy of the Munich Air Crash and rebuilt his team, leading them to historic success.

Moving from Scottish amateur football in 1928, Busby joined Manchester City while still a teenager and spent eight yeas at the club, claiming an F.A. Cup winner's medal in 1934. After joining Liverpool in 1936, he like many players of his age saw his competitive playing career come to an end with the start of the Second World War in 1939.

After the end of the War, Busby was offered a coaching job with Liverpool but instead decided to take on the job of manager at Manchester United, a somewhat surprising appointment for a rookie manager at such a big club. Apart from a couple of games in temporary charge of Scotland, it would be his only managerial post. His impact was immediate, United finishing as runners-up in the English League four times in five seasons and won the F.A. Cup in 1948. In 1952, after so many near misses, Busby finally led his team to the League Championship, but recognised the need for new, younger players to come in to the side.

The talented team of youngsters brought in by Busby, and known as the "Busby Babes", went on to become one of the finest teams in England through the 1950s, winning back to back league titles in 1956 and 1957. In the 1957-58 season, they became the first English team to play in the European Cup, Busby defying the English Football League to enter the competition. Tragically, the team were involved in an air crash in Munich on the way home from a quarter-final tie against Red Star Belgrade and many of the team were killed. Busby himself barely survived the crash, and was faced with the task of rebuilding his team.

Rebuilding was a slow process, but by 1965 Busby had created another talented United team, winning his fourth league title with the club. Another league success two years later gave him a last chance at winning the European Cup, and when his team took on Benfica in the final they had a chance to become the first English winners. United won the match 4-1 after extra-time, and shortly afterwards Busby was knighted for his achievements. He retired as manager in 1969, returning briefly a couple of years later, but remained at the club as general manager and then as club president right up to his death in 1994, aged 84.