Sir Matt unveiled headstone
MAY I shed some light on the event that took place at Dudley Cemetery on October 4, 1958, as reported in last week’s Bugle.
Matt Busby was there not to attend a memorial service for Duncan Edwards but to perform the unveiling of a memorial headstone on the grave of the late great Dudley-born player.
The unveiling by the Manchester United manager was held at lunchtime and was not a factor in Wolves deciding to make that day’s game against United an evening fixture.
Wolves made history with the first Saturday night Football League game and reason was to try to get the game televised, only for the Football League to quash the idea.
Even if the game had been at 3pm, Busby could still have attended the unveiling ceremony. A report of the event appeared in the Birmingham Post and read:
“More than 2,000 people were at Dudley Cemetery on Saturday to see Mr Matt Busby, Manchester United manager, unveil a headstone on the grave of Duncan Edwards, the England and United half-back who died from injuries received in the Munich air disaster. Edwards, whose home was in Dudley, was described by Mr Busby as ‘always a credit to his parents, to his school, his town and his club for which he played so magnificently.’
“Councillor J.L. Billingham, Deputy Mayor of Dudley, said that the town would never forget Edwards.
“The headstone includes an engraving of Edwards throwing in a football.” HERE’S a great picture from the Bugle collection, taken on January 27, 1960.
It shows an indoor training session at the Hawthorns and leading the acrobatic action is Albion goal-scoring hero Derek Kevan.
Nicknamed the Tank, Kevan was famed for his skill and fierce power, picking up 14 England caps. A couple of months after this picture was take, he scored five goals in Albion’s 6-2 victory over Everton on March 19, 1960.