On the 66th anniversary of the Manchester United air disaster in Munich, the English record champions also paid homage to Franz Beckenbauer. Before the memorial service on Manchester Platz in Trudering, a 20-strong delegation led by club legend Mike Phelan laid wreaths at the grave of the Kaiser at Perlacher Friedhof. Also there was Franz "Bulle" Roth, long-time teammate of Beckenbauer's, who's well known in England having scored the opening goal in Bayern's 2-0 win over Leeds United in the 1975 European Cup final.
"It's a special honour for me to be here today for this wreath-laying ceremony," said Roth. "Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in the world, and the relationship with FC Bayern is characterised by deep mutual respect." He played together with Franz Beckenbauer for many years. "Games like our 2-0 win against Leeds in 1975 remain unforgotten," the "Bull continued. "The British sporting spirit is legendary, and this sense of respectful togetherness has an impact far beyond the football pitch. Many thanks to Manchester United that this great club is helping ensure that the memory of Franz Beckenbauer lives on around the world."
Phelan added: "The relationship between FC Bayern and Manchester United is unique and one that will last forever. They are two great clubs with personalities like Bobby Charlton and Franz Beckenbauer, who were role models for people all over the world, both as sportsmen and off the pitch." The "Kaiser" was one of the first international players he used to admire, recalled the former United player and assistant manager: "He took the game to a new level."
Roth shares a sporting similarity with Manchester legend Phelan: both won the European Cup Winners' Cup in their careers. The "Bull" scored the only goal of the game against Glasgow Rangers in 1967 (from an assist from Beckenbauer; it was FC Bayern's first major continental title), while Phelan lifted the trophy in a United shirt against FC Barcelona in 1991, with former Bayern player Mark Hughes scoring both goals in a 2-1 win. "It means so much to us that every year, together with our friends from FC Bayern, we commemorate people who will never be forgotten," said Phelan.
Last year, over 2,000 people came for the anniversary of the air disaster. Fans of Manchester United and FC Bayern remembered the 23 victims, including eight players from the legendary "Busby Babes" team, named after manager Matt Busby. Bobby Charlton survived with serious injuries.
When you look around Manchesterplatz and look into the history, "we see a strong community, a strong cohesion and a connection between the people of Manchester and Munich," said FCB president Herbert Hainer in his speech last year. For over six decades, United and Bayern have stood "side by side" on this day – "that is a message sent out from this place. We should all be grateful for that. Life does not end at the white lines of the pitch and sporting rivalry – the mutual respect between our clubs will last forever."
A few years ago, at the suggestion of the late city councillor and member of the state parliament Hermann Memmel (SPD), the City of Munich renamed the site of the accident Manchester Platz and erected a memorial stone with the names of the victims and a display case. It has become a place of pilgrimage not only for Manchester United supporters, but for football fans from all over the world. The FC Bayern fan club "Red Docs Munich" has been looking after the memorial for years. The two clubs also met there ahead of the Champions League match at the Allianz Arena last autmn: representatives of the club management, coach and former Bayern youth coach Erik ten Hag, striker Rasmus Höjlund, legend Bryan Robson and numerous fans of both clubs laid wreaths. Long-serving captain and World Cup winner Raimond Aumann took part on behalf of the German record champions.
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