Foulkes relives the disaster

8:00am Monday 4th February 2008

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BILL FOULKES played in United's emotional FA Cup victory over Sheffield Wednesday at Old Trafford just 13 days after emerging from the wreckage at Munich and went on to lead a patchwork side all the way to Wembley.

But for Foulkes, who in 1958 lived on Norris Road in Sale, the memories of that ill fated night in Munich still live with him.

"I thought what the hell are we doing trying to take off in this snow."

Bill Foulkes

"I thought what the hell are we doing trying to take off in this snow. The plane bounced I was in the front half of the plane and I could see Harry Greg (United's goalkeeper) just ahead of me."

He added: "I could see we were never going to take off and I thought this is stupid'.

"After the crash I remember managing to get out of the plane after I heard someone shouting.

"Harry Gregg came out and then went back in to help the other survivors."

Only Sir Bobby Charlton and Ryan Giggs have played more games for Manchester United than Bill Foulkes.

He played at right back for the original Busby Babes and then switched to centre half, becoming the defensive cornerstone of Sir Matt Busby's third and last great team.

He also became the club's reluctant captain: "Matt Busby made me captain - nobody argued with Matt so that was it."

He scored the equaliser in the second leg of United's European Cup semi final away at Real Madrid in 1968 that secured the team a Wembley final and their date with destiny.