Duncan Edwards - did anyone see him play?

[Coco]

One for our older generation.

 

Have been reading Manchester's Finest, about the reaction in Manchester to the Munich crash. Book itself is nothing special, but points out a familiar story about how Duncan Edwards was the great lost talent of English football - a player who supposedly had everything - power, pace, passing, tackling, heading the ball etc. Going by the conventional histories about him, he would have been England's best ever player.

 

Anyone see him play?

 

Was he that good?

[Simmo]

One for our older generation.

 

Have been reading Manchester's Finest, about the reaction in Manchester to the Munich crash. Book itself is nothing special, but points out a familiar story about how Duncan Edwards was the great lost talent of English football - a player who supposedly had everything - power, pace, passing, tackling, heading the ball etc. Going by the conventional histories about him, he would have been England's best ever player.

 

Anyone see him play?

 

Was he that good?

 

Coco

 

Yes I was lucky enough to see the Busby Babes when I did my National Service at RAF Wilmslow in 1956. They were a superb team and Duncan Edwards stood out a mile. He was a very strong and, for a big lad, had very quick feet. He played on the left of a midfield three, same position as our own legend, John Cumming. That team could have gone on to clean up everything in sight but, of course, European football, as we know it now, was still in the early stages of development.

 

Believe me, all the superlatives you may have read about the lad are well deserved.

[Strachsuit]

Great triple jumper. Oh wait a minute....................

[Coco]

Coco

 

Yes I was lucky enough to see the Busby Babes when I did my National Service at RAF Wilmslow in 1956. They were a superb team and Duncan Edwards stood out a mile. He was a very strong and, for a big lad, had very quick feet. He played on the left of a midfield three, same position as our own legend, John Cumming. That team could have gone on to clean up everything in sight but, of course, European football, as we know it now, was still in the early stages of development.

 

Believe me, all the superlatives you may have read about the lad are well deserved.

 

Cheers.

 

It is such a sad story about him. Fighting on for 15 days before succumbing.

 

All the reports as you say are of how good a player he was. So young yet was already England's best player.

 

I think that you were lucky to see him play live.

[bigman]

Coco,

 

My late father had the pleasure of seeing Edwards as he seen Finney also. His opinion that Edwards had everything you would want in a winger, and as Simmo said really quick feet.

 

My dad was a Hibs fan and was raised on the Famous Five. He did say Gordon Smith was the best pure football player he had ever seen and he thought our own Willie Bauld the best centre forward in the game and as good a natural goal scorer as anything England had to offer.

 

Back to topic, he did say Edwards was a great player and would have graced any field in Europe and elsewhere.

 

Bigman

[jazzmaster]

My best friends dad played against him at Schoolboy international level.

 

Says he was simply outstanding.

[Coco]

For anyone interested in Duncan Edwards or George Best (indeed anyone interested in Bobby Charlton, Man United, Matt Busby etc) I can wholeheartedly recommend 'Best and Edwards' by Gordon Burn. Much of it is familiar, but it is a tremendous read.