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One of the most influential figures in Manchester United’s history has been immortalized in bronze.
United unveiled a statue of club legend Jimmy Murphy outside Old Trafford’s iconic Stretford End on Wednesday.
A longtime assistant to Sir Matt Busby, Murphy played a vital role in leading United out of the devastation of the Munich air disaster in 1958.
Many fans have credited him with helping to save the club as they struggled with a tragedy that claimed the lives of eight players and 23 people overall.
While Busby lay gravely ill in hospital, Murphy – who had missed United’s fateful trip as he was coaching Wales en route to their first World Cup final – guided the club through its darkest days and stood by Busby when they won the European Cup a decade later.
United’s plane had stopped to refuel in Munich on its way back from its match with Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup in the former Yugoslavia, only for the Elizabethan-class Airspeed Ambassador to crash on a runway covered in mud trying to take off for Manchester. Busby had told Murphy to “keep the flag up, Jimmy”. He did and then some.
The decision to honor Murphy followed a proposal from a coalition of advocating fan groups to recognize him equally as Busby, Sir Alex Ferguson and the Holy Trinity of George Best, Sir Bobby Charlton and Denis Law, all have statues outside Old Trafford.
The location of the statue is directly above the sideline of the old cinder pitch where Murphy coached the famous ‘Busby Babes’ many of whom died in Munich.
Brian Kidd and Alex Stepney, members of United’s 1968 European Cup-winning squad, were both in attendance at the unveiling of the statue along with past and present managing directors David Gill and Richard Arnold and Murphy’s family.
Ferguson and Erik ten Hag, the current United manager, spearheaded the tributes to Murphy. Ferguson hailed Murphy as a ‘fantastic person in the history of Manchester United’ and a ‘very special man’ and said he never forgot the support Busby’s former number 2 gave him when he took over as manager. coach in 1986.
Ten Hag said Murphy represented so much he was fantastic for United. “He is synonymous with more symbols – a symbol of youth, of youth development, he is synonymous with resilience and determination and they are the standard for Manchester United,” he said. “After Monaco, many players fell, the club was devastated and they recovered and Jimmy Murphy played the main role. It’s totally deserved that he gets an honor for that.
Speaking on behalf of the Murphy family, Jimmy’s son Jimmy Jr said: ‘This is an extremely proud moment for all of the family. We have always appreciated our father’s contributions to Manchester United, but this wonderful statue is further confirmation of his outstanding legacy at Old Trafford.
“We thank everyone involved at Manchester United for this great tribute and I know that, like us, Dad would have been moved to see so many people here celebrating his 43 years at the club.
“Dad always said if he could have stayed at Old Trafford he would – today it came true.”
United’s Academy Player of the Year award and a training center in Carrington are both named after Murphy. The latest recipient of the Jimmy Murphy Award, Alejandro Garnacho, has just signed a new long-term contract and Ten Hag said they hoped the 18-year-old winger – who is returning from injury – will continue to play.
“It’s a new start because now the expectations will be higher, the demands will definitely be higher,” said Ten Hag. “It shows that we give young players opportunities, but they have to deserve it.”
