The untold tale of United's other holy trinity

The hands of Dennis Law pointing towards the sky, with his mates Sir Bobby and Georgie Best resting their arms on his – this image probably takes every United fan into a trip down memory lane..a lane which travels nearly 45 years back in the streets of time. United’s tryst with destiny at the home of English football was written in the stars as one of the club’s greatest nights in its history. Ten years on from the horrendous nightmare of the Munich tragedy, Sir Matt Busby conquered his dream. Fittingly, the man of the magical night was a survivor of the nightmare itself – a saviour, who rose out of the black smoke of the British Airways Flight 609 to lift the club from the gloom of Munich to the pomp of Wembley.

When we talk about Manchester United during the 60s, we talk about the holy trinity – the statue of which still renders a different dimension to the beauty of Old Trafford. The triumvirate of Bobby Charlton, Dennis Law and Goerge Best sent shivers down the spine of oppositions during the peak of their powers. But beyond the glamorous personality of Best and the fairytale of Charlton, and the prolificness of Dennis Law, there were some other elements in the team which made the club arguably the most feared of its time. For the attacking rendezvous put on by the trio, there was an engine room which shielded the heart of the team. As the saying goes, when the spine is crooked, the body can’t stand. The flair of the holy trinity had to be backed by a spine – which was built by the grit and determination of three underrated legends – Bill Foulkes, Paddy Crerand and Nobby Stiles.

Engraved on the FA Cup final kits of United is an eagle – a symbol that came to be associated with the club in the aftermath of Munich. The team which was in shambles, was being slowly re-constructed brick after brick by the assistant manager Jimmy Murphy, who was recognised by many as a master at judging potential and nurturing talent. Bill Foulkes, the newly appointed captain, was among the earliest components of the dream team that would go on to lift the European Cup 10 years later. The centre back was a born-and-bred Mancunian and spent his entire professional career at Old Trafford – overseeing a golden era of the club in his time. Gary Neville, another of United’s accomplished legends, is often compared to Foulkes – though not blessed with talent, both climbed the ladder of fame through sheer persistence and hard work.

After an infamous spat with Sir Matt, midfielder Jonny Giles handed in a transfer request and completed a quickfire move to Leeds United. “I am going to haunt him” declared Jonny. The purchase of Pat Crerand from Celtic on the 5th anniversary of the Munich disaster was probably the beginning of a glorious era in the history of the club. He was brought in from Celtic to fill the void left and eventually went on to become a vital clog in midfield for Sir Matt. Alongside Paddy, Nobby Stiles kept a firm grip on his role as the ‘Spoiler’. Though he wasn’t a delight to the eye, Stiles was as a big an icon as any England has produced. The man with the fake teeth is renowned for nullifying the Black Pearl (Eusebio) in the semifinals of the 1966 World Cup and later in the 1968 European Cup final. Billy Foulkes had been a regular in the United team-sheet ever since the Munich Tragedy. A leader by example, Foulkes was an uncompromising figure in the United rearguard – hard in tackle and aerially dominating, without having much of a contribution in attack.

The image above is a fair reflection of how Sir Matt lined his team up back then. Though one could argue about the starting position of Bill Foulkes, the rest of the players have been placed correctly. Nobby Stiles was usually deployed as a man marker, and leaving aside Eusebio, there are many others that have felt his crunch – Real Madrid legend Amancio being one of the notable players. Together, the three formed the core of the team.

The Guardian reports -

Stiles watched Amancio like a cat and pounced as often as he could.

Alongside his more explosive partner, Paddy kept things simple in the middle of the park, and kept the game ticking with his ability to pick the right pass. He played the calming role in midfield, and ensured things were kept tight. And to complement them, Bill Foulkes – the first Captain Marvel in my books – ensured that the opposition did not have much of a chance to test Gregg or Stepney. One of the most talked about incidents of his career is the goal he scored at the Santiago Bernabeu to get his team back from the dead to secure a date with destiny at the home of English football.

The Guardian describes him as -

“Stealing up like a thief in the night.”

Behind the genius of the holy trinity, worked three minds that ensured their attacking exploits did not go to waste, by putting their bodies on the line and committing themselves to the cause of the club. Just like the other trinity, the trio played their hearts out every time they stepped onto the pitch, and oversaw one of the greatest eras of the club, an era which culminated on the magical night at Wembley, when Sir Matt finally achieved the dream which had been rendered almost impossible in Munich. United’s other trinity was a gem that did not bring a glitter to the eye but it provided a bedrock of what remains, till date, the biggest night in the club’s history.