Plans are ongoing for a new Old Trafford statue honouring one of Manchester United’s less-recognised key figures from history: ex-manager Jimmy Murphy.
The club has accepted a request from supporters groups for the memorial – agreeing that Murphy’s critical contribution to the rebuilding of United following the Munich Air Disaster makes him worthy of a permanent tribute.
Murphy took temporary charge of the Red Devils in 1958 following the crash – which saw eight players killed and two others suffer career-ending injuries.
Manager Matt Busby was also seriously hurt.
Murphy – who had not travelled as he was managing Wales in a World Cup qualifier – stepped in to take care of the Busby Babes as temporary coach following the tragedy. And he performed a miracle.
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Jimmy Murphy: a giant figure of United's history ❤
Plans are under way to honour his outstanding contribution to the club outside his spiritual home.#MUFC
Despite their shaken and depleted squad, United made it to the 1958 FA Cup final against all odds – with Murphy leading out the team at Wembley Stadium against Bolton Wanderers.
Busby returned the following season and Murphy continued to work alongside him as assistant manager, with the duo creating a side which would bring two league titles, an FA Cup and European Cup to Old Trafford.
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Upon his death in 1989, Busby called Murphy his “first and most important signing”.
“No-one outside the club will ever know how important he was to our success,” he stated.
The proposal for a statue of Murphy was presented to the club by a coalition of United Supporters’ groups led by the Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation.
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Once completed, Murphy’s memorial will join existing tributes to other club heroes such as Busby, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best and Denis Law outside Old Trafford.
LIVE NOW: A special show with @the_mmmf & Jimmy Murphy's Grandson as last week the club confirmed that Jimmy Murphy will be getting a statue at Old Trafford. Find out more by hitting the play button! #mufchttps://t.co/17BekdfeXx
Paul Murphy said the statue would help to raise awareness of his grandfather’s essential role in rebuilding the club.
He told All For United podcast: “There’s nothing outside Old Trafford to let you know who [Jimmy] was, what he did.
“I’ve been introduced in the past and season-ticket holders have asked ‘Who’s Jimmy Murphy?’
“I don’t blame them people because there’s nothing around the stadium. Unless you read into it, you don’t know who Jimmy Murphy is. I said to the board: ‘I could stand outside Old Trafford and ask fans who led United out at the 1958 FA Cup – I bet half at least wouldn’t know.’
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“This will broaden people’s knowledge of the club.”
Featured image: Man Utd
Sport
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
Sport
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
The Manc -
7th June 2021 
