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Author Topic: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards  (Read 13818 times)

Offline TRO

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?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« on: August 26, 2010, 07:14:50 PM »




Whilst driving through Dudley today with two of my step kids, I spoke about how England possibly had what some would argue "The greatest footballer in the world". So as we left Dudley, I said to them that we will pop into Dudley cemetary and see if we can find his grave, which we did. I have put some photos up here of it.

After I took the photos I noticed that the wind had blown the red and white fresh flowers out of their pot. Even for a local lad who knows no better really than a few black and white photos, it was nice to put them back in to his grave. Very surreal and I shant forget that. 

52 years on and his home borough of Dudley seem to forget him.

I remember when as a kid, I'd view all his caps , medals and england shirts in a glass case at Dudley leisure centre not really knowing whose they were.

Now, as a 38 year old who has gotten into football more since then, to hear Bobby Charlton mention Duncan as the greatest player he ever seen is, well, to be noted. Dont forget that he played with George Best for a number of years, yet still rates Duncan the better player.

Well I must say that all afternoon, I have been researching Big Dunc on the net but there isnt much.

How sad though, that apart from a beautiful statue in Dudley town centre, his borough seem to have forgotten him.

According to Charlton it would have been not out of place to hear the name in the same breathe as "Pele, Maradona, Best, Edwards".

We will never know.

Offline Mark Samuels

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Re: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2010, 07:32:20 PM »
For many years, the Villa used to place flowers on Duncan's grave - I think it was on his birthday and I think Wolves showed their respect, too.

What I do remember is that Duncan's Mum was amazed when she discovered that the Villa (unasked, and as a Birmingham club with no link to the Edwards family) always marked the moment.

Class act by a class club for a class player, I guess.

Offline Billy Walker

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Re: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« Reply #2 on: August 26, 2010, 07:38:13 PM »
I can't remember where I read it but apparently Villa and Wolves were both chasing after him as a lad.  Stan Cullis was very close to signing him for Wolves until Matt Busby came along with a very nice offer that was not quite on the "right side" of financial fair play. It was an offer too good for the Edwards family to turn down and thus he was Manchester bound.

Cullis was meant to have been quite angry about this for years.  I satisfy myself in the knowledge that Man Utd have been buying their success since the 1950's. 

Offline Mac

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Re: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2010, 07:41:56 PM »
How odd. I was at my uncle's funeral today.  He used to play in the same Brierley Hill School Boys team as Duncan. 

Online Somniloquism

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Re: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2010, 07:43:26 PM »
An old Wolves fan at one of my work places who had seen him play reckoned if Munich hadn't happened England would have won the world cup more than once at that time and Bobby Moore wouldn't have been in the side.

Offline barrysleftfoot

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Re: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2010, 08:46:54 PM »



   My Dads favourite player of all time.Rated him better than Pele and Cruyff.


   I'm sure davew, suggested he was a Villa fan as a kid, maybe i got that wrong.

Offline rutski

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Re: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« Reply #6 on: August 26, 2010, 08:47:04 PM »
tro, i aint a man utd fan whatever, i infact despise the twats, but dudley has far from forgotten duncan edwards! i am bored to tears with the eulogies in boozers from 60-70 year olds who played with him in the brierley hill district team, there must have been a squad of 10,000 in those days, there is the statue, roads named after him and countless children named duncan who are in their mid thirties to fifties. It does get slightly tiresome to hear his name mentioned so much round here and who knows what he may have become. The greatest england player ever and best european footballer, maybe the worst? Who knows!
If my aunt fanny had bollocks he would have been my uncle frank as they also say in these parts!

Offline TRO

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Re: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« Reply #7 on: August 26, 2010, 09:51:57 PM »
Appreciated about the statue but the rank and file of Dudley know not much or celebrate him.

Infact when i came home today I told Mrs T and she said "who?".

Maybe our schools should educate the local kids more about local heroes.

Offline Villan For Life

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Re: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« Reply #8 on: August 26, 2010, 10:29:54 PM »
Not sure what else they can do.

The statue is impressive and and during the 50th anniversary Munich commemorations, there was a small service at the statue with many tributes left.

There is Duncan Edwards Way as part of the Dudley By Pass.

Both of these are recent fairly additions, so they've done more in the last 10 years or so than the previous 40.


Offline Lee

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Re: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« Reply #9 on: August 26, 2010, 10:54:48 PM »
Duncan Edwards is revered in these parts and always has been, even though he played for them.

Offline Salsa Party Animal

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Re: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« Reply #10 on: August 26, 2010, 11:31:04 PM »
It would be interesting unwritten history to read if he opt to join Aston Villa of Manchester United. He will be playing with the like of Peter McParland, Nigel Sims, Gerry Hitchens, Johnny Dixon and co.

It is difficult to understand legends like Duncan Edwards when you don't see much coverage of him in action.

Online dave.woodhall

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Re: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« Reply #11 on: August 26, 2010, 11:41:56 PM »



   My Dads favourite player of all time.Rated him better than Pele and Cruyff.


   I'm sure davew, suggested he was a Villa fan as a kid, maybe i got that wrong.

I was told it, but it was probably bollocks. It's hard to know how good he was, and how good he could have been, but you have to go along with the general opinion.  I think there's still an exhibition of his memorabilia in Dudley museum.

Offline DBTW

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Re: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« Reply #12 on: August 27, 2010, 08:24:33 AM »
Duncan Edwards was my Grandad's cousin. He was also best friends with my nans brother, who to this day I can sit and listen to stories of when they grew up together on the Priory.

Apparently he was just a genius with a football. They also speak about when Busby came to the Priory to sign Duncan, and he sat in the front room of their basic council house.

I can't imagine anyone famous sitting in there now!

On a separate note, my Dad grew up best mates with Sam Allardyce, going through Sycamore Green Primary together before Sam moved up to Bolton at around 15.

Apparently he was very basic as a footballer, just hard as nails, as I may add most are that come off the "Greens"!

Offline villa1

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Re: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« Reply #13 on: August 27, 2010, 09:14:55 AM »
He hasn't been forgotten about. A junior football club is named after him and there is a pub of the same name, although whether it's still open or not i don't know.

Offline DBTW

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Re: ?% Villa - Duncan Edwards
« Reply #14 on: August 27, 2010, 09:23:47 AM »
He hasn't been forgotten about. A junior football club is named after him and there is a pub of the same name, although whether it's still open or not i don't know.

It's flat

 


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