MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Bill Foulkes, a former Manchester United defender who survived the Munich air disaster, died Monday, the club said. He was 81.
United says Foulkes died Monday morning. The club did not give a cause of death.
Foulkes played 688 times for United after making his debut in 1952. Only Ryan Giggs, Bobby Charlton and Paul Scholes have played more times for the club.
Foulkes was one of the survivors of the Feb. 6, 1958, Munich air crash that took away the heart of the “Busby Babes.”
Eight players were among 23 people killed when a plane carrying Matt Busby’s team back from a European Cup game against Red Star Belgrade stopped off to refuel in Munich but crashed on takeoff.
