King Eric. Georgie. Wayne. Becks. Fergie, obviously. Jimmy Murphy. Even the Da Silva twins. Wayne Barton is the world's most prolific and encyclopaedic author on all things Manchester United and his latest tome will be a long overdue, comprehensive account of Manchester United's tragic and remarkable hero. The eternal icon.
Duncan Edwards' heartbreaking tale is one woven deep into the core of United and the hearts and minds of every single supporter. It's a melancholic story. An 'oh, what could have been.' But it's also an uplifting one. One that should be remembered for its greatness as well as its conclusion.
The baby-faced star of the Busby Babes. A remarkable footballer who defied his tender age. As strong as an ox and as quick as a viper. A life cut devastatingly short but one that achieved so much in just 21 years that he is still held in hallowed reverence to this day, 65 years on from his death.
After writing books on so many iconic United figures, Barton has now turned his considerable talent and knowledge to Edwards' life and career. A quest he now feels confident enough to take.
"I suppose you could put it down to confidence," he told the Manchester Evening News when asked why this was the right time to chronicle Edwards' story. "I wrote a biography of Jimmy Murphy, one of the most precious names in Manchester United history, and one of my best friends a few years ago suggested I should write one of George Best.
"From that point on it seemed natural to write about Duncan, and yes I suppose I felt confident that I could do the book justice, but it also coincided with the fact that I was asked to write it by the family."
The vast majority of United supporters now will never have seen Edwards play in the flesh and the grainy footage still available today could never paint the full picture of what a force of nature he was on the pitch - not to mention the character he was off it. Barton's biography 'Duncan Edwards: Eternal', certainly will though, with plenty of laughs, gasps and tears to go with it.
One excerpt from the book tells the story of how before a Youth Cup game against Chelsea, Jimmy Murphy moved to ensure United didn't rely completely on Edwards' brilliance and wanted everyone to be involved in the play. At half-time, they were a goal behind and Murphy had a change of heart:
"At half-time Jimmy was a bit quiet, and we were all thinking he was going to blow,” Wilf McGuinness said. “And just before we went back out, he said, ‘Remember I told you not to always pass to Duncan? Forget that. Give him the f****** ball whenever you can.’"
Edwards equalised 60 seconds into the second half and scored the winner after carrying the ball from his own half, shrugging off challenges as if an annoying puppy was yapping at his ankles and firing the ball home from 25 yards.
However, this book will not serve to make out that Edwards was the complete player. He wasn't. The tragedy was that he wasn't given the opportunity to become one. But, as requested by Edwards' family, the biography will also aim to humanise the man rather than embellish the legend.
"There are a couple of books on Duncan," Barton says. "When the idea of writing one was suggested to me, it came with a specific request, and that was to try and portray Duncan as an ordinary person.
"It’s great that so many tributes that have immortalised him elevate him to this mythical stature but I was keen to explore who he was. The reality of who Duncan Edwards actually was. It made the process of writing more raw, more emotional, but hopefully, the end product is one worthy of his legacy.
"The fascination for me was knitting that with my own perception of watching the footage that is available of him and the contemporary reports of the time, because he wasn’t a perfect player, and trying to paint an accurate picture through words of who he was in reality.
"It sometimes feels somewhat blasphemous, but I actually think humanising him in this way makes the journey much more intimate and emotional. By saying he wasn’t perfect, we’re able to chart what improvements he could have made to his game, and that gives us a better understanding of how good he could have been and how good he was. That’s how it felt to me writing it and I hope that’s what comes across."
Barton is in a unique position to be able to tell Edwards' story better than anyone else. Having interviewed so many key figures throughout United's history he has a treasure trove of insights to dive into, like those of the heroic goalkeeper of The Busby Babes Harry Gregg, who passed away three years ago.
Then there is the relationship he has with Edwards' family as well as with a museum dedicated to Edwards in his home town of Dudley, all of which has allowed him to cram his biography full of brand-new stories, information and photographs.
Barton continues: "I have to say Duncan’s family really are wonderful. They are normal, warm, caring people from Dudley, and that made it so helpful to capture the essence of who Duncan was.
"Keith Edwards and Laurence Brownhill are the two men who have been most prominent in the media when representing Duncan’s family over the past two decades. They were both so supportive of what I wanted to do with the book.
"Tragically Keith passed away before I could interview him; I was able to spend time with Laurence, who honestly could not have been a bigger support, and I also have to mention Laurence’s lovely daughter Michelle. They are so proud of Duncan, proud of their connection, and having their trust made me feel even more conscious about my responsibility to tell the story of Duncan as he was.
"I interviewed Harry Gregg ten years ago and he spoke about Duncan at length. Sadly, he passed away three years ago. I keep in touch with his family and his daughter shared with me an incredible story that has never before been made public that is in the book.
"I interviewed David Gaskell, who shared digs with Duncan and had the responsibility of giving his belongings to his parents. There are many more interviews, and everyone who knew Duncan personally spoke of how normal and unassuming he was; those who played against him tend to go along that line of building him up to something that seems beyond comprehension.
"For a time there was a museum dedicated to Duncan in Dudley. There were some rare images there I was able to use, and perhaps most fascinatingly of all, his original school football records from the Worcestershire FA, which have never before been seen.
"I was able to peruse them at length, and track Duncan’s entire schoolboy football journey, and as I say that too is new and exclusive to this book. There is so much new information besides the things I’ve mentioned."
The book will follow Edwards' life in chronological order which naturally means everyone will be all too familiar with its agonising conclusion. Barton does not shirk away from hitting you with tales from that hospital bed in Munich where Edwards lay for 15 days after the crash. Warning: You may have a heart of stones if Duncan's Watch or Duncan's Dream doesn't trigger a tear in the corner of your eye.
Edwards' end was so overwhelmingly tragic it tends to be all most think of first when they hear his name. But the story is more than just its destination. It's an astonishing journey as well. A life that was cruelly ended too soon but one which was so awe-inspiring it will never be forgotten. Barton has moved to celebrate his life just as much as he laments the tragedy.
"I made the decision when writing the book that I wouldn’t mention Munich until we arrive at the moment in real-time," he says. "I didn’t want it to be looming over every page. The sense of inevitability with that and Duncan is significant enough. I wanted to look at the career and present the argument that yes, of course it was tragic that it was cut short, but also, this is what he accomplished in a period of time that was still similar to, for example, Eric Cantona’s career at the club.
"My own personal belief is that the Busby Babes were an extraordinary team but what Duncan brought to them, probably instilled by Jimmy Murphy, was an indefatigable desire to win a game of football, this inherent refusal to believe a cause was lost. He gave that personality trait to Manchester United and it has been a significant part of the club’s identity ever since."
'Duncan Edwards: Eternal' by Wayne Barton will be released on February 16, 2023, in hardback. RRP £18.99. It can be pre-ordered with a 25 per cent discount here.
