The term “The Red Devils” is closely linked to “Manchester United.” Let’s explore the origins of this nickname.
“Manchester United” is one of the world’s most decorated football clubs, boasting a fan base of over a billion people according to various sources. Many consider it the most supported team globally. But have you ever wondered why “United” has a devil on its emblem and where this nickname comes from?
In the 1950s, “Manchester United” was known as “Busby’s Babes” due to their renowned and beloved coach, Matt Busby, who took charge of the team in 1945. Within a few years, he transformed the squad into a powerful force, and the players’ young average age earned them the nickname “babes.”
Tragically, on February 6, 1958, disaster struck. “Busby’s Babes” had just knocked out “Red Star” in the European Cup quarter-finals (today’s Champions League). On their way back from Belgrade, they stopped in Munich to refuel. In terrible weather conditions, the plane crashed on its third attempt to take off, failing to gain enough speed and colliding with a house and trees beyond the runway.
This tragedy resulted in the deaths of some “United” players, while others were left unable to play football again, with a total of 23 fatalities. Among the survivors were coach Matt Busby and the legendary Sir Bobby Charlton. Busby faced the challenge of rebuilding a strong team from the ground up. The memory of “Busby’s Babes” was painful, prompting the search for a new identity.
The local rugby team “Salford” had been called “The Red Devils” since 1934, a nickname given by French journalists after the club won a tournament in France. In November 1958, just a few months after the Munich crash, “Salford” played a match at “Old Trafford.”
Inspired by this match, Busby adopted the nickname “The Red Devils,” finding it more intimidating and compelling than their previous moniker. Over time, “United” became widely known as “The Red Devils.”
Busby went on to build a formidable team that won the European Cup in 1968, solidifying his status as a club legend. In 1973, a red devil holding a trident was incorporated into the “Manchester United” emblem, becoming a lasting symbol of the team. Even their mascot, Fred the Red, is depicted as a red devil.
