Man Utd programme from match abandoned after the 1958 Munich Air Disaster set to fetch thousands at auction

One of the world's rarest football programmes for a game abandoned following the Munich air disaster could fetch thousands at auction - after being found in a drawer. The fixture between Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers on February 8, 1958 was postponed following the tragedy which occurred two days earlier.

A 12-page magazine was produced ahead of the match, which was set to be held at Old Trafford - but only a handful of copies survived. It was taken off the production line when news of the Busby's Babes plane crash came through and most of the match programmes were destroyed.

However, 65 years later, one has been discovered by Hertfordshire auction house Hanson Ross. And such is its scarcity it could fetch between £5,000-£8,000 when it goes under the hammer on January 12.

The seller, Peter Jackson, 67, kept the programme in a bedside drawer alongside another from the fixture against Nottingham Forest played a couple of weeks later. The retired engineer said he was parting with the programmes because he wanted to ensure they’re treasured forever as a part of Manchester United’s history.

Man United fan Peter, from Wembley, London, added: “You get to a time of life when you start thinking about what may happen to things that are important to you. I’m a Manchester United fan and I have owned these programmes nearly all my life so it’s a big deal to let them go.

"But they’re historically important and deserve to be preserved. They were given to my dad by his brother as a gift for me when I saw a small child in the late 1950s.

"They were always meant for me. When I left home at 18 I took them with me. They have moved house a few times but I’ve always looked after them. They’ve been in a cardboard folder in a bedside drawer.

“I came across them again during a clear out and decided maybe now was the right time to sell. I’ve always known I’d have to let them go eventually.

“My uncle worked in the Manchester printworks that made the programmes and decided to hold on to them. I was born in Stockport but my family moved to London when I was five. My dad and uncle are no longer alive.

"I think they would be surprised to know how valuable those programmes priced 4d, pennies in 1958, might be today. I hope they will go to a Manchester United fan or keen collector who will look after them for years to come to honour the Busby’s Babes who lost their lives.”

On February 6, 1958, 23 people including eight United players were killed when the plane carrying the team back from a European Cup tie in Belgrade crashed in Germany. The British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a snow-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport where it had stopped to refuel.

The loss of so many players from the legendary young team shocked the world. As well as the eight players, three of the club's staff were killed along with 12 others on the flight.

The disaster took place the same day that thousands of the programmes for the First Division match were printed. It even featured a short report of United's win over Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup. It read: "In the capacity-packed football stadium in Belgrade, 55,000 spectators watched United draw with Red Stars by 3 goals apiece. United now proceed to the third round quarter finals for which pairings will be drawn within the next few days. Well done United!"

Wolves went on to win the league that season and beat depleted Manchester United 4-0 at Old Trafford when the postponed match was eventually played

Amanda Butler, director of operations at the Royston auctioneers, said: “The vendor’s uncle worked in the Manchester print shop that made the programmes. Most were destroyed but his uncle kept one and gifted it to our seller.

"He also gave him a programme for a Manchester United v Nottingham Forest match on February 22, 1958, just a couple of weeks after the disaster. The two will be offered at auction together.

“For any football memorabilia collector this is an extremely unusual opportunity. Hardly any of the Manchester United v Wolves programmes exist and examples rarely come to light.

"We are aware of one whiwhich was soldh sold previously at auction for £6,200.”