Billy Whelan

Liam Whelan
Personal information
Full name William Augustine Whelan
Date of birth (1935-04-01)1 April 1935
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Date of death 6 February 1958(1958-02-06) (aged 22)
Place of death Munich, West Germany
Position(s) Inside forward
Youth career
Home Farm
1953–1954 Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1954–1958 Manchester United 79 (43)
International career
1956–1957 Republic of Ireland 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

William Augustine Whelan (1 April 1935 – 6 February 1958), known as Billy Whelan or Liam Whelan, was an Irish footballer. He started his career at Home Farm, before joining Manchester United in 1953, at the age of 18. In total, he played 98 games and scored 52 goals for Manchester United in all matches. He was also capped four times for the Republic of Ireland, and notably played in a 4–1 win against the Netherlands.[1]

Whelan was killed in the Munich air disaster on 6 February 1958, at the age of 22. He had travelled with the team to Belgrade, but did not end up playing against Red Star Belgrade.[2] He is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery,[3] and had a railway bridge in Dublin renamed after him.

Whelan's grave in Glasnevin Cemetery, decorated with a Manchester United scarf

Personal life

Whelan had two brothers, who both played football. One brother, John, played for Shamrock Rovers and Drumcondra, while his eldest brother Christy played for Transport.

Honours

Manchester United[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Eire Triumph Staggers Continent". Daily Mirror. 11 May 1956. p. 16.
  2. ↑ "United Front - Liam Whelan". Archived from the original on 17 June 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
  3. ↑ "The lost genius of Irish football: Remembering Liam Whelan, Dublin's Busby Babe". The 42. 6 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  4. ↑ "Billy Whelan". mufcinfo.com. Archived from the original on 2016-01-29. Retrieved 2025-11-12.
  5. ↑ Vernon, Leslie; Rollin, Jack (1977). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78. London: Brickfield Publications Ltd. p. 490. ISBN 0354-09018-6.
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