Ryan Giggs may be one of the heroes of the modern Manchester United but he insists his outlook has been shaped by the club's history. Welsh winger Giggs came through the ranks at Old Trafford and has always been aware of what went before him, ever since Sir Matt Busby and Sir Bobby Charlton used to watch him as a child. The poignancy of United's past comes into sharp focus this week as the club commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster, in which eight of their players were killed. Giggs said: "Sir Bobby saw me at The Cliff (United's old training ground) when I was 14. He also watched David Beckham and Paul Scholes. "When I played in a tournament in Switzerland, Sir Matt travelled out to watch it. You could see the love and affection for him. "That has an effect on you because these are great people. "They are legends who don't have to do that sort of thing but they enjoy it. "They want to do it and that's been ingrained in them from a young age, probably since Sir Bobby was 14. "Fans also want to see young players coming through and do well which we do on a regular basis at this club." The disaster and loss of a generation of great players - the Busby Babes - devastated the club. But Busby, the manager who was seriously injured at Munich, went on to rebuild the team and won the European Cup 10 years later. Giggs, who has become the most decorated player in United's history under present boss Sir Alex Ferguson, believes today's team has a duty to entertain in the manner of those of the past. "We have to carry on the legacy. If you are representing Manchester United, you have to play in the right manner, excite supporters and wherever you go, get people off their seats," he said. "That has got to go on because that is one of the things that sets this club apart. You never stand still. It always goes forward. "There's Juventus and Barcelona but Manchester United always seemed to have that much more support and seem that much more special. "Of course that is down to history and what Sir Matt did."
Source : www.sportinglife.com
