ON February 4, 1958, a plane carrying England's best football team crashed while attempting to take off in West Germany, killing eight of the country's most talented young players.

The Munich air crash became a watershed in the history of Manchester United, transforming a football club into something much more than that, as the premature deaths of players such as England captain Roger Byrne and his international colleagues Duncan Edwards and Tommy Taylor touched the nation.

The names of the celebrated players who lost their lives on that day in 1958 are now part of English football folklore, as is boss Matt Busby whose 'Babes' were the reigning league champions and had come so close to a historic double the previous season when only a massive upset saw them beaten in the FA Cup final by Aston Villa.

Apart from the celebrities on board, the Elizabethan airliner also carried ten journalists of which just two survived. One of those was Frank Taylor of the News Chronicle, whose harrowing experiences are recorded in this book 'The Day A Team Died'.

Taylor's story begins on the journey between Belgrade and Munich - the Bavarian city was just a refuelling stop - as United returned from a European Cup quarter final against Red Star.

He then recounts the events of the crash itself, as the plane failed to take off at the third attempt and smashed into a house at the end of the runway.

Despite the tragic deaths of so many, and Duncan Edwards' brave, but ultimately, unsuccessful fight for life, this is a story of hope.

Both Taylor and Busby faced weeks and months of painful recovery in hospital, yet, almost like a fairytale ending, the United boss returned to Old Trafford and rebuilt his team to finally take the European title a decade later.

Although this is a book obviously suited to those with affinities to Manchester United, it is of interest to any football fan as it shows just how much the game - those who govern it, play it and write about it - has changed in the decades since.

Taylor's book was originally released on the 25th anniversary of the crash, and this revised edition includes a fond farewell to the late Sir Matt, who died ten years ago.

"The Day A Team Died" by Frank Taylor is published by Souvenir Press (RRP £8.99)