Journalists and academics will meet to discuss the consequences of the Munich air disaster for sports journalism at an event marking the 60th anniversary of the tragedy.

Twenty-three people were killed, including eight Manchester United footballers and eight journalists, on 6 February 1958 when a charter plane crashed after refuelling at Munich Airport.

Manchester Metropolitan University, the Manchester Evening News and the North West Film Archive have organised the event, entitled ‘Munich 60 years on: How British sport changed’, to analyse the effect the disaster had on English football, sports journalism and the city of Manchester.

Speakers include Alice McKeegan, MEN head of football, and Paul Clark, MMU lecturer in sports journalism.

An MEN tribute to those who died in the Munich air disaster

The event is being organised by Vince Hunt, also a sports journalism lecturer at the university.

He said: “Munich, as well as having a huge effect on English football, also changed the nature of sports journalism because a whole community of sports journalists were on that plane.

“Our event will bring together fans, football writers, historians and friends and relatives of those affected by the crash to explore the consequences of one of Manchester’s most tragic events.”

The event will be held at the university on 7 February, and more information can be found here.