TOWN player Kevin McHale was as shocked as the rest of the country by Munich – particularly because he knew victim Mark Jones.
He attended the same school in Darfield, near Barnsley.
“Mark was a few years older than me, but he was well known throughout the area, especially after United signed him,” said McHale.
“The club had a close association with Barnsley and Tommy Taylor, who also died in the crash, came from there too.”
McHale was also friends with two of the players, Alex Dawson and Mark Pearson, who came into the United side in the wake of the tragedy.
“We were all involved in schools international football, so we knew each other quite well,” he added.
Another to play regularly in the post-Munich United team was future Town manager Ian Greaves.
Dawson and Greaves were both in the side beaten 2-0 by Bolton in an emotional FA Cup final at Wembley three months after the tragedy.
