Saint Duncan Edwards of Dudley?

Introduction

I'll be sharing some edited excerpts from my PhD: The Commemorative Activity at the Grave of Munich Air Disaster Victim, Duncan Edwards: A Social and Cultural Analysis of the Commemorative Networks of a Local Sporting Hero this month to coincide with the anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster and the death of my ancestor and Busby Babe Duncan Edwards.

There are many books and studies that explore the impact of the crash on the football and wider community. I have read and referenced many of them in my own studies.

My contribution to this collection of knowledge is made from my very personal perspective of a second-generation memory preserver and family member of Edwards. As an independent artist and researcher, I am currently developing a graphic novel exploring the commemoration of the crash and Edwards through the testimonies and observations of family and fan commemorators spanning nearly 70 years.

I hope you find these posts thought provoking and of interest.

Of God and Glass

As my bloodline is connected to Duncan’s, some of my commemorative acts specific to other family members are part of Duncan’s extended family history. I ‘saw’ Duncan at my grandmother’s funeral, or rather a representation of him through a commemorative memorial.

Image of the dedicatory stained glass windows of Duncan Edwards in St Francis church interior. They depict a footballer kneeling below figures of saints

My grandmother, Doris Daniels née Edwards, was one of Duncan’s first cousins and she lived near Duncan in Dudley. My grandmother’s funeral was conducted at St Francis’ Church Laurel Road, Dudley 42 years after Duncan’s was held there. His funeral had taken place in this church, and it was this church that I knew well from my childhood, passing it at least twice a week as we were driven past en route to my grandmother’s house a few streets away. When I attended my grandmother’s funeral, I saw the commemorative stained-glass windows dedicated to Duncan installed there.

Image of one of two dedicatory stained glass windows of Duncan Edwards in St Francis church interior. They depict a footballer kneeling in a Manchester United kit next to an inscription and logo for the Wrens Nest Bowling Club and below a figure of a saint

These windows were installed and dedicated to Edwards in 1961 Matt Busby unveiled the windows on behalf of Manchester United and Bishop of Worcester, Mervin Charles Edwards led the dedication of the windows. That the congregation and leaders of his local Church felt compelled to commemorate Edwards within the fabric of a sacred church is not an act that appears to have been replicated by any other church for any other British footballer. Although examples of stained-glass windows depicting football and figures playing football can be found, they are usually general depictions of the sport without specific visual references to players. Edwards’ windows appear to be the only example of a footballer canonised as a footballer, revered alongside conventional saints. He is depicted on the left hand panel in a Manchester United football strip with St Francis standing above him. On the right hand side panel he is in his England football strip below St George. Both depictions of Edwards show him kneeling on one knee and the inscriptions that he holds state ‘God is with us for our captain’ and ‘though there may be many members yet there is one body’.

That a footballer can be memorialised within a church window suggests that the notion of commemorative memorialisation within structured religion can be reinterpreted in a localised way if an individual is considered exceptional enough.

Image of one of two dedicatory stained glass windows of Duncan Edwards in St Francis church interior. They depict a footballer kneeling in an England kit below a figure of saint

Regardless of the personal connection to the church, Edwards’ installation among saints is a departure from tradition. Notwithstanding that the church is small and serves a small local community, by installing a local footballer as a saint the notion of canonisation for only certified saints of the Christian faith could be said to have been corrupted. Yet the realms of Christianity and football may not be as distinctly different as they appear. If the context of saints within a place of worship can be applied as an analogy to football, then football could be considered as a religion of sorts. The fans of football and footballers become worshippers at the churches or stadia of their chosen team. These stadia when considered as churches are adorned with key figures and the symbols and narratives of the football faith, albeit statues of players, emblems and football programmes. Yet a case can be made that these are of great similarity to religious icons, crosses and hymn books respectively. As the cross represents the Christian faith, then the football club emblem represents the club. The saints of the stadia are the footballers and managers and the fans as the disciples or followers. The football programme and the hymn book lead the followers through their worship.

How many fans have prayed for a win?’

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You can read my PhD here