A MEMORIAL for a former North-East born football coach killed in the Munich air disaster will be unveiled next month.

On February 6 it will be 60 years since 23 people died in Germany following Manchester United’s match against Red Star Belgrade. Those who lost their lives included Tom Curry, a coach and physio who worked with Reds manager Sir Matt Busby and his team, and who was born in South Shields.

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the air disaster, Trafford Council has approved plans to place a blue plaque bearing Curry’s name at his former home, after an application by current residents Charlie Bell and his wife Alison. For 24 years, Curry lived with his wife, Elizabeth and their three children, George, Thomas and Elizabeth opposite St Teresa’s School in Firswood, Manchester.

Curry, who was born on September 1 1894, was a professional footballer-turned-coach, who became Manchester United’s trainer in 1934 until his death in the air disaster in1958, when he and 22 other people died.

He started playing football for two local sides, St Michael’s and Parkside, when he was a teenager, before attracting interest from Newcastle United, and signed with them aged 18 in 1912. But the start of his professional career was delayed by the First World War, in which he served as a Sergeant with the Royal Engineers.

Curry’s first match for Newcastle United after the war was on January 18, 1919 in a 3/2 win over Scotswood. He went on to make 221 appearances for the Magpies, playing as a half-back. He was voted as number 86 in Newcastle United’s Top 100 players of all time.

Tom’s granddaughter Jennie Dixon, who used to stay with Curry and his family when she was a young child, and her sister Liz will be unveiling the blue plaque – along with a special guest – at noon on Sunday, February 4. It is expected that Tom’s family and friends, Manchester United representatives as well as members of the public – will all be there.

Mrs Bell said: “Tom was well loved by his friends, neighbours and football colleagues – many of whom regularly came to visit him at his home. Most of the young Manchester United players at the time lived nearby in digs, which – like Tom’s home – was just a short walking distance to Old Trafford.” Curry was the trainer to the 1948 Great British Olympic football team and served Manchester United through the cup successes of 1948 and on to the emergence of the title-winning team of the mid-1950s.

On the resumption of League football after the war, Tom made his debut with Newcastle United in the first game of the 1919/20 season. In 1929, Tom left St James Park on a free transfer to Stockport County, a year later becoming the trainer for Carlisle United. Four years later, Tom joined Manchester United under Scott Duncan in 1934 as their trainer. When Sir Matt took over in 1945, he held Tom in such high regard that he asked him to stay and described him as ‘the best trainer in Britain’.

There are two other blue plaques in Trafford for Duncan Edwards and Tommy Taylor – both killed in the air disaster.