Full name Herbert Whalley Role Footballer Name Bert Whalley | Playing position Position Midfielder | |
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Date of birth (1913-08-06)6 August 1913 Date of death 6 February 1958(1958-02-06) (aged 44) Died February 6, 1958, Munich, Germany | ||
Place of death Munich, West Germany | ||
Herbert "Bert" Whalley (6 August 1913 – 6 February 1958) was a footballer for Manchester United from 1934 to 1946, later serving on the coaching staff at the club. He died in the Munich air disaster in 1958, at the age of 44.
Born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, Whalley first played for Stalybridge Celtic before transferring to Manchester United on 7 May 1934. He made his debut for Manchester United in 1935 as a left-half. The war years prevented him from making more than the 35 appearances he ultimately accrued. Upon Matt Busby's appointment as manager in 1945, Whalley was made first-team coach. After chief coach Jimmy Murphy officially became assistant manager to Busby in 1955, Whalley was promoted to the role of chief coach.
Whalley was played by actor Dean Andrews in the 2011 television drama United, which centred on the successes of the Busby Babes and the decimation of the team in the Munich crash.