Harry Gregg in his own words on Doncaster Rovers and joining Manchester United

While best remembered for his time with United and, in particular, his heroism in saving lives in the Munich Air Disaster, Gregg spoke fondly of his time with Rovers, who brought him into English football.

He was signed by Rovers in 1952, taken from his native Northern Ireland by his fellow countryman Peter Doherty to play alongside some of the biggest names in the club’s history such as Alick Jeffrey and Charlie Williams.

Here, in his own words from an interview with Rovers’ official website, we bring Gregg’s thoughts on life in Doncaster.

ON SIGNING FOR ROVERS

“I came from a house on a sidestreet where my father had done a runner and left six of us.

“I was a filmstar, in digs.”

ON MANAGER PETER DOHERTY

“Peter the Great.

“Peter would not allow - funnily enough like Matt Busby after him - would not allow any discussion after a game because there was too much emotion and excitement and you could finish up with a punch-up.

“He said ‘you can talk about it on Monday.’

“You’d be there on Monday and I’d be sat there at 18 or 19 thinking ‘I hope I didn’t do anything wrong.’

“To be part of that team and be part of what Peter brought up there, was wonderful.

“He did so much and he loved the players, he was great with them.

“The players worshipped him.”

ON DISLOCATING HIS ELBOW ON DEBUT

“I had it put back, with two people holding me down, while I was swung around the medical room and then they left me sitting on my a**e in the cold watching the game.

“You had to wait until the end of the game for someone to take me to the hospital.

“They told the specialist how they’d put it back in and he said they may have ruined my elbow for life.”

ON TEAM MATES

“Charlie Williams was the most beautiful fella. He did so well in life. I was so glad for him

“Alick Jeffrey was a wonderful player. I’ve been lucky enough to see the beginning of George Best and be very close to those people. Alick was wonderful.

“Alick Jeffrey, Charlie Williams - those were important people in my life.

“Jackie Teasdale - the little left winger signed from Middlesbrough. He couldn’t tackle a fish supper but he could play. There was more meat in my one finger but

“Brian Makepeace - a local lad, he came from Armthorpe.

“Lenny Graham - all right sided but he played left back because Brian was harder at right back.

“Bobby Herbert

“Arthur Eady - was he a hard man. I loved him.

“It’s all good memories for me.

ON COMPETITION WITH KENNY HARDWICK

“It was a good time in my life.

“Kenny Hardwick and I were friends.

“Kenny had actually worked in the pit. He was nowhere near as tall as me. Kenny had forearms that you’d never seen the like because of working down the pit.

“There was no bad feeling between us.

“I was glad to be there. That’s not me being a nice person. I was glad to be there, and be involved. I’m going to make it, I’m in England, I’m playing with Doncaster Rovers.”

ON RUN-INS WITH DOHERTY

“I got into the first team but I broke two fingers and they had to leave me out because I was injured.

“I went up the stairs to the boss and told him I was fit to play. He said ‘you are not fit to play.’

“He put me in the reserve team and I had to play at Bradford Park Avenue. I went there very uptight and the centre forward gave me some trouble and I bust him. I hit him hard and they had to take him off.

“I had to go and see Peter and he said to me ‘You are a hooligan! And you will be paying this boy’s wages until he is fit to play.’

“I was on £7.10 a week, I had to pay £2.10 of that to Mrs Rhodes where I was in digs.

“He got up from his chair, pushed it under the desk, went over the cupboard, put on his blazer and said ‘It’s time someone taught you a lesson.’ I said ‘Don’t you start or you’ll get it too.’ He said ‘Get out of my office.’”

ON HIS FAVOURITE GAME FOR ROVERS

“Bristol Rovers had beat the great Manchester United and Doncaster Rovers drew with Bristol Rovers.

“I had one of those games where everything hit you and stuck.

“I was playing so well and I was thinking ‘blow the whistle before I make a mistake.’

“It so happened Bristol had beaten the Busby Babes. I think because of what happened someone had been from United to watch someone at Bristol but saw me.”

ON BELLE VUE

“It was the second biggest playing area in England, if not the biggest.

“Belle Vue was the most beautiful pitch ever you saw. It was never waterlogged.

“I can still see the car park, I can see offices and the boardroom where there was a lean-to shed against the stand.

“I wonder how players would feel coming out of the dressing room, across the car park, jumping across the Great North Road and having to go for a run.”

ON JOINING MANCHESTER UNITED FOR A RECORD £25,700

“I had to go to Peter's house and these two gentlemen turned up in a car – one of them was Matt Busby.

"Peter the Great said ‘Matt, the boy is ready to sign.’

“Matt Busby said ‘Hold on Peter, I want to speak to the boy’ and he turned to me and said ‘do you want to sign for Manchester United.’

“That was the young Manchester United, the Busby Babes.

“I said 'yes’ and he said ‘hold on, we don’t pay any money.’

“I said over the years that if I’d have been born a rich man I'd have paid the £25,700 to join the team I joined.

“I wouldn’t have paid that to get away from Peter the Great though.