Brennan, Shay

Shay Brennan

Clubs played for: Manchester United, Waterford (1957- 1974).

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Biography: Started his career in tragic circumstances in the ashes of the Munich disaster. He made his debut against Sheffield Wednesday in the first game after the crash, he scored twice on an emotionally charged night. He was an FA Youth Cup winner in 1955, missed two FA Cup finals but won League Championship winner's medals in 1965 and 1967. He was also a member of the European Cup winning side. As the rock at the heart of Matt Busby's defence, his contribution to the club was rewarded with two testimonials. Shay went on to manage Waterford and decided to settle in the area, where he set up his own parcel courier company. He continued to live in Tramore until his death from a heart attack in June 2000, aged 63.

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Brennan, Shay I knew Shay well.
I went to Old Trafford several times with him and a group of other kids from Wythenshawe, when we were school kids, although I went to a different school to him. He attended St. John’s R.C. Junior and Senior Schools before joining United. The Club placed young apprentices in outside jobs so that they had a career to fall back on if the football didn’t work out.
He had a job in the City Centre as I did so we regularly met up at the long gone Speakers Corner on Deansgate, Manchester for a chat in our lunchtime break.
The last time I spoke to Shay was at the 40th Munich Anniversary Service at Manchester Cathedral in 1998, just a couple of years before he died.
13-11-20 Pete