主要內容
The United Opus 限量版出版於 2006年11月份,全球限量發行 9,500 冊 。另外,偶像版只印刷500份。
尺寸
The United Opus 長達850頁,每頁面積高達半平方米 ,裡面更附有三頁特別的插頁,延伸開來寬達二公尺,氣勢非凡。
重量
The United Opus的重量高達37公斤,因此成為史上最大冊的足球書籍。
簽名
每冊 United Opus 附有曼聯傳奇人物, 包括Sir Alex Ferguson和 Sir Bobby Chalton的簽名。
價值
3000鎊 (偶像版 4250 鎊)
偶像版
TheUnited Opus 限量發行 500冊,裡面附上兩頁的簽名,成為 球會史上其中一份最經典的刊物。有幸購取這份作品的人士不但擁有一本精心傑作,更能把曼聯英雄Denis Law,Bryan Robson和EricCantona的簽名,以及傳奇人物Sir Alex Ferguson 和 Sir Bobby Charlton的簽名占為己有。
12月11日在倫敦,曼聯舉行了《曼聯大典Manchester United Opus》的首發式,在本書中被列為曼聯史上最偉大球員的博比·查爾頓和現主帥弗格森出席。這書厚850頁,重達35公斤,有很多從未發表或特別拍攝的圖片,還有前球員和現球員的訪談。《曼聯大典》號稱限量版,但足足印了1萬冊,不知道這是否可以申請“限量版”的吉尼斯世界紀錄。每本價格約為3000鎊,總價格跟魯尼的轉會費差不多了。 弗格森和查爾頓要為每本書簽名,但這書實在是太重了,搬運不便,印量又大,都簽上名也不是件容易的事,查爾頓說:“亞歷斯(費格遜)和我不得不簽了1萬個名,這花了我們兩三個月時間。”
Kraken headed East last month as part of the on-going global Manchester United Opus tour, joining Old Trafford stars past and present to showcase the stunning Opus to the club's legions of fans in Asia.
United played pre-season friendlies in Japan, South Korea, Macau and China as part of their preparations for the defence of their Premiership title and Kraken was with the club every step of the way of the two-week journey.
Kraken were joined by United legend Sir Bobby Charlton and some of the club's current players, including England's Rio Ferdinand, at the four stops of the tour to unveil the Opus.
"It was an amazing trip," said Kraken CEO Karl Fowler. "The passion of the United fans in Asia is truly incredible and everyone who saw the Opus was bowled over."
"The adulation the players received was unbelievable. After the match in South Korea against FC Seoul, one fan ran after our bus for about five minutes because he thought it was the players' coach."
"He just wouldn't give up until he realised the United coach had gone in the other direction and he was chasing a group of businessmen in suits and ties."
"When the penny finally dropped, he just sat on the ground with his head in his hands. The fanaticism of the supporters out there is just amazing."
Kraken used the tour to unveil a new edition of the Opus. Entitled The Star Series, the new Opus features an exclusive signature page with Korean national icon and United star Park Ji-Sung and will have a limited print run of 300 copies.
"Park Ji-Sung is a hero in South Korea," said Fowler. "He is one of the most famous footballers in the country and I'm sure the demand for the Star Series will be massive."
"He became a star at the 2002 World Cup and his transfer to Manchester United raised his profile even further."
Kraken's Asian trip is only the latest phase in a worldwide promotional tour of the Opus and United fans in India, Africa, Thailand, Australia, America and Canada will have the opportunity to see the ground-breaking work for themselves in the coming months.
慕尼黑空難,發生於1958年2月6日1504GMT,載著英格蘭足球聯賽球隊曼徹斯特聯隊(簡稱「曼聯」)職球員、球迷及隨隊記者的英國歐洲航空公司(British European Airways,即現在的英國航空公司)第609次航班「空速大使」型(Airspeed Ambassador)專機,在德國慕尼黑機場積雪的跑道上第三度嘗試起飛時失敗撞毀。機上44名乘客及機組人員當中23人罹難,罹難者包括8名曼聯球員及3名職員。
罹難者 (以英文姓氏首字母排序) 附註
1 喬夫·本特 Bent, Geoff 為當時曼聯左、右後衛位置的替補球員
2 羅傑·伯恩尼 Byrne, Roger 為當時曼聯隊長及正選左後衛球員
3 埃迪·科爾曼 Colman, Eddie 空難中最年輕的罹難者,時年僅21歲
4 鄧肯·愛德華茲 Edwards, Duncan 雙腿多重骨折、腎臟嚴重受創,留醫15日後傷重不治
5 馬克·瓊斯 Jones, Mark 為當時曼聯正選中後衛球員
6 大衛·佩格 Pegg, David 為當時曼聯正選左翼鋒球員
7 湯米·泰勒 Taylor, Tommy 多產前鋒球員,為曼聯出戰的五年內,平均每三場賽事就攻入兩球
8 比利·維蘭 Whelan, Liam 'Billy' 前鋒球員
曼聯職員
罹難者 身份
9 沃達·格力克馬爾 Crickmer, Walter 球會秘書(1926年-1958年)、
亦兩度成為曼聯領隊(1931年-1932年、1937年-1945年)
10 伯爾特·韋尼 Whalley, Bert 主教練(1946年-1958年)
11 湯姆·柯瑞 Curry, Tom 訓練員
其他 罹難者
(以姓氏首字母排序) 身份 附註
12 Cable, Tom 空中服務員
13 Clarke, Alf Manchester Evening Chronicle 記者
14 Davies, Don Manchester Guardian 記者
15 Follows, George Daily Herald 記者
16 Jackson, Tom Manchester Evening News 記者
17 Ledbrooke, Archie 每日鏡報(Daily Mirror)記者
18 Miklos, Bela 導遊
19 Rayment, Kenneth Ken 英籍副機師 在空難中受重傷,留醫三個星期後不治
20 Rose, Henry Daily Express 記者
21 Satinoff, Willie 曼聯球迷
22 Swift, Frank News of the World 記者、前英格蘭及曼城守門員
23 Thompson, Eric Daily Mail 記者
Forever and Ever,
We'll follow the boys,
Of Manchester United,The Busby Babes,
For we made a promise,
To defend our faith,
In Manchester United,
The Busby Babes.
We've all sworn allegiance,
To fight till we die,
To stand by United,
And the Red flag we fly,
There'll be no surrender,
We'll fight to the last,
To defeat all before us,
As we did in the past.
For we're Stretford Enders,
With United we grew,
To the famous Red Devils,
We're loyal and true,
To part-time supporters,
We'll never descend,
We'll never forsake you,
We'll be here to the end.
For we all remember,
That '58 day,
And the plane that once stood on,
That Munich runway,
As it tried to take off,
For the third fatal time,
The immortal young babes were,
Cut down in their prime.
In the cold snow of Munich,
They laid down their lives,
But they live on forever,
In our hearts and our minds,
Their names are now legend,
For the whole world to see.
Why this club's a religion,
Spelt M.U.F.C.
So bow down before them,
And lift up your eyes,
For Old Trafford's glory,
Will always survive