STATUE CALL FOR HERO GREGG

Harry Gregg, who survived the Manchester United Munich Air Disaster, at his Co Londonderry home in Northern Ireland. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday January 30 2008. Sir Matt Busby's young Manchester United team were heralded as being one of the greatest ever, but on February 6, 1958 they perished in the Munich air disaster. Twenty three of the 44 passengers onboard the Elizabethan charter aircraft G-ALZU died, including eight players and eight sports journalists. Photo credit should read: Paul Faith/PA Wire

The Times understands that members of Coleraine Borough Council will decide tonight (Tuesday) if they will proceed with a statue to the Munich hero.

Gregg made 25 appearances for Northern Ireland and played for Manchester United during the reign of Sir Matt Busby with 247 appearances for the club.

A survivor of the Munich air crash in 1958, Gregg was one of the disaster’s great heroes.

Having escaped with just a bloody nose, he bravely went back into the wreckage to pull out those who were trapped.

The proposal for a statue came from local football pundit Liam Beckett, who is a close friend of 81-year-old Gregg.

Speaking to The Coleraine Times last week, Liam says he has been pressing the Council over the past few months to honour the man he calls ‘a world star.’

Beckett told The Coleraine Times that Harry typifies all he likes to see in a human being.

“He is modest, he came from a working class background, he is a proud family man and he has a family that is very proud of him.

“Harry speaks his mind, I really admire that in a person, in my eyes people like Harry Gregg are a dying breed.”

Liam went on: “I just feel that we have bronzed two guys that put the town of Ballymoney on the map - the Dunlops.

“Harry is not just a local star, he is a world star, and he’s still with us.

“He’s done enough in his career to warrant a statue in his home town, a place he is very proud of.

“If he was in England this would have been done a long time ago.”

Describing Harry as a ‘unique person’ Beckett added: “Harry is not someone who wants publicity or limelight.

“ People don’t know how much he does for charity.

“He is happy to lead a quiet life and I consider him to be a very close friend of mine.

“I will be delighted when I can walk through Coleraine and see a statue to the great man that is Harry Gregg, I am just amazed it hasn’t been done before now.”