Edwards had everything but time on his side

By Mike Collett

MANCHESTER (Reuters) - Everyone who saw Duncan Edwards play agree he was destined to be one of the greatest of all time.

His close friend Bobby Charlton, who has been associated with Manchester United for 55 years, said he was the best player to represent the club and the best he ever played with.

"He was the best player I ever saw, or am likely to see in my life," he told Reuters. "If I was asked to name a team of the players I played with, his name would be the first one I would put in, no question about it."

Bobby Robson, who made his England debut against France in November 1957 in Edwards's 18th and last international before he died, aged just 21, three months later, agreed.

"What is beyond dispute is that Duncan Edwards, at the age of 21 was the finest young player in this country at that time and surely would have gone on to be one of the greatest players the world has ever seen."

Former United manager Tommy Docherty, who played for Scotland against Robson and Edwards in that game, backed up Robson's assertion.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Duncan would have become the greatest player ever. Not just in British football, with United and England, but the best in the world.

"George Best was something special, as was Pele and Maradona, but in my mind Duncan was much better in terms of all-round ability and skill."