it should be and immediately wrote a letter to Matt
Busby, a player in whose pursuit he was thwarted
once before in 1930, when the then 20 years old
Manchester City wing half had been placed on
transfer listwith an asking price of just £150, a
seemingly paltry fee but a sum far beyond the means
of United in pre Gibson era. This time Rocca was not
to be denied whatever the cost. As both being the
member of Manchester Catholic Sportsman Club,
he wrote the letter addressed to king’s ninth
Liverpool Regiment where Matt Busby was serving
as a football coach. He feared otherwise the
letter might be intercepted by Liverpool football
club management who also offered Busby as
assistant manager.Most of the Busby’s first great
team were Rocca’s signings and even though he
retired to the board of directors soon after Busby’s
arrival, it was his fifty year legacy that had set the
precedent for success that followed. He was spared
the pain of Munich but equally never experienced
the immense glory and worldwide reknown that
would follow, the fruits of his labour, if you want to
say.
A 50 year role at a club spanning from supporter, tea boy, kitman, gro [