Duncan Edwards' legacy remembered with tribute at Copthorne Hotel

The former Manchester United and England legend will be immortalised at the Copthorne Hotel in Brierley Hill, where a special memorial room, featuring memorabilia, photographs and artwork will be created.

Relatives of Edwards will attend the opening of the room on February 6, the anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster, which led to the death of the football icon aged just 21.

It has also been announced that a tribute dinner, launched last year to mark the 60th anniversary, will return later this year.

The room will act as a permanent tribute to one of the greatest footballers to emerge from the Black Country.

Photographs to be placed in the room have been taken from a recent book on Edwards’ life.

Stuart Fleming, general manager of the Copthorne Hotel, said: “We are delighted to be hosting this year’s tribute dinner and in recognition of this we will be opening a new Duncan Edwards Tribute Room at the hotel on Wednesday, February 6.

“The room will be decorated with a wide range of photographs, artwork and memorabilia taken from the recently published Duncan Edwards book by Jim Cadman and Ian McCartney entitled Black Country Boy to Red Devil.”

The Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Alan Taylor, will join family members and former teammates going back to his school days at the launch event.

Councillor Taylor said: “I am pleased to participate in this project because it is really important that we keep Duncan’s name alive for a new generation to feel inspired by his achievements.”

Jim Cadman, chairman of the Duncan Edwards Tribute, said the dinner was part of the group’s aim to give the footballer’s memory alive.

“The dinner in September will be part of our strategy – along with our second Duncan Edwards Exhibition at Dudley Archives from April to June 2019, the distribution of heritage packs and our website – to keep his memory alive and celebrate the sporting legacy that he has created in the Black Country and beyond,” he said.