Sir Alex Ferguson has described how Manchester United's modern superstars fell silent this week in order to reflect on the Munich tragedy.Overseas talents Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez joined home-grown players such as Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville as United's first-team squad and youth players learned the importance of the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster and the legacy of the 'Busby Babes'.

And, according to United boss Ferguson, "you could hear a pin drop" as Munich survivor Sir Bobby Charlton told the story of February 6, 1958, when 23 people died as Flight 609 crashed on the ice-bound runway.

Ferguson explained: "There are no history lessons when the kids join here and it's not something that you want to repeat all the time.

"They gradually learn about it because it's indelibly printed on our history.

"The young players have a fair idea when they join because most of them are local lads with the way the academy system is today.

"We did a session with the players about February 6 and February 10 and we showed a six-minute clip of the history and you could hear a pin drop. It was fantastic.

"I know what players are like. When you're called into a classroom to look at videos, it's always a giggle and a laugh and they're nipping each other and the usual carry-on, but it was a fantastic atmosphere, so silent.

"Bobby Charlton did a piece along with (chief executive) David Gill on the club and what we're going to do and what it was like for Bobby at the time, the players that he played with and I think that was good because players like Anderson, Nani and Tevez, coming from other countries, may not know about Manchester United in the same way that Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville do.

"That was a really terrific moment to get that response from the players and as they walked out, they were picking up the DVDs and also the literature on the club. It was quite a solemn moment."

The presentation was designed to impress on the players the importance of the plans to commemorate the 50th anniversary on the actual day, February 6, and on February 10 when United play Manchester City in the official match put aside to mark the disaster.

Ferguson said: "Obviously it's going to be a massive day. There's a lot of speculation about why we managed to get Manchester City on that particular day but we're going to do our very best to make it a memorable day and we hope that Manchester City join in that because we're doing a lot of things to encourage both sets of supporters to enjoy it.

"The club has good plans. I have to congratulate the club. Through David (Gill), Ken Ramsden (club secretary) and all the staff, they have done fantastically to make sure this is going to be a special time and one we'll always remember."

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