Manchester United hero Ryan Giggs has paid tribute to the legacy left by the Busby Babes.

The club's philosophy honed by legendary manager Sir Matt Busby and polished by current boss Sir Alex Ferguson must live on, according to the Wales winger.

As he remembered 23 people who perished in the Munich air crash on February 6, 1958, eight of them United players, Giggs said: "We have to carry on the legacy.

"If you are representing Manchester United, you have to play in the right manner, excite supporters and wherever you go, get people off their seats.

"That has got to go on because that is one of the things that sets this club apart. You never stand still. It always goes forward.

"There's Juventus and Barcelona but Manchester United always seemed to have that much more support and seem that much more special.

"Of course, that is down to history and what Sir Matt did."

Giggs says he knew United were special when Sir Matt and Sir Bobby Charlton turned up to watch him play for the youth team.

Charlton, now an Old Trafford director, was one of the survivors of the crash.

Giggs recalled: "Sir Bobby saw me at The Cliff (United's old training ground) when I was 14. He also watched David Beckham and Paul Scholes.

"When I played in a tournament in Switzerland, Sir Matt travelled out to watch it. You could see the love and affection for him.

"That has an effect on you because these are great people.

"They are legends who don't have to do that sort of thing but they enjoy it.

"They want to do it and that's been ingrained in them from a young age, probably since Sir Bobby was 14.

"Fans also want to see young players coming through and do well which we do on a regular basis at this club."

Among those who died in the crash was the immensely gifted Duncan Edwards and Giggs added: "Sir Bobby talks a lot about him.

"He played with Denis Law and George Best but he still ranks Duncan Edwards as the greatest player he ever played with. He must have been some player."