So in the end it wasn’t the minute’s silence that spoiled the afternoon for Manchester United, but the 90 minutes that followed it.

Manchester City’s fans observed the silence in memory of the victims of the Munich Air disaster 50 years ago, with absolute respect.

The only sound that could be heard inside Old Trafford was the occasional ringing of a mobile phone and eight loud firework bangs from outside the stadium. They were not part of the official commemoration and enquiries to the police afterwards shed no light on who set them off.

Inside the stadium, a city was truly united in paying its respects to the 23 people who lost their lives as a result of the disaster in Munich in February 1958.

From the moment lone piper Terry Carr led out the procession of teams and officials on to the pitch, Old Trafford seemed to shift from being the Theatre of Dreams to a huge Field of Remembrance.

The weather was spring-like, United resplendent in their 1958-style kit without logos, or badges or names on the back — just old-fashioned numbers 1-11.

Old Trafford is an awesome arena, and of course has witnessed many anniversaries of the disaster before. This one was special, however.

The survivors are getting older. Even those young enough to remember the disaster are well into middle-age.

There was apprehension all around Old Trafford before the silence began, especially as a minute’s silence for the victims was cut short at Wembley on Wednesday before England played Switzerland.

But the piper’s tune gave the occasion a sense of solemn dignity. The way United manager Alex Ferguson and City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson laid wreaths in their club colours side by side on the centre-circle was a deeply moving moment.

City fans respected United’s fallen heroes — and then chanted the name of former City goalkeeper Frank Swift who died in the crash too.

Football came together for a moment in the best possible way before kickoff, and after City’s fans had played their part off the pitch, City’s players did theirs on it.

It was a victory for a united Manchester, and for football too.

Mike Collett, Old Trafford

PHOTOS: United and City fans hold scarves during a minute’s silence at Old Trafford, February 10, 2008. Lower down, Ryan Giggs chases the ball. REUTERS/Darren Staples