Fifty years ago a team which had risen from the ashes of a German runway lifted European football’s greatest prize just a decade after one of the most gifted sides ever had been almost entirely wiped out in a tragic air crash.
Just two of the men who were involved in Manchester United’s darkest day in February 1958 were on the pitch at Wembley that warm May evening, yet their colleagues who had perished ten years previously were very much at the forefront of their thoughts during this, their greatest moment.
Under Matt Busby United were pioneers when it came to English clubs playing in Europe after Chelsea had been denied entry by the Football League’s secretary Alan Hardaker in 1955; who believed it would be a distraction from their domestic duties.
So just two years later and determined that his side would play in the new European Cup, Busby led his side into Europe for the first time with his exciting young group of players which became known to millions as the Busby Babes.
But tragedy struck just 12 months on when competing in Europe once again the plane carrying United’s players and staff crashed while on a refuelling stop in Munich after an away draw against Red Star in Belgrade had assured their passage to the semi-finals; killing eight of that wonderful team and 23 lives in total.
Incredibly, just a decade after this tragic event United, with Matt Busby still at the helm despite being seriously injured at Munich, found themselves in the final of the European Cup against Benfica at Wembley.
Triumph would not only be the greatest tribute to those who had lost their lives that dreadful night, it would also be a staggering achievement for a group of players and a team which had been rebuilt from ruins.
With almost four sides of Wembley taken over by United fans, who had made their way to Wembley by whatever means possible, the match resembled a home game for Busby’s men; including Bill Foulkes and Bobby Charlton who had also narrowly escaped with their lives at Munich.
After little in the way of chances the game was goalless at the break in a cagey affair which saw both sides dancing around each other like two heavyweight boxers waiting to make their move, but at 0-0 United knew they were more than in the game especially with the formidable George Best in their side.
And with just under ten minutes of the second-half gone it was the boy from Belfast who was influential in the opening goal of the game, winning the ball in midfield and playing it out wide to David Saddler, whose cross was met by the head of Bobby Charlton to make it 1-0.
United laid siege to the Benfica goal and should have put the game to bed, missing chance-after-chance but were made to pay when, with barely ten minutes remaining, Graça grabbed an equalizer. And things could have been worse if it hadn’t been for Alex Stepney in United’s goal who denied Eusebio when through on goal just seconds before the whistle went for full time.
Best was once again the difference in extra-time and after a neat build-up the man who had been dubbed “El Beatle” found himself with only goalkeeper Henrique to beat and after skipping past him calmly slid the ball into an empty goal.
The flood gates were now open and moments later Brian Kidd, on his 18th birthday, rose to head the ball home from a corner and put United 3-1 up to all but secure the club’s first ever European Cup victory before being mobbed by his delirious teammates.
Any nerves which still remained were quickly settled when inspirational captain and Munich survivor Bobby Charlton steered the ball home from a tight angle for the final goal of the game to make it four and cap a quite remarkable night in Manchester United’s history.
Almost overcome with emotion Bobby Charlton along with Bill Foulkes, the only other crash survivor on the pitch that night, used their last reserves of energy to climb the steps leading to the Royal Box and lift the huge trophy in front of their adoring supporters, the first English side to do so.
United had achieved something few probably thought they ever would and were now champions of Europe despite the challenges that had been put before them along the way; while manager Matt Busby had finally got his hands on what had become his “Holy Grail” having set out to conquer the continent a decade or so before.
