We had a will to win and felt we couldn’t let anyone down after the Munich tragedy

1968: THE LOWDOWN WEMBLEY HEROES

FOR Paddy Crerand, Manchester United’s historic 1968 European Cup triumph is tinged with regret.

United became the first English club to lift the trophy 52 years ago today, beating Eusebio’s Benfica 4-1 in a dramatic final at Wembley.

It was an emotional and poignant victory, coming 10 years after the 1958 Munich tragedy, which claimed the lives of eight United players and left boss Matt Busby close to death.

Winning the cup was vindication of Busby’s decision to take United into Europe in 1956, against the wishes of the

FA, and paving the way for future English clubs in the competition.

Crerand was part of that triumphant United team – inspired by Bobby Charlton and George Best – and recalled the momentous night, as well as his regret the team could not repeat the triumph. “It was massive,”

Crerand told me. “More so for Matt than anyone else.

“Matt was the leader of English football in Europe when almost everybody else was against it.

“But we didn’t feel pressure, as such, it was more the will to win it, after everything that had happened to the club. We felt we couldn’t let anyone down, with the history that the club had been through with Munich.

“It was a tear-jerker for Matt (right) and it meant so much to him and Bobby, Bill Foulkes and Matt’s assistant Jimmy Murphy. But it also meant a lot to everybody, to win the

Benfica 1 Manchester United 4 (aet; 1-1 at 90mins) Wembley Stadium, May 29, 1968, KO: 7.45pm Henrique, Adolfo, Humberto, Jacinta, Cruz, Graca, Coluna, Jose Augusto, Torres, Eusebio, Simoes Otto Gloria.

The three scorers – Charlton, Best, Kidd – had 69 goals between them that season but United lost in the FA Cup third round, and blew top spot and the league title to Manchester City by losing seven of their last 15 games. United’s only defeat in the European Cup that season was a 1-0 quarter-final second-leg reverse in Poland on March 13 against Gornik Zabrze in front of 105,000 fans in minus-15 temperatures. This was the second time Wembley had hosted the final. The first, in 1963, also ended in defeat for Benfica at the hands of AC Milan. This was Benfica’s fifth final in eight seasons.

Munich air disaster survivor Charlton lifts the European Cup, a decade after the tragedy Twelve months earlier, Celtic had become the first northern European side to conquer Europe. Now it was England’s turn to claim the ultimate club prize. On Day Five of our week in which we celebrate every English winner, Paddy Crerand recalls the glorious night at Wembley 52 years ago today when Bobby Charlton and Matt Busby hugged in triumph 10 years after they shared the tragedy of the Munich disaster. THE champagne was flowing in the dressing room at Wembley after Manchester United’s emotional European Cup win of 1968. But the celebrations were shortlived for Paddy Crerand and United captain Bobby Charlton. “It was a really hot and humid day and they were throwing champagne around in the dressing room afterwards,” said Crerand. “The next thing, Bobby and I walked out on to the pitch and he’s on one goalpost and I’m on the other, both throwing up. “That night we had a banquet at a hotel in London and I was only there for 10 minutes before I went to bed. “I was one of the first up the following morning and there were people still celebrating and drinking in the hotel. I guess you’d expect that after such a great night for the club.”