That Wembley evening: 29 May 1968

simplyared

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Having experienced it myself nothing in football can ever top that occasion. Wonder if other posters who were old enough to have seen the game live, would agree.

The whole day was a dream for me 15 yrs old. Got my ticket through collecting enough tokens to qualify for one.

Away from parents with mates travelling by train from Manchester Picadilly to the iconic arena. Saw nothing of London but the twin towers of Wembley. Walking up Wembley Way having only seen it on the telly on Cup Final day. Living the dream!

It was a hot, late spring evening and I remember seeing the the red and green flags the Benfica fans were carrying. The atmosphere outside the ground was friendly and supporters from both sides mixing and having fun. Something you weren’t used to in those days!

When inside the stadium you could cut the air with a knife. It was electric!

Memories from the game:

The match at 1-1 was in the balance and Eusebio leaves Foulkes and Dunne for dead and has only Stepney to beat. He blasts the ball straight at the keeper and we’re still in it. Extra time!

Best’s solo goal. Poetry in motion!

After the final whistle remember seeing the trophy high up in the stands. It looked enormous and it just shone in the night waiting for Sir Bobby to get his hands on it.

Got back in Manchester in the early hours of the morning. Not a bus in sight so we walked it all the way along Wilmslow Rd (nicking bottles of milk on the way) till we reached our destination Fallowfield.

That for me in footballing terms the most memorable day in my life.

Any other stories from that game or any other big United occasions you remember specially?
 

MancunianAngels

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Long before my time but one thing that always struck me about that era is how quickly it went downhill after that match.
 

simplyared

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Long before my time but one thing that always struck me about that era is how quickly it went downhill after that match.
Yes after that the wheels fell off at the club. Known as "The Barren Years".

Due to having an ageing squad, Matt Busby's retirement and Bestie hitting the bottle. Six years after winning the European Cup we were relegated.

Tommy Docherty took us down but the fans kept coming. There was a sense of optimism he was building a young team who were playing entertaining football. Personally I enjoyed the Docherty years as he revitalised the club and of course we beat them Scousers in the 77 Cup Final.