Friday May 28, 1999
When a beaming Alex Ferguson faced the cameras immediately
after Manchester United's sensational European Cup victory,
he beat his hands against his head in disbelief. So did the
watching millions who had seen the match transformed in that
unforgettable final minute.
Pubs up and down the land erupted with joy; normally quiet
streets hummed with pleasure and excitement; doors were
thrown open so the joyous result could be shouted to passing
strangers. The city of Manchester, which yesterday evening
welcomed its Treble-winning heroes home, has had a 36-hour
party. Even City fans have joined in - an example of
glasnost on a par with the breaching of the Berlin Wall.
Sport, despite the unending hype, is frequently banal; it
can sometimes be tawdry; yet Wednesday showed it can
occasionally be great. The match itself was watchable
without being wonderful, but the context in which it was
played put it on a par with England's World Cup win in 1966,
Celtic's European Cup triumph in 1967, and that emotional
night at Wembley in 1968 when Matt Busby's United team
lifted the trophy that had almost cost him his life 10 years
earlier. Wednesday would have been Busby's 90th birthday;
the ageless Sir Bobby Charlton was watching from the stands;
the much-admired Peter Schmeichel was playing his last game;
United were up against Germany's greatest club side; they
were aiming to complete a unique treble of Premiership, FA
Cup and European Cup; and they looked certain to lose until
two subs came on to sink the Germans.
Forgive the unintentional reference to past battles: for
once, euphoria over United's win owes nothing to xenophobia
and everything to respect for Ferguson and his irrepressible
young side. The Manchester Guardian salutes them and hopes
the party goes on until Sunday, when City have their own
meeting with destiny against Gillingham in the second-
division play-offs at Wembley.