UNITED-CELTIC: A LOOK BACK…

If Manchester United's European Cup victory of 1968 against Benfica at Wembley was thrilling beyond words, Celtic's triumph a year earlier in Lisbon carried wider significance. The pulverising energy of Jock Stein's men terminated the dominance of Inter.

The emotional overtones of United's achievement, 10 years after the Munich air crash, with the alliance of survivors, Matt Busby and Bobby Charlton, together with the advent of a magical George Best, invested the occasion with genuine charisma.

If the overflowing joy at Wembley also generated tears, in fond recollection of the perished ambitions of Busby's earlier, glorious youngsters — Roger Byrne, Duncan Edwards, Tommy Taylor, Eddie Colman, David Pegg, Bill Whelan, Mark Jones and Geoff Bent — joy in Lisbon had brought celebration across the breadth of Europe. The reign of cynical, Argentinian-born coach Helenio Herrera had been slain. Obsessive defence had capitulated to incessant attack.

Neither Celtic nor United were truly great teams, in strict terms of personnel. Each had three outstanding players — Billy McNeill, Bobby Murdoch and Jimmy Johnstone of Celtic; Charlton, Paddy Crerand and Best of United — plus eight others who played above their potential, with Busby dedicated to the entertainment that has been the hallmark of United for more than half a century.

United should have won two years earlier, when Denis Law was in his prime. However, the revelation of the 1968 final was Brian Kidd, 19, with his decisive header for the third goal.

Stein, though lacking supreme individualism apart from Johnstone, created an early form of Total Football: defending with nine, attacking with seven.

Attempting the almost impossible exercise of selecting a single XI from the two clubs, my choice omits the injured Law, who was absent at Wembley; Chalmers must be the alternative. This means Celtic have five members to United's six. I leave the readers to argue it out.