first english team to play in european cup
1968
title: European Cup and UEFA Champions League history text: Stade de Reims of France, who reached two finals and several Italian clubs such as Milan and Fiorentina. Hibernian were the first British club to play in the European Cup, reaching the semi-finals of the inaugural tournament in 1955. The English league winners, Chelsea, were denied entry by the Football League's secretary Alan Hardaker, who believed it was in the best interests of English football and football in general for them not to enter. This era culminated in the famous 1960 European Cup Final, at Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, where Real Madrid obliterated Eintracht Frankfurt of West Germany 7–3 in title: History of the England national football team text: History of the England national football team The history of the England national football team begins with the first ever international football match in 1870. They have won one World Cup, in 1966 on home soil, and qualified fourteen times for the tournament onwards from 1950. England staged Euro 1996 (European Championship). However, the team has never made it to the final of the competition; their best performances being a semi final in Euro 1968 and Euro 1996. England's first ever international representative matches were arranged by influential sports' administrator CW Alcock under the auspices of the Football Association. The title: European Cup and UEFA Champions League history text: 1–0 down after a Sandro Mazzola penalty to beat Internazionale 2–1 in the Estádio Nacional in Lisbon, with goals from Tommy Gemmell and Stevie Chalmers. The team, which became known as "the Lisbon Lions", managed by Jock Stein, were unique as they were all born within 30 miles (48 km) of Celtic Park in Glasgow. In 1968, ten years after the Munich air disaster, Manchester United became the first English team to win the competition, defeating Benfica in the final 4–1 after extra time at Wembley Stadium in London. Matt Busby, United's manager at the time of the disaster in title: English clubs in the European Cup and UEFA Champions League text: the first time that the final had been settled by spot kicks. Liverpool's participation in the 1984–85 European Cup marked their ninth successive season in the competition. They again made it to the final, but lost out 1–0 to Juventus after Michel Platini scored a second-half penalty. 1985 was the year of the Heysel Stadium disaster, which led to all English clubs being banned from the European Cup. In the 1991–92 season, Arsenal were the first team to represent England in the European Cup after English teams were allowed back in. Arsenal lost out over two legs in the second title: 1967–68 in English football text: Hartlepools United and Crewe Alexandra. The bottom four clubs were forced to apply to re-election to the Football League as per usual; more unusually however, Port Vale were also made to apply for re-election, as a result of financial irregularities. In the end, all five clubs were re-elected. First Division Second Division Third Division Fourth Division Manchester United became the first English team to win the European Cup when they beat Benfica 4–1 after extra time at Wembley Stadium with goals from Bobby Charlton (2), George Best and Brian Kidd. Manager Matt Busby was knighted that year for his achievements.