The first fifteen years of Europe’s elite club competition is the story of how the game’s historic clubs etched their names into history. But it is also the story of a bygone era and a more even playing field. In amongst the giants of Europe, a number of sides from the British Isles made their presence field, and even managed to lay their glove on a few of the continent's heavyweights.
Burnley v Hamburg 1960/61
English representation in the sixth season of the European Cup was provided in the unlikely guise of Burnley Football Club. The Lancashire club became the smallest town to have an English top-flight champion after they pipped Wolves and Spurs to the Division One crown, securing only their second-ever to flight title.
Led by their dynamic duo of Jimmy’s: Adamson and Mcilroy, and coached by Alan Potts, they were known for their attacking football and were perhaps more suited to the European game than Stan Culis’s Wolves who had qualified in the two previous seasons.
In the first round they drew Reims, finalists in 1956 and 1959 and home to the Raymond Kopa/Just Fontaine partnership that had been so effective in the ‘58 World Cup for France.
Fortunately Burnley avoided facing both in the same team as Fontaine missed the first game through injury and Kopa the return. A 2-0 win at Turf Moor provided the insurance required and despite the 3-2 scoreline in France, Burnley were never in any real danger of elimination.
It was in the Quarter-Finals they played out a fantastic tie against future winners Hamburg and their superstar forward, Uwe Seeler. On a typically wet Wednesday night in January at Turf Moor on a pitch that represented the Moor part more than the Turf, Burnley were outstanding going 3-0 ahead after two wonderful strikes from Brian Pilkington and a poachers goal from James Robson.
With one foot in the semi-finals, a late strike from Gert Dörfel gave the Germans hope for the return match and it would prove to be vital.
Dealing with a hectic fixture list, as they had reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and League Cup, Burnley had played five games in 14 days by the time of the second-leg. The lethargy showed and Hamburg had erased the two goal deficit by half-time. Gordon Harris responded with a crucial goal for the English side on 55 minutes. A rising strike into the top corner to put them back in front on aggregate, but their advantage did not last long.
A minute, to be precise. Dorfel struck again with the outside of his left foot to level the tie and it was left to Seeler, to win the game and set up a semi-final with Barca. Seeler who had also scored a magnificent diving header in the first half, raced on to a through pass and as Adam Blacklaw in the Burnley goal advanced, he squeezed the ball past him and in off the post.
Jimmy McIlroy, had a keen eye on the failings of his team when he said: ‘We attacked too much in the second leg, instead of concentrating on holding the Germans for a period. They took advantage of the gaps we left.’ Wise words, and many British sides would be left to spin similar tales in later years.
Dundee v AC Milan (1962/63)
Surprise League Champions Dundee embarked on one of the most memorable campaigns of any of Scottish side outside of the East End of Glasgow in the 1962/63 season.
Led by Bob Shankly, brother of Bill and featuring a twin attacking threat of Gordon Smith and Alan Gilzean, the Dee destroyed West German Champions Köln 8-1, at home in the first round. They were 4-0 up within 25 minutes, an incredible opening and at half-time they led 5-0. The fifth was scored by Smith who became the first man to score for three different clubs in the competition.
Aided by the return of Karl-Heinz Schnellinger, the second leg was a nervy affair as Köln showed their class and led4-0 up with 40 minutes left but the Taysiders managed to hang on for an 8-5 aggregate win. With formidable home form, Dundee swept aside Portuguese Champions Sporting (4-2) and Real Madrid conquerors Anderlecht to reach the semi-finals and a tie against AC Milan.
Shankly refused to scout Milan ahead of the match and at half-time in front of 78,000 in the San Siro, Shankly’s confidence appeared well placed as the Scots were holding their own. After Dino Sani had put Milan ahead, Cousin had equalised and the teams entered the break on level terms. Shankly complained at half-time to Spanish referee Vicente Caballero, that goalkeeper Bert Slater was being blinded by camera bulbs on high crosses (see highlights below), an issue that had affected Ipswich earlier in the competition. Nothing was done and Dundee would concede four goals in the second half, from crosses into the box.
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In the return leg, Dundee would score a famous victory thanks to a Gilzean trademark header, nine minutes from time but the fairytale was over. Milan would go on to become the first ever Italian winners. Dundee would never scale such heights again, although remarkably, 21 years later, their city rivals, Dundee United, would equal their achievement, and they too would fall to Italian opposition, in controversial circumstances.
Distillery FC v Benfica (1963/64)
Distillery, champions of Northern Ireland, almost delivered one of the greatest shocks in the tournament’s history in the autumn of 1963. Drawn to face 2x Champions Benfica in the preliminary round, the Belfast side scored a coup ahead of the match by coaxing English legend Tom Finney (41) out of retirement to face Eusébio and co. After concluding his career three and a half years previous, Finney was now concentrating on his plumbing business.
But having never had the chance to compete in European football, he answered the call of manger George Eastman and laced up his boots one final time. In front of 20,000 at Windsor Park, Jack Kennedy put Distillery 1-0 ahead. In a thrilling fixture, the score would ebb back and forth before Fred Ellison cancelled out Eusébio’s strike to leave it all square at 3-3 heading into the second leg.
Lisburn, like every other team in Europe, were no match for Benfica at the Luz, and without Finney who didn’t travel, they fell 5-0, with Eusébio grabbing a brace.
Kilmarnock v Real Madrid (1965/66)
Scottish representation in the early years of the European Cup was varied, a product of a more competitive league and Kilmarnock followed in the footsteps of Hibs, Hearts and the aforementioned Dundee in 1965.
After knocking the Albanian champions 17 Nëntori they were handed a glamour tie against the mighty Real Madrid. Killie performed admirably in the first leg at Rugby Park, gaining a 2-2 draw in front of 25,000 in a tie that is also notable for being Puskás final European Cup appearance for Real Madrid.
Killie traveled to Spain with cautious optimism and it was well placed, at least initially, as with 65 minutes remaining of the first-round tie, Brian McIlroy's strike had Kilmarnock 1-0 ahead on the night, and 3-2 up on aggregate.
The joy was short-lived. Three goals in ten minutes flipped the tie around and a couple in the second half ensured a 5-1 victory for Real. It was a younger Real team and they would go on to win their sixth European Cup the following summer.
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Glentoran v Benfica (1967/68)
Benfica made another trip to Northern Ireland in the autumn of 1967 and they again found it tough going when the faced in the first round. Glentoran were in good condition having spent their summer in the USA, as the Detroit Cougars in the United Soccer Association. The experience had not only bonded the team but allowed the semi-professional squad to train as a professional outfit.
Though the official attendance is listed at 25,000 it is thought that over 40,000 attended the match at the Oval in Belfast. The Glens they went ahead by virtue of their Scottish player-manager, 29-year old John Colrain’s 10th minute penalty. Colrain was a former Celtic player whose best man was Pat Crerand.
Glentroran matched the Lisbon giants for the remainder of the game and almost scored a famous victory but were denied when Eusébio bagged a crucial equalizer in the 86th minute, striking it so hard that it got stuck in the stanchion.
In Lisbon, Glentoran performed outstandingly and joined the very short list of teams to come away unbeaten from the stadium in a 0-0 draw and became the first team to stop them scoring at home. In a more unfortunate piece of history, they also became (along with Valur of Iceland) the first side to be eliminated on away goals, UEFA having instituted the rule in the tournament for the 67/68 season.