It’s been nicely over half a century since an English membership debuted in Europe’s premier membership competitors: the European Cup – or, because it’s been since 1993, the Champions League.
And since then, the house of soccer has turn into some of the profitable nations on that grandest of phases.
Right here, we check out England’s European Cup / Champions League entrants and the way they received on of their maiden campaigns…
Manchester United (1956)
Matt Busby takes a Manchester United coaching session, 1956 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
With Chelsea pressured to tug out of the inaugural 1955/56 European Cup, Manchester United grew to become the primary English membership to play within the competitors.
After beating Anderlecht 2-0 and 10-0 within the 1956/57 preliminary spherical, Matt Busby’s ‘Busby Babes’ reached the semi-finals, the place they have been overwhelmed by eventual winners Actual Madrid.
With Busby nonetheless on the helm, the Purple Devils lifted the trophy for the primary time a decade later, defeating Benfica 4-1 within the last at Wembley.
Wolves (1958)
Peter Broadbent scores for Wolves towards Schalke at Molineux within the first spherical of the 1958/59 European Cup (Picture credit score: Alamy)
One of many first English grounds to put in floodlights, Molineux staged among the earliest European membership video games – and it received to host European Cup motion when Wolves certified as First Division champions in 1958.
Sadly for the West Midlands facet, led by legendary supervisor Stan Cullis, their debut in Europe’s prime continental competitors was short-lived: they misplaced 4-3 on mixture to West German champions Schalke within the first spherical.
Burnley (1960)
Burnley’s Ray Pointer challenges Hamburg’s Jochenfritz Meinke in the course of the quarter-finals of the 1960/61 European Cup (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Burnley received their second and most up-to-date English top-flight title within the 1959/60 season, qualifying for the next marketing campaign’s European Cup.
Of their sole look within the competitors, the Clarets, beneath the administration of Harry Potts, defeated French champions Reims within the first spherical earlier than succumbing to Hamburg within the quarter-finals.
Tottenham Hotspur (1961)
Cliff Jones heads in a aim for Tottenham towards Gornik Zabrze at White Hart Lane within the 1961/62 European Cup preliminary spherical (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Tottenham have been the primary London membership to play within the European Cup, qualifying as 1960/61 First Division champions beneath legendary boss Invoice Nicholson.
Spurs noticed off the champions of Poland (Gornik Zabrze), the Netherlands (Feyenoord) and Czechoslovakia (Dukla Prague) within the preliminary spherical – recording an 8-1 second-leg drubbing – first spherical and quarter-finals respectively, however they bowed out 4-3 on mixture to final winners Benfica within the semis.
Ipswich City (1962)
Motion from Ipswich v Milan at Portman Highway within the first spherical of the 1962/63 European Cup (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Ipswich have been topped champions of England for the one time of their historical past in 1962, incomes a spot within the 1962/63 European Cup.
Alf Ramsey’s Tractor Boys didn’t progress past the primary spherical, although, shedding to Milan – who would go on to win the competitors – on mixture regardless of successful the second leg at Portman Highway.
Everton (1963)
Motion from Everton v Inter at Goodison Park within the preliminary spherical of the 1963/64 European Cup (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Pipping arch-rivals Liverpool to turn into Merseyside’s first European Cup representatives, Everton entered the competitors after successful their first English title in 24 years.
However for Harry Catterick’s Blues, the continental journey barely received began: they narrowly misplaced 1-0 to eventual European champions Inter over two legs within the 1963/64 preliminary spherical.
Liverpool (1964)
Liverpool goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence gathers the ball towards Anderlecht at Anfield within the first spherical of the 1964/65 European Cup (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Having ended a 17-year First Division title drought, Liverpool’s maiden European Cup marketing campaign went significantly higher than Everton’s, with Invoice Shankly’s Reds making it to the semi-finals – beating Koln by advantage of a coin toss (!) alongside the best way.
It resulted in the identical vogue, although: with defeat to Helenio Herrera’s formidable ‘Grande Inter’ facet, who would retain their crown.
Liverpool must wait till 1977 to assert their first of many European Cup triumphs, doing so beneath Bob Paisley with victory over Borussia Monchengladbach within the last in Rome.
Manchester Metropolis (1968)
Manchester Metropolis’s 1967/78 First Division title-winning workforce with supervisor Joe Mercer (Picture credit score: Alamy)
In 1968, Manchester Metropolis received what would show to be their final English title for 44 years, making their European Cup debut in consequence.
Getting into the competitors alongside native rivals Manchester United, the holders, Joe Mercer’s Metropolis fell on the first hurdle, shedding 2-1 on mixture to Fenerbahce within the first spherical.
Greater than half a century later, in 2023, Metropolis have been topped European champions for the primary time, seeing off Inter within the last in Istanbul to finish a treble beneath Pep Guardiola.
Leeds United (1969)
Motion from Leeds v Ferencvaros within the second spherical of the 1969/70 European Cup (Picture credit score: Alamy)
The late 60s and early 70s have been heady days for Leeds, who received their first style of the European Cup as 1968/69 First Division champions.
Don Revie’s Whites eradicated the champions of Norway, Hungary and Belgium – Lyn, Ferencvaros and Normal Liege, thrashing the previous 10-0 and 6-0 – en path to the semi-finals, the place they misplaced to 1966/67 winners Celtic.
Arsenal (1971)
Arsenal supervisor Bertie Mee celebrates after his facet clinched the 1970/71 First Division title, securing qualification for the 1971/72 European Cup (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Arsenal made their European Cup debut after successful the 1970/71 English double beneath Bertie Mee.
The Gunners, who had lifted the 1969/70 Inter-Cities Festivals Cup, breezed previous Stromsgodset of Norway within the first spherical and Switzerland’s Grasshopper Membership Zurich within the second, earlier than coming unstuck towards holders Ajax on the quarter-final stage.
Derby County (1972)
Derby’s John McGovern competes for the ball with Juventus’ Pietro Anastasi in the course of the 1972/73 European Cup semi-finals (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Derby claimed their first top-flight title in 1972, pipping Leeds to First Division glory with Brian Clough on the helm and clinching qualification for the 1972/73 European Cup.
The Rams defeated the champions of Yugoslavia (Zeljeznicar), Portugal (Benfica) and Czechoslovakia (Spartak Trnava) en path to the semi-finals, the place they bowed out to Juventus.
Nottingham Forest (1978)
Profitable goalscorer Trevor Francis celebrates together with his medal after Nottingham Forest’s victory over Malmo within the 1978/79 European Cup last in Munich (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Six years later, Brian Clough was again managing in UEFA’s premier membership competitors, this time with Nottingham Forest – who he had led to Second Division promotion and a maiden First Division title in successive campaigns.
Famously, Forest went and lifted the European Cup on the first time of asking – beating Malmo within the last in Munich – then, the next yr, grew to become the primary British facet to retain it. They continue to be the one membership to win the trophy extra instances than their very own home championship.
Aston Villa (1981)
Aston Villa captain Dennis Mortimer celebrates with the European Cup after his facet’s victory over Bayern Munich within the 1981/82 last in Rotterdam (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Aston Villa had been champions of England on six earlier events, however all of them have been lengthy earlier than the European Cup existed – so it wasn’t till 1981 that they received to play within the competitors for the primary time.
Like Nottingham Forest a number of years earlier, they received it on debut, Tony Barton’s males sealing glory with a well-known win over Bayern Munich within the last in Rotterdam.
Blackburn Rovers (1995)
The Blackburn squad for the 1995/96 Champions League (Picture credit score: Alamy)
In successful the 1994/95 Premier League title, Blackburn have been topped English champions for the primary time in 81 years, and so they received to make their Champions League debut in 1995/96.
Sadly, it didn’t go too nicely for Rovers, now being managed by Ray Harford after Kenny Dalglish moved as much as director of soccer: they went out on the group stage, recording just one win within the course of – 4-1 at dwelling to Norway’s Rosenborg of their last recreation.
Newcastle United (1997)
Newcastle line up forward of their 1997/98 Champions League group match towards Barcelona at St. James’ Park (Picture credit score: Alamy)
The 1997/98 Champions League noticed the competitors increase from 16 groups to 24, so Newcastle certified as 1996/97 Premier League runners-up – having beforehand participated within the UEFA Cup and Festivals Cup, successful the latter in 1969.
Kenny Dalglish’s Magpies started their Champions League group marketing campaign promisingly with a 3-2 win over Barcelona at St. James’ Park, however they in the end didn’t progress to the second spherical.
Chelsea (1999)
Chelsea line up forward of their 1999/2000 Champions League group match away to Galatasaray (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Some 44 years after they need to have been the primary English membership to play within the European Cup – they pulled out amid stress from the Soccer League, who apprehensive that the newly shaped competitors could be a distraction from home issues – Chelsea lastly debuted on the highest continental stage.
Gianluca Vialli’s facet topped their group and superior via the second group stage, earlier than bowing out 6-4 on mixture to Barcelona after further time within the quarter-finals.
The Blues lifted the trophy for the primary time in 2012 – beneath a coach who had performed in that debut marketing campaign: Roberto Di Matteo.
Leicester Metropolis (2016)
Leicester Metropolis gamers have a good time after captain Wes Morgan’s aim towards Sevilla on the King Energy Stadium within the 2016/17 Champions League final 16 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Leicester’s unforgettable 2015/16 Premier League title win noticed them turn into England’s first new Champions League qualifiers in 17 years.
Beneath Claido Ranieri, Leicester topped a gaggle containing Porto, Copenhagen and Membership Brugge to achieve the final 16 beneath, the place they beat Sevilla 3-2 on mixture, earlier than Craig Shakespeare took over for the quarter-finals – the place the Foxes went out 2-1 on mixture to Atletico Madrid.
