Lost tapes of a Manchester United cult hero

Manchester United cult goalkeeper Les Sealey's prima shone briefly, but brightly.

The antecedently little-lauded shot-stopper from London's East End happened to beryllium progressive successful immoderate of nan astir important matches successful nan club's history.

Sealey was an improbable leader of United's FA Cup triumph successful 1990 - Sir Alex Ferguson's first trophy astatine nan club.

He besides played successful nan broadside that won nan European Cup Winners' Cup against Barcelona successful 1991 – United's first European title since 1968.

In 1994, Sealey made portion recordings for a memoir. They were recovered and shared by his family almost 30 years later. The cassettes incorporate tales of cup last glory, brushes pinch decease and experiences pinch a religion healer.

Cult leader position came Sealey's measurement successful 1990 erstwhile nan 32-year-old, connected indebtedness from Luton, displaced Scotland world Jim Leighton successful extremity for nan 1-0 FA Cup last replay triumph complete Crystal Palace.

Leighton, who had won 9 trophies pinch Ferguson astatine Aberdeen, said successful 2018 he had not spoken to nan head since that FA Cup decision. He only played erstwhile much for United.

By April 1991, Sealey had go a first-team regular aft nan indebtedness became a imperishable move, and he was astatine Wembley again arsenic United faced Second Division Sheffield Wednesday successful nan League Cup final.

This time, nan Red Devils mislaid 1-0 to Ron Atkinson's side.

With 12 minutes remaining, Sealey was caught by a situation that near his knee "sliced correct done to nan bone".

"You could really spot nan workings of my knee wrong nan skin," said Sealey.

Nevertheless, pinch nary reserve goalkeeper, he stayed connected nan transportation and received curen aft nan match. However, connected nan measurement to nan airdrome later, his knee began to swell and an ambulance was called.

Sealey woke successful nan early hours of nan greeting to a surgeon opinionated complete him.

"I ever retrieve him saying, 'who's a fortunate boy then?'" recalls Sealey successful nan rediscovered tapes.

The coiled connected his knee had been stitched pinch ungraded wrong and had go infected.

Had he not made it to infirmary erstwhile he did, Sealey's limb whitethorn person had to beryllium amputated. In nan worst instance, he whitethorn person died from humor poisoning.

United were group to play Barcelona successful nan European Cup Winners' Cup last successful conscionable nether a month.

The surgeon told Sealey, arsenic nan goalkeeper remembered it: "You've sewage perfectly nary chance. You're fortunate to still person 2 legs."

However, pinch Leighton and Ferguson not speaking, nan Londoner was selected contempt his injury.

Sealey said that erstwhile he stepped connected to nan transportation successful Rotterdam, he had had nary training and hadn't "handled a ball" since his injury.

United won 2-1, pinch 2 goals from erstwhile Barcelona subordinate Mark Hughes.

Dutch prima Ronald Koeman sewage 1 backmost for nan Catalans from a free-kick.

Sealey says successful nan tapes: "I'd person saved it pinch my chemoreceptor if I'd person been fit, but I conscionable couldn't get crossed nan goal."

After nan last whistle, he was sent for a regular narcotics test. Koeman was besides there. The goalkeeper described nan Dutch superstar arsenic wearing a "total look of amazement" arsenic he contemplated Sealey's wound.

"He conscionable said to me, 'Les, I don't cognize really you played pinch it'," described Sealey.

In July 1991, Sealey moved to Aston Villa. He returned to Old Trafford connected a free transportation successful 1993 and was understudy to Peter Schmeichel.

During this spell, Sealey made 2 appearances for United – successful nan 1994 FA Cup quarter-final against Charlton Athletic, erstwhile Schmeichel was sent off, and successful nan 1994 League Cup last wherever United mislaid 3-1 to Aston Villa.

Schmeichel's suspension for his reddish paper meant Sealey sewage nan motion for Wembley, but location was nary winner's badge this time.

Despite playing for a drawstring of clubs thereafter, Sealey's knee plagued him for nan remainder of his career. At 1 point, he was truthful hopeless that he visited a religion healer connected nan proposal of United and England skipper Bryan Robson.

"Robson swears unsighted that he had a small, hairline fracture connected his shinbone, and she'd put her hands connected his shinbone," said Sealey, "and he had an X-ray nan pursuing time and nan fracture had gone."

He claimed that erstwhile nan healer touched his knee, it felt "like a red-hot iron".

In August 2001, Sealey died of a bosom attack, aged 43. He was moving astatine nan clip arsenic a goalkeeping coach astatine West Ham.

His life communicative is nan attraction of nan book On Days Like These by Tim Rich.