Who were the first British team to win the European Cup?
Who were the first British team to win the European Cup?
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Billy McNeill holds the trophy Credit: Getty
25 May 2016 • 12:00am
25 May 1967
Celtic become first British team to win the European Cup
Glasgow football giants Celtic became the first British team – and the first team from northern Europe – to win the European Cup. Under manager Jock Stein, they beat Inter Milan 2-1 in Lisbon.
The team, quickly nicknamed the Lisbon Lions, included legendary players such as Billy McNeill, Jimmy Johnstone, Bobby Lennox and Bobby Murdoch.
Celtic reached the European Cup Final again in 1970, but lost 2–1 to Dutch giants Feyenoord in Milan. Celtic was founded in 1887 by an Irish priest to raise money for a charity that helped the poor immigrant Irish in the East End of Glasgow.
Their roots in that community saw them labelled as the city's Catholic team, in opposition to fierce rivals Glasgow Rangers, rooted in a Protestant area.
Celtic have a global fan base estimated at nearly 10 million, and their 80,000 fans travelled to Seville for the 2003 Uefa Cup Final, when Celtic lost 3-2 to Porto.
But the fans received such widespread praise from the local Spanish that both Fifa and Uefa awarded Celtic supporters Fair Play Awards “for their extraordinarily loyal and sporting behaviour”. Just like any other football fans then...  
Royal London  has its roots in the community. Founded in 1861, it began with the aim of helping people avoid the stigma of a pauper’s grave.
It became a mutual life insurance company in 1908 before growing into the UK’s largest mutual life and pensions company.
Its founding principles are self-reliance, community and keeping members at the heart of all decisions.
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