On February 6, MUTV will broadcast Munich, a feature length documentary telling the story of the Busby Babes, narrated by Albert Finney. In this exclusive interview, the Oscar-nominated actor recalls his own memories of the team and what it meant to see United finally claim European glory in 1968

MUTV: Why did you agree to do the voiceover for this documentary?

Albert Finney: Being a Salford lad, the Munich disaster meant a lot to me at the time. Although I was away from Salford then, I was in the theatre working at a matinee and in the evening that day. I was very hurt by it, shattered by the loss of such potential.

MUTV: The Busby Babes really gave everyone hope round these parts, didn’t they?

AF: Yes, you know the country and Manchester were emerging from the war years. The utility years. It was all in black and white then. There weren’t many colours about.

MUTV: I suppose the 1950s was a special time, the birth of the teenagers. The Busby babes were right down the middle of that, weren’t they? An exciting brand of new talent...

AF: Yeah, I mean we talk about the Swinging Sixties, but the seeds of change were happening earlier and I suppose Matt Busby was instrumental in that, to focus so accurately and smartly on youth. He saw what was happening and what could happen and should happen. And therefore in a way, the Busby Babes were the forerunners of that social revolution. They were certainly in the vanguard.

MUTV: Ten years after the disaster they achieved the European dream didn’t they? It was a fantastic night, wasn’t it?

AF: Well I was there. We couldn’t believe it. I mean, that victory was, it seems an odd word to say, almost justification of everything. But truly, it really justified Matt’s insistence on going into Europe. I mean he was quite right. The old farts at the FA couldn’t see their noses, couldn’t see a yard in front of their faces and he was saying this is the way the future is. This is the way the game will go. And he’s absolutely right. Look at the size of the game. But it was an incredible night. And I was very lucky to be there. I was glad I wasn’t working at that time so I could go out at night instead of being stuck in a theatre saying some silly lines.

MUTV: As a final question, how should the Busby Babes and the team that lost their lives be remembered?

AF: That it’s possible to dream and, also, even if that gets shattered, somehow you’ve gotta go on. You’ve just gotta go on.

On February 6 MUTV will be free to all cable and satellite viewers. Munich will be screened at 9pm and the Memorial Service at Old Trafford broadcast live from 2.30pm. Albert Finney waived his fee for the voiceover, his first in 30 years, and a donation will be made to the Manchester United Foundation instead