Jeff Whitefoot on life as a Busby Babe at Manchester United, meeting the Queen at Wembley and winning the FA Cup with Nottingham Forest in 1959

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It would make a searching pub quiz question. Can you name the only living Nottingham Forest FA Cup winner?

The answer is not to be found in any of Brian Clough’s marvellous Forest teams, as the trophy always eluded the iconic manager during his glittering career.

Instead, we retreat further, to 20 years before Clough’s first European Cup success, as Billy Walker’s team overcame Luton Town to win Forest’s second and last FA Cup in 1959.

Jeff Whitefoot is the only living player from the Nottingham Forest side that won the FA Cup

Whitefoot (back left) was part of the Forest side that beat Luton Town 2-1 at Wembley in 1959 

The former Forest player and original 'Busby Babe' at Manchester United spoke to Sportsmail

Next year will mark the 60th anniversary of the triumph and the only survivor is 84-year-old Jeff Whitefoot. Now living in Melton Mowbray, the home of pork pies and Stilton cheese, Whitefoot remains sharp of mind and the memories come flooding back.

‘It’s a curious claim to fame and it’s strange to think Clough did not win the FA Cup,’ Whitefoot says. ‘Man for man, we can’t compare ourselves to his teams but we clicked that year.

‘It was amazing. An odd-job side, quite a few older lads. Some very good players, like Joe McDonald and Roy Dwight. We had a fright against Tooting and Mitcham in the third round. We were 2-0 down on a freezing pitch but salvaged a replay and got through but then we beat Bolton — a proper side with Nat Lofthouse, 2-1 — and Aston Villa 1-0 in the semi-final.

He enjoyed success at both Forest and United winning three major honours during his career

‘I remember the final. The Queen was there, she shook my hand, it’s a very gentle shake. We went to the Savoy Hotel to celebrate. When I won the league title with Manchester United, there was dancing and everyone was up.

‘Forest? A lot more speeches! As we were going to bed, the chairman gave us a bottle of champagne. There was £1,250 for winning the FA Cup shared between 12 players. Now it’s £300k per week — bloody insane! The reception in Nottingham was absolutely amazing, thousands upon thousands lining the streets. It surprised everybody.’

Whitefoot has warm memories of his time at Forest but his eyes start to sparkle when he begins to reminisce about his United days. Growing up in Manchester’s southern suburbs, he played for Stockport and England Schoolboys as a wing-half (defensive midfielder).

Burnley, Bolton, Wolves and Manchester City all sent telegrams but United went one step further. ‘Manchester United’s scout Joe Armstrong knocked on my door. I was 15. My dad was a City fan and wanted me to go there but I chose United. To begin with, I also worked as a messenger boy in the club’s office.’

Next year will mark the 60th anniversary since Whitefoot and his team-mates won the FA Cup

One of the original Busby Babes, Whitefoot remains the youngest outfield debutant in United colours. On a starting wage of £4 a week, fair-haired Whitefoot was 16 years and 105 days old when he started against table-topping Portsmouth in April 1950.

‘Sir Matt called me into the office on a Thursday to tell me. I thought, “Bloody hell!”. I was barely out of short trousers. Jimmy Murphy, the chief coach, let me stay over at his house with his five kids. He took Dennis Viollet and me to the Manchester Hippodrome theatre that night and we had breakfast at Jimmy’s.’

The secret of Busby’s success was simplicity. ‘Training was simple. We did laps around the pitch until they told us to stop and played five-a-sides. Tuesday’s would be a practice match and Friday was six-to-eight sprints.

‘There were a lot of talented kids and I’m not sure they would have prospered in today’s world. They are coached to bloody death at eight years old. Now you don’t get anybody taking people on, dribbling past three players.

‘Sir Matt encouraged people to do what they were good at. Murphy was passionate, he would almost be crying when he was telling you what to do. Viollet and I went back a long way. He was a brilliant player. His record of 32 league goals in a season is still to be matched by a United player.

Whitefoot praised former boss Sir Matt Busby as he told players to 'do what they were good at'

‘But Busby had his values and Dennis liked the ladies a bit. That’s why he got rid of him. Then he had Georgie Best to deal with! Times changed between the 1950s and 1960s. We couldn’t believe he could cope with George Best.

‘I have marvellous memories of United. In 1952, I was 18 and we went on tour to America. We still had ration books as a country but we went on the Queen Elizabeth for a six-week trip.

‘The angriest I saw Sir Matt was on that tour. We played Tottenham and they beat us 5-0. Then we played them in Yankee Stadium and they beat us 7-1.

‘On the boat back, he walked around without talking to anybody for six days. But what a trip! In New York, we went to see the Nat King Cole trio, the Billy May Orchestra, Johnnie Ray and Count Basie Orchestra — all of it for two dollars combined!’ 

At United, Whitefoot won the league title in 1952 and 1956 but a year later he was forced out of the first team by the emergence of Eddie Colman at right wing-half.

‘I went to Grimsby,’ he grimaces. ‘I’d spoken to Forest’s manager Billy Walker. Busby got very worked up and said the FA were looking into the demands I made. He said I want you to see Allenby Chilton at Grimsby (in the old Second Division), who was an ex-Manchester United captain. So he put my wife Nell and me in a taxi to Grimsby.’

His wife Nell says: ‘I thought he was out of his mind. Liverpool had been interested! I cried all the way there and all the way back. I couldn’t believe it. It was a dreadful thing to do by the manager but everyone was lovely there at Grimsby, I must say.’

Upon leaving United, he wrote a first-person column in the Manchester Evening News. ‘Leaving Old Trafford,’ Whitefoot reflects, ‘will be like saying goodbye to my best friend.’ 

The Whitefoots did not hold a grudge against Busby and were invited to the manager’s 80th birthday celebrations in 1989. 

Whitefoot left United a few months before the Munich air tragedy in February 1958 

Whitefoot left United only a few months before the Munich air tragedy and the couple keep scrapbooks crammed with sepia-tinged memories. One picture shows Whitefoot and Viollet drinking champagne with team-mates Roger Byrne, Tommy Taylor and David Pegg. The last three all perished at Munich.

‘It was a Thursday afternoon, just awful. The funerals were close together. It was a terrible time.’

Whitefoot’s voice softens: ‘Duncan Edwards was exactly what they said he was. A great. He had extraordinary strength. For an indication of his quality, I got a £10 signing-on fee at age 17. Four years later, Duncan got £4,000! It shows you how good he was. Even in those four years, the finances changed a lot. But, truly, what a footballer.’ 

In the Whitefoot household this weekend, loyalties will be divided. Charmed by Arsene Wenger’s progressive football in the 1990s, Nell became an Arsenal supporter.

United legend Denis Law was not recognised when he tried to get a ticket, claims Whitefoot

Whitefoot remains fond of Forest and United, although he feels the clubs should do more for former players. ‘We have an association of former players at United I have been going to for 20 years. Forest have not been overly welcoming.

‘Even at Old Trafford, that’s all changed. It’s all money. I heard a story last year that Denis Law wanted tickets and went to one of the top men. They said, “Well, who are you?” He said, “I’m Denis Law”. He said, “Who’s that?” Absolutely unbelievable.’

He smiles. ‘At Forest, though, I’m glad we have the new owners. The last one was an absolute nightmare. How people like that manage football clubs I do not know. People I know tell me the set-up is very much better now — and a good Cup run would do wonders!’