Former player Clifford Bull, who was signed just weeks before the 1958 Munich air tragedy, has scooped a staggering £400,000 in the . Now 82, the ex-Busby Babe and left-winger's once promising football career was thwarted by a knee injury. Today, though, he's struck gold as part of a colossal £3.2million pot, over six decades since joining United under Sir Matt Busby's leadership.

From a plumber to a lottery victor, a flabbergasted Cliff said: "I'm absolutely staggered, I'm still lost for words. It opens up so many possibilities. I'm overwhelmed to be quite honest. It's beyond what I could ever have dreamt." The elated great-grandfather, with three daughters, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandsons, added: "I can pay for a holiday for all of the family, that would be my dream for all of us to go away, which at the last count was 22. That would make me very very happy."

Cliff, a resident of Gotham, Nottinghamshire, received the life-changing news when his postcode, NG11 0JR, won the Postcode Millions prize draw on Saturday, March 1, endowing each ticket holder in the sector with £400,000.

Reflecting on his youth, Cliff reminisced about his early beginnings at Manchester United: "I was 15 when I signed for Manchester United, and I signed the papers in Matt Busby's office. My mum always used to say that 'one of the greatest kicks I've had in my life was being able to kiss Matt Busby'."

Just 10 days after his dream move, tragedy struck when a plane carrying Manchester United's playing squad and staff crashed at Munich airport. The disaster claimed the lives of 23 people including eight United players.

After two seasons at United, Cliff signed for Nottingham Forest, but his football career ended prematurely after a series of nasty knee injuries which required around 26 operations. He has two artificial knees today.

His brief footballing journey saw him play alongside greats such as World Cup winner Nobby Stiles and Leeds United icon Johnny Giles. Early Saturday morning, a Postcode Lottery camera crew knocked on Cliff's front door.

He was joined by his three daughters Claire McReynolds, Rebecca Albans and Rachael Bull and they all screamed in delight when his winning cheque was revealed. Moments later, they paid an emotional tribute to Cliff's late wife and their mother, Jeanette Bull, who died three years ago, and credited her with Cliff's big win.

Rebecca said: "This is mum and dad's ticket. And mum, God bless you, we know you are with us today and we miss you. Whatever dad does with this will be from the heart, what you would have wanted to happen as well."

Family man Cliff, moved to tears, said: "He's been a provider all his life for all of us, and the fact that life is going to be a little easier for him now is just overwhelming. The overwhelming disappointment is that Jeanette's not here to see it, but she's a big part of this.

"I'll be able to help out all my grandkids financially, especially with the expense of things today. I'm sure they'll be over the moon, probably more than me.

"Skegness at this time of year is a little bit nippy, we might have to go somewhere a little bit warmer."

This lucky winner, along with his late wife Jeanette, had played the lottery as a means to support charities and following a close personal brush with tragedy became ambassadors for Meningitis Now.

Cliff expressed his excitement not only for his win but for his hardworking NHS neighbour Mandy McMenamin's equal good fortune, calling her one of the NHS' "little angels."

The two neighbours have lived side by side for six years, and the joy was mutual when Cliff emerged as a winner too.

She revealed: "I moved here in January 2018, and the following year Jeanette and Cliff moved in and when Jeanette sadly passed we became really close. He cooks me dinner for when I come back from work, and this week we've shared a bottle of wine almost every night. I'm so happy for him."

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