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

The previously little-lauded shot-stopper from London's East End happened to be involved in some of the most important matches in the club's history.

Sealey was an unlikely hero of United's FA Cup win in 1990 - Sir Alex Ferguson's first trophy at the club.

He also played in the side that won the European Cup Winners' Cup against Barcelona in 1991 – United's first European title since 1968.

In 1994, Sealey made tape recordings for a memoir. They were recovered and shared by his family almost 30 years later. The cassettes contain tales of cup final glory, brushes with death and experiences with a faith healer.

Cult hero status came Sealey's way in 1990 when the 32-year-old, on loan from Luton, displaced Scotland international Jim Leighton in goal for the 1-0 FA Cup final replay win over Crystal Palace.

Leighton, who had won nine trophies with Ferguson at Aberdeen, said in 2018 he had not spoken to the manager since that FA Cup decision. He only played once more for United.

By April 1991, Sealey had become a first-team regular after the loan became a permanent move, and he was at Wembley again as United faced Second Division Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup final.

This time, the Red Devils lost 1-0 to Ron Atkinson's side.

With 12 minutes remaining, Sealey was caught by a challenge that left his knee "sliced right through to the bone".

"You could actually see the workings of my knee inside the skin," said Sealey.

Nevertheless, with no reserve goalkeeper, he stayed on the pitch and received treatment after the match. However, on the way to the airport later, his knee began to swell and an ambulance was called.

Sealey woke in the early hours of the morning to a surgeon standing over him.

"I always remember him saying, 'who's a lucky boy then?'" recalls Sealey in the rediscovered tapes.

The wound on his knee had been stitched with dirt inside and had become infected.

Had he not made it to hospital when he did, Sealey's leg may have had to be amputated. In the worst instance, he may have died from blood poisoning.

United were set to play Barcelona in the European Cup Winners' Cup final in just under a month.

The surgeon told Sealey, as the goalkeeper remembered it: "You've got absolutely no chance. You're lucky to still have two legs."

However, with Leighton and Ferguson not speaking, the Londoner was selected despite his injury.

Sealey said that when he stepped on to the pitch in Rotterdam, he had had no training and hadn't "handled a ball" since his injury.

United won 2-1, with two goals from former Barcelona player Mark Hughes.

Dutch star Ronald Koeman got one back for the Catalans from a free-kick.

Sealey says in the tapes: "I'd have saved it with my nose if I'd have been fit, but I just couldn't get across the goal."

After the final whistle, he was sent for a routine drugs test. Koeman was also there. The goalkeeper described the Dutch superstar as wearing a "total look of amazement" as he contemplated Sealey's wound.

"He just said to me, 'Les, I don't know how you played with it'," described Sealey.

In July 1991, Sealey moved to Aston Villa. He returned to Old Trafford on a free transfer in 1993 and was understudy to Peter Schmeichel.

During this spell, Sealey made two appearances for United – in the 1994 FA Cup quarter-final against Charlton Athletic, when Schmeichel was sent off, and in the 1994 League Cup final where United lost 3-1 to Aston Villa.

Schmeichel's suspension for his red card meant Sealey got the nod for Wembley, but there was no winner's medal this time.

Despite playing for a string of clubs thereafter, Sealey's knee plagued him for the rest of his career. At one point, he was so desperate that he visited a faith healer on the recommendation of United and England captain Bryan Robson.

"Robson swears blind that he had a small, hairline fracture on his shinbone, and she'd put her hands on his shinbone," said Sealey, "and he had an X-ray the following day and the fracture had gone."

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

In August 2001, Sealey died of a heart attack, aged 43. He was working at the time as a goalkeeping coach at West Ham.

His life story is the focus of the book On Days Like These by Tim Rich.