For generations of British football fans, checking the latest scores meant reaching for the television remote and heading to Ceefax.
Before smartphones, live-score apps and social media, Ceefax was one of the quickest ways to find out what was happening across the football world.
But on 23 October 2012, Ceefax was coming to an end.
After almost four decades on British television, the iconic BBC service was switched off as part of the UK's transition to digital television.
And fittingly, one of its final nights coincided with a Champions League night.
23 October 2012
Ceefax had been a part of British television since 1974, becoming an unlikely but hugely important part of everyday life for millions of viewers.
Its distinctive pages of coloured text against a black background became instantly recognisable.
For football fans, pages dedicated to results, fixtures, tables and breaking news became essential viewing.
You could turn on the television, enter the familiar football results page — 302 — and, within seconds, see the latest scores from around the country and Europe.
On 23 October 2012, however, the service was nearing its final moments.
A Champions League Night
The evening featured a full programme of UEFA Champions League matches.
Across Europe, some of the biggest clubs in the world were in action, with fans following the scores as they developed throughout the night.
For many supporters, this was exactly what Ceefax had been designed for.
No scrolling social media.
No live-score notifications.
No smartphone.
Just the television, the remote control and those familiar pages of information.
The Champions League results from that evening now provide a fascinating snapshot of European football at the beginning of the 2012/13 season.
The Results
Barcelona 2–1 Celtic
BATE Borisov 0–3 Valencia
Galatasaray 1–1 CFR Cluj
Lille 0–1 Bayern Munich
Manchester United 3–2 Braga
FC Nordsjælland 1–1 Juventus
Shakhtar Donetsk 2–1 Chelsea
Spartak Moscow 2–1 Benfica
These are the results that appeared on the European football pages as the Champions League action unfolded.
Manchester United's Comeback Against Braga
One of the night's most dramatic matches took place at Old Trafford.
Manchester United found themselves 2–0 down to Braga before fighting back to win 3–2.
For supporters following the match through Ceefax, the score would have been one of those updates that demanded repeated trips back to the football pages.
The match eventually finished with United completing an impressive comeback, adding another memorable European night to the club's history.
Barcelona Edge Past Celtic
At Camp Nou, Barcelona defeated Celtic 2–1.
Celtic had taken the lead through Georgios Samaras before Andrés Iniesta equalised for Barcelona.
Jordi Alba then scored a dramatic late winner deep into stoppage time.
It was the kind of European result that would have sent fans back to Ceefax to check the final score after the match.
Shakhtar Defeat the Holders
Another significant result came in Ukraine, where Shakhtar Donetsk defeated defending champions Chelsea 2–1.
Chelsea had won the Champions League only months earlier in one of the most dramatic finals in the competition's history.
Their defeat in Donetsk demonstrated just how competitive the group stage could be.
From Ceefax to the Smartphone
The world of football information has changed enormously since 2012.
Today, fans can follow every match through live-score apps, websites, social media and notifications.
A goal can be on your phone seconds after it happens.
In 2012, the experience was very different.
Ceefax didn't try to give you everything instantly.
You had to go looking for the information.
And perhaps that's part of what made it special.
There was anticipation in pressing the button and waiting for the page to update.
There was something satisfying about seeing the latest score appear in front of you.
A Fitting Final Football Memory
It's perhaps fitting that one of the final nights of Ceefax coincided with a Champions League evening.
European football had been a huge part of the service's history, providing generations of fans with results from some of the biggest clubs and competitions in the world.
On 23 October 2012, Manchester United completed a comeback against Braga, Barcelona edged past Celtic, Shakhtar defeated Chelsea and Bayern Munich won in Lille.
But beyond the results themselves, the night represents the end of something much bigger.
Ceefax was disappearing.
After 38 years, the service that had delivered football scores, league tables, breaking news and so much more to British television screens was coming to an end.
For anyone who grew up checking football results on Ceefax, it wasn't simply a television service.
It was part of football culture.
1974–2012
38 years.
Millions of pages.
Countless football results.
And one unmistakable look.
From its launch in 1974 to its final day in 2012, Ceefax was there through countless football seasons, World Cups, European Cups, title races and dramatic final days.
The technology may now seem incredibly basic.
But for an entire generation of football fans, seeing that familiar Ceefax screen was one of the quickest ways to stay connected to the game they loved.
And on 23 October 2012, as the Champions League played on, one of British television's most iconic services was preparing to say goodbye.
Ceefax: 1974–2012.
A piece of football history that deserves to be remembered.
