David Tennant will lead the cast of BBC Two’s United, written by Chris Chibnall (Torchwood, Life On Mars) and directed by James Strong (Doctor Who).

The one-off film is based on the true story of Manchester United’s legendary “Busby Babes”, the youngest side ever to win the Football League, the 1958 Munich Air Crash that claimed eight of the their number and the extraordinary spirit of a city that rebuilt the team in the wake of the disaster.

David Tennant will play coach Jimmy Murphy, alongside Jack O’Connell (Skins) as Bobby Charlton, the youngest of the Babes, and Sam Claflin (Any Human Heart) as star player Duncan Edwards.

Executive producer Simon Heath says: “Chris Chibnall has written an authentic and moving version of this heartbreaking story, which with the help of a great cast, we hope will be a fitting tribute to those who survived and those who lost their lives at Munich.”

Filming starts later this month in and around the North East of England.