Three Games in May
And a twenty-year odyssey that defined Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United
OUT NOW Price: £15.99
Three Games in May takes us all the way back to Manchester United’s final three matches of the 1998/99 season.
Prior to these games, United had won nothing that year.
However, what unfolded over those 11 days at the end of May would see them complete THE most unique of trebles, and it all came down to the final few seconds of the Champions League Final at the Camp Nou.
Drama at its finest!
By chronicling the twenty-year period of 1989 to 2009, including anecdotes from the players, fans, and journalists who witnessed the historic events first-hand, Three Games in May provides a unique perspective on the events leading up to those fateful three games, as well as the three great dynasties that Sir Alex Ferguson built at Old Trafford; a period that began with United’s greatest-ever manager facing the sack!
A must-read for all Manchester United supporters, Three Games in May demonstrates that there is more to the story than those three trophies and takes the reader on a nostalgic journey through all the trials, tribulations, and, ultimately, the glory. For every copy sold a donation will be made to Prostate Cancer UK.
Grace –
A fantastic book! Whether you are a Manchester United Fan, a football fan or a sports fan in general, Three Games In May by Rob Carless is a brilliant read. It is clear that a lot of time, thought and effort has gone into this book and it was a really great read.
I’m hoping to see more books from this author in future covering different sports and teams if this book is anything to go by!
John White –
Eleven Days in Heaven
Let’s get it known.
Rob is a Villian, an Aston Villa fan.
But.
More importantly, he is not an ABU.
His book, Three Games in May, brings back so many wonderful Memories of our unique Treble Winning season, 1998-99.
I will never forget 11 very special days in May 1999 for as long as I live. On 16 May 1999, Carryduff Manchester United Supporters’ Club attended the final home game of the season against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford. I went on the weekend Branch trip. It was going to be an extremely nervous day as Arsenal, Double Champions the previous season, were breathing down our necks in the race to be crowned Premier League Champions. With one Premiership game to play we were on 76 points and the Gunners were on 75. Arsenal played Aston Villa at Arsenal Stadium (it was never officially called Highbury as this is just the nearest Tube Station to the ground) but a win would see us get our trophy back and at the time the vast majority of Arsenal fans who were interviewed on Sky Sports were saying that Spurs would not try in the game and would lie down to make sure the Gooners did not win the title. Total bollocks! My heart was in my mouth when Les Ferdinand beat Ronny Johnsen to a pass and scored past Peter Schmeichel with a shot to put the visitors 1-0 up. So much for them not trying! United looked nervous but dug in for the fight and two minutes before the interval, Becks scored a superb goal. Giggsy and Scholesy exchanged quick passes on the left flank and fed Becks who was in the right-hand side of the area. Becks looked up and fired a swerving shot past Ian Walker and into the top corner of the net. 1-1 and the title was back on. At half-time the Boss took off Teddy Sheringham and replaced him with Andy Cole. Super Ted was incessantly booed throughout the first half by the very same fans who once idolised his every touch. Five minutes after the re-start Andy Cole scored with a superb piece of individual skill. Gary Neville played the ball up-field from the right; Andy killed it with his first touch and then sent a sublime lob over the stranded Walker and into the back of the Spurs net. 2-1 and the United fans went berserk as many were now scenting the first leg of an unprecedented Treble of Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League. Spurs did their utmost to spoil the party but could not pull a goal back to snatch a draw leaving United as Champions (Arsenal won 1-0). It was our fifth Premiership crown in six seasons and the Boss had now won as many Championships as the legendary Sir Matt Busby. It was also the first time since the days of Busby that United won the title at Old Trafford. The game also marked Schmeichel’s last ever game for United at Old Trafford as he had announced back in January that he would be retiring at the end of the season. The win put United on course to surpass the achievements of Law, Best and Charlton and secure the first ever Treble. The United team lined-up as follows: Schmeichel, G. Neville, May, Johnsen, Irwin, Beckham, Scholes, Keane, Giggs, Yorke, Sheringham. Subs: P. Neville, Van Der Gouw, Butt, Solskjaer, Cole. The day was too much for me and I can recall doing a Pat Cash after the final whistle and leaving my seat behind the goal in the lower section of the Stretford End and clambered over seats to climb my way up into the Family Stand where my two sons, Marc and Paul, were sitting with their Mother so as I could share the moment with them. That was a very special moment.
Marc was 8-years old when the two of us were sitting at home watching the FA Cup semi-final replay between United and Arsenal at Villa Park on 14 April 1999. Our Branch Chairman, John Dempsey (JD), and I had been to the first game which ended 0-0 but in reality we won the game 1-0 because a perfectly good goal scored by Keano was disallowed. The 1999 FA Cup final was being played on 22 May and he made me promise to take him to it for his 9th birthday which he was celebrating the day before the final if we made it. I agreed and it didn’t look like we would get to the final when Keano was sent off and Dennis Bergkamp had a penalty to win the match for Arsenal in the final minute. But Schmeichel saved the spot kick and the game went into extra-time and we all know what happened in this period. Ryan Giggs scored the greatest ever goal in the history of the FA Cup. In the 109th minute a sloppy pas from Patrick Vieira was pounced on by Giggsy and he weaved his way past the entire Gooners defence before unleashing a superb shot which beat David Seaman and sent United to Wembley. Giggsy then did his famous run down the side of the pitch as he whipped off his shirt and swung it around above his head as his carpet chest was exposed. Vieira’s pass, thanks for that again, led to the birth of a song which United fans still sing today: “Vieira ooh ooh , Vieira ooh ooh, he gave Giggsy the ball and Arsenal won f**k all.” Don’t you just love it? It was the last ever FA Cup semi-final replay. So on Friday 21 May 1999, Marc, me, Wilson, JD and a few other Branch members flew to London for the FA Cup final. We were staying in the Regent Palace which was a bit of a dump but then again we weren’t in the capital to admire hotel décor. Marc, Wilson and I decided to go for a Chinese in Soho, one of those all you can eat buffets. Big mistake! The food was stinking and Marc ended up with food poisoning which he never lets me forget about: “Here Daddy do you remember that time you took me to London for my 9th birthday and I ended up being poisoned?” He seems to forget I took him to see the FA Cup final and I was 20-years old before I visited Wembley Stadium for the first time. We beat Newcastle United 2-0 thanks to two goals from Super Ted after 11 minutes, the 250th goal of the England international’s club career, and Scholesy after 52 minutes. Sheringham came on as a sub for Keano within minutes of the kick-off after our inspirational Irish midfielder was injured in a tackle with Gary Speed. Alan Shearer hardly got a kick as United clinched their third Premier League and FA Cup Double of the 90s and a record tenth FA Cup final victory. Two trophies in the bag and one to go, the mere formality of a meeting with FC Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League final!
Marc and I flew home from London on the Sunday and started packing our bags for a week’s trip to Salou, Spain. As soon as United beat Juventus 3-2 in Stadio delle Alpi in the second leg of our UEFA Champions League tie against the Italian side on 21 April 1999, we decided to take the family holiday a little earlier this year so as we could go to the final at Camp Nou, Barcelona. We booked a week in Salou from Tuesday 25 May to Tuesday 1 June and set off for Espana. JD, Maria and his son Martin also went to the same apartment block as us whilst Wilson and a few of the other boys, Brendy Neeson, Wee Stevie McMenemy and Big Geordie Crossett all made alternative arrangements to get to Barcelona with some heading directly to the Catalan capital. The Branch received an allocation of 26 tickets and, JD and I booked three seats on the coach the Stalybridge boys had hired to take us from Salou to Barcelona. Addy and about 30 or so other members from Stalybridge MUSC also used Salou as their base. I will always remember that dramatic night at Camp Nou for as long as I live; you just could not script something like that.
Check out Rob’s book about our Treble winning season.
John White
Branch Secretary
Carryduff Manchester United Supporters’ Club
https://www.facebook.com/carryduffmusc/