Where Are They Now? United’s 99′ Treble Winners

It’s been 22 years since Man United create their biggest piece of history by doing what no other club has done since, win the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup all in one season. It’s the best season in the club’s long history but where are the heroes that gave us that incredible honour. Where is the 98/99 squad now?

Peter Schmeichel – Pundit

Apart from his son winning the Premier League in 2016, Peter Schmeichel has been keeping his own life very busy by working as a pundit for BBC, Danish TV3+ and most recognisably the Premier League. His experience has allowed him to make intelligent calls when it comes to goalkeeping which is fresh considering how little ex goalkeepers we have as pundits.

Raimond van der Gouw – Vitesse Goalkeeping Coach

Similar to Schmeichel, van der Gouw is making good use of his goalkeeping experience by coaching the latest upcoming shotstoppers at Dutch club Vitesse. Being a former player at the club, his connections have served him well in his role that he has had for over 10 years.

Nick Culkin – Gardener

Bet you didn’t expect that, did you? Nick Culkin had the shortest United career of any player ever. After being subbed on to take a free kick against Arsenal, the whistle blew for full time as soon as the ball left Culkin’s boot. That one kick is the entirety of his Manchester United career and after leaving for QPR, his knee injury forced him into early retirement and into the world of gardening. He is now responsible for a lot of the Greater Manchester greenery you may see around. Bizarre turn of events.

Gary Neville – Sky Sports Pundit/Salford City Owner/Property Owner

If you read the Where Are They Now for the 2008 United side, you will know what G Nev is doing with his time now. Aside from being one half of Sky Sports’s version of Alan Shearer and Ian Wright, he is also a businessman. As a part owner of Salford City as well as a property man with hotels in the heart of Manchester, Gary is a busy man as ever but at least he isn’t manager of Valencia in Spain.

Denis Irwin – Pundit

Pundit is the best word to describe the great Denis Irwin since his retirement from football. If you pump money directly into The Glazers pocket by having a MUTV subscription, then you will quite often see Irwin a part of proceedings on there. Offering his United career as insightful analysis on the club’s biggest media platform is a bold move from Denis but he also lends himself to Irish TV channel RTE as well as Ireland’s Sunday World Newspaper as a columnist. Another who is putting his elite experience to good use.

David May – Wine Importer

Growing up as a Man City fan, May must of found it hard becoming such a big part on Man United’s history but since his contribution to ‘The Red Devils’, David has since become a diehard United fan. He was a regular on MUTV in 2007 for several years but since then has retired from football all together and is now focusing on being a big importer of Wine.

Jaap Stam – FC Cincinnati Manager

Jaap has had a busy career since putting to bed his no nonsense hard rock defending but most notably he has become a manager of many clubs including English side Reading. He is now living it up in the USA after becoming FC Cincinnati manager early last year. I’m sure jetting back to the UK is no problem either after playing a co-pilot in the 99 comedy film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. Imagine hearing Jaap Stam’s commanding voice from the cockpit on your flight.

Ronny Johnsen – Pundit

Another that has turned his hand to punditry, Ronny Johnsen remains very quiet post playing career but does appear on Norwegian channel TV2 as a sport pundit. He is also a keen cross-country skier which after his injury record is a very surprising read indeed.

Phil Neville – Inter Miami Head Coach/Pundit/Salford City Owner

If this was written last year, then the words England Women’s Head Coach would be in the heading but after resigning earlier this year, he Is now the boss for former 99 teammate David Beckham at Inter Miami. In terms of his punditry and occasional commentary, BBC and BT have the former United and Everton man under contract which may be seen as a mistake or a good signing. His words are often debatable.

Wes Brown – Soccer Aid Legend

Wes Brown is considered by many as a legend which is debatable, but you can’t take anything away from him in terms of charity work. Wes Brown is now a regular in the England Soccer Aid outfit and there’s nothing better for an ex United player than to see him slide out a Love Island reject. Away from footballing, he does the occasional pundit gig but other than that he keeps himself to himself. A legend is for career not for life in the case of Wes Brown.

Danny Higginbotham – Pundit

Not making a single appearance throughout the season, it’s safe to say Danny Higginbotham made his career away from Old Trafford. Danny has been a pundit on every station worth mentioning from Sky to BT and is a regular on Talksport. He is also a columnist in The Independent.

John Curtis – Retired

Only making a grand total seven appearances throughout the treble winning season, John Curtis was another with very little to offer for the three trophies. The most appearances he made was in the only piece of silverware United didn’t win, the League Cup. There is next to nothing on what John Curtis is doing now so I can assume after his spell at Gold Coast United, he is enjoying retirement in the land of Oz.

Henning Berg – Omonia Manager

For those of us not from the party island of Cyprus, Omonia is a club based in Nicosia and is historically one of the best teams in the league. Henning Berg is the manager of that club. After putting in 29 games for United, Berg turned to management where he was at the helm of Norwegian and Polish clubs including a 2012 spell at Blackburn Rovers. He’s also got a great name which often helps.

Michael Clegg – Manchester United First Team Strength and Power Coach

Michael Clegg has surprisingly found himself back at the club he won a treble with as a first team coach in strength and power. His only 3 appearances for the club during the 1998/99 season was in the League Cup. The season after the treble, Michael Clegg’s father was named in the same role he is in now and went all the way til 2011. Talk about keeping it in the family. He also managed Ashton United up until last year.

Chris Casper – Salford City Sporting Director

One of the class of 92’, Chris Casper was out on loan at Reading during the treble winning campaign and later secured a permanent move to ‘The Royals’. His career was horrifically cut short when he suffered a double leg fracture in a game against Cardiff City on Boxing Day in 1999. He later won a court case against Richard Carpenter, the player that caused the career ending injury, and was award compensation. After spells managing clubs like Bath and the late great Bury, Casper is now the Sporting Director of Salford City, which is a glorified Man United project.

Ronnie Wallwork – Retired

Blink and you missed him. Ronnie Wallwork only made one appearance and it was off the bench in a League Cup fixture. That was the basis of his Man United career even after playing enough times to win a Premier League winning medal in 2001. He hit financial troubles after his time at United and turned to crime where he admitted three separate cases of handling stolen cars. He spent time in prison before returning to football for Ashton United, you know that team previously managed by Michael Clegg. He has since retired and is keeping a low profile after living life as a former Premier League winner and criminal.

Ryan Giggs – Accused Abuser

On the pitch, Ryan Giggs was one of the best. Off the pitch, doubts are creeping in about his conduct. He was all set to take Wales into the Euros before he was charged with assaulting two women. Court proceedings are underway but this isn’t a good look for the Man United man and we wait to see the verdict.

David Beckham – Inter Miami Owner

I won’t waste mine or yours time by listing everything David Beckham has done since 1999 because unless you are living on the ISS, you know the jist of it. Let’s just talk about 2021 and where Golden Balls is now. As I’m sure you know, David is now the owner of MLS club Inter Miami that have players including Blaise Matuidi and Gonzalo Higuain. Delays after delays, Becks’ team made its MLS debut in a 1-0 away defeat to Los Angeles FC. What happened next? A worldwide pandemic caused even more delays and cancellations which has postponed my judgement on whether his project can be deemed a success, and let me tell you, serial winner David Beckham is waiting in baited breathe for my judgement on Inter Miami FC. All in good time David.

Nicky Butt – Salford City Owner

In what is turning out to be the most popular career path post Man United, Nicky Butt joins a whole host of Man United legends to have stakes in Salford City. Despite selling part of those stakes, Butt is still involved with the League two club in terms of managing and finance. Nicky does have a few skeletons in his closet though after been arrested for domestic abuse in April 2019. In February 2020, the assault charges were dropped on the former player and now stays relatively quiet outside of his Salford commitments.

Jordi Cruyff – Barcelona Technical Director

Jordi only made two starts during the 98/99 season and scored two goals. He is now technical director at Barcelona, a club his father Johan Cruyff both played for and managed. Let’s say he never quite lived up to his dad’s name.

Jesper Blomqvist – Civilian/Dancer

Jesper made 38 appearances in this historic season with 29 of them being starts. His most famous start would be in the Champions League final against Bayern. He came close to scoring before being replaced by Teddy Sheringham, and we all know how that went. In 2012 he retired from professional football by focusing on his civilian career in which he initiated studies in commerce. He also won the 2017 series of Let’s Dance on TV4 in Sweden.

Roy Keane – Pundit

We’ve all seen Roy Keane being Roy Keane on Sky Sports and bantering with Micah Richards and Jamie Carragher. Despite never dropping his grumpy tough as nails like character, he is one of the most entertaining pundits on British TV and is never shy on sharing his opinions. With 55 appearances in 1998-99, he was one of the most important players in this season and his midfield persona has become a big part of football today. He has also managed a few English clubs like Sunderland and Ipswich Town and has been assistant at Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and his national side Republic of Ireland but I’m sure he wouldn’t thank me for bringing that up.

Paul Scholes – Salford City Owner/Pundit

There is no bigger gap in football ability to personality than Paul Scholes. What the man may lack in character he more than makes up for in footballing talent. There are very few that has the passing range that Paul does and that’s what made him a critical part in both 98/99 and 07/08 seasons, one of only five players to be part of both squads. Despite his dry persona, he has bagged himself numerous pundit gigs at BT Sport mainly covering European and Premier League games. He is also another former player with stakes in Salford City. The less said about his 31 day reign as Oldham manager the better.

Philip Mulryne – Cork City Priest

Yes, you read that correctly. Having only made 1 appearance for the club and not a single game in the 98/99 season, I would forgive you for not remembering Philip Mulryne. His most prolific time came at Norwich where he recorded 161 appearances for the Canaries. After retiring in 2008, Philip turned to religion and is now Cork City’s priest in Ireland. He was ordained in 2017 and is still a man of the cloth to this day.

Jonathan Greening – Scarborough Athletic Manager

Having made only 7 appearances for United during the season, 4 of them off the bench, Jonathan Greening wasn’t the biggest part of this said history but was still a member of the squad. In historic seasons like this, you need players like Greening who is a backup in case of emergency and going deep in all competitions, Jonathan epitomises the term squad player. He is now manager of Scarborough Athletic who currently play in the Northern Premier League.

Mark Wilson – Regional Director of Youth Coaching

Another player with no minutes in this illustrious season, Mark was a player that United never needed to lean on. He did play 3 games in his 4 year career in Manchester before retiring at Doncaster Rovers in 2013. He now works in the north-east of the United States as a regional director of youth coaching working with the next big “soccer” talents in the US.

Andy Cole – Kidney Research Advocate/Pundit

Half of one of the best strike partnerships world football has ever seen, Andy Cole has had a saddening time since retiring from the game in 2008. Andy has featured as a pundit for Sky on a few occasions but his most notable work post football is in kidney research following his transplant in 2017. He has recently set up the Andy Cole Fund in collaboration with Kidney Research UK with the aim of raising money to enhance research around kidney related issues. He has also been very open in battling with mental health and has often detailed the highs and lows of his life after football. A true inspiration in every sense of the word.

Dwight Yorke – Man United and Trinidad Global Sports Ambassador

One of the biggest success stories to come out of the Caribbean, Dwight Yorke was a menace when on the football pitch. He, along with Cole, was vital in United’s record-breaking season in 99 and has become a club legend off the back of it. Upon retirement, he completed Level B coaching badges before becoming a global sports ambassador for both Man United and Trinidad and Tobago. He is also father to Harvey Price and has worked as a pundit on the odd occasion but he will never top his major influence in footballing history. Legend

Teddy Sheringham – Pundit/Singing Tree

Sheringham’s equaliser in the 1999 Champions League final is one of the most iconic goals in the long and great history of Manchester United and played a bigger part than any in that season. He may not have the most appearances in that season, 27 with 16 coming from the sub bench, but every minute he gave was brilliant. Teddy could have done nothing else his entire career and still be a legend for that goal in added time that kickstarted the comeback of all comebacks. Teddy has kept himself to himself since retirement in 2013 with occasional showings on Sky and BT as a pundit. He is also recognised as “Tree” in the first series of Masked Singer UK where he sang classics like “It Must Be Love” by Madness and “Lovely Day” by Bill Wither before bowing out to “Evergreen” by Will Young. Maybe Teddy can have a word with Nick Culkin.

Erik Nevland – CEO of Viking Stavanger Youth Department

Nevland’s record in the 98/99 season is pretty impressive, scoring 1 goal in his only appearance of the season coming on as a sub. He was one of four Norwegian talents in the squad and has since returned to his old club Viking to work as CEO of their youth setup. The future stars of Viking are getting the invaluable coaching from a player who was part of unprecedented history. For more on Erik Nevland, check out the interview he did for the channel last year.

Alex Notman – Oil and Gas Project Engineer

Notman was actually on loan in 1999 to Aberdeen hence why he didn’t make a single appearance for the club during the season. He then left the club in 2000 before his career was tragically cut short when he injured his ankle blocking a free kick. He now works as a project engineer as a contractor for the oil and gas industry. Bit of a dramatic change Alex.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – Manchester United Manager

I wonder where this guy got to. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has had the most poetic career post 99 and so he should. Ole came off the bench to score the injury time winner in the 99 Champions League final but he wasn’t happy writing one piece of Man United history, he wanted more. After managerial spells at Cardiff City and Molde, Ole was announced as Jose Mourinho’s replacement in 2018 and has since turned the sinking ship around. Despite not having a trophy to show for it as of yet, Ole has reinstalled the Man United DNA back into the club, working closely with youth and coaching attacking back into the squad after Jose drained it out of all their systems. Every single United fan is wishing for success under Ole but this coming season is a make or break for the ‘babyface assassin’.

Sir Alex Ferguson – Man United Consultant

From the current boss to the old boss. “Man United Consultant” seems a bit of an insult to Fergie after the legendary career he led however retirement can’t keep the Scotsman away. After a health scare in 2018, Sir Alex has been recovering and is back to somewhat “normal” health. He still has an influence in and around the club and hopefully he is ready to pass the proverbial torch onto Ole. A documentary detailing his life and career was released on Amazon Prime earlier this year.

Who’s had the most interesting career post 99? Let us know your thoughts down below.