Teddy Sheringham a United Legend? There are some who will doubt his elevation to the hall of Legends but not at this website. Teddy was the player every United-hater made fun of in his first year. Having came to United to win trophies he ended up with nothing in his first season. The cruel terrace chant became “Oh Teddy Teddy, you joined Man United and you won f**k all”.
Even the United fans had doubts about him, after all he was bought to replace the greatest idol in the club’s history, Eric Cantona and had not delivered the goods. However, Sheringham silenced his critics, showing them how wrong they were – and the United fans loved him for it. After the failure of the first year Teddy was able to put an end to the terrace taunt that followed his every appearance.
Finally he was a winner and what a winner. Premier League, FA Cup and European Cup medals all in the one magnificent season, and scoring that vital equaliser in the Nou Camp. Then, another title the following year before his best season yet in 2000-2001 when he was top scorer and double Player of the Year. So, the song now goes: “Oh Teddy Teddy, you joined Man United and you won it all”.
Sheringham’s intelligent passing and creativity made him a highly dangerous player who could find the key to unlock opposition defences. His impact on games where he came on as substitute was noticeable as he gave United an extra set of attacking options. The key to his abilities were great vision, his unselfish intelligent passing and excellent off-the-ball movement. While Sheringham’s aerial power gave the United attack a threat that it lacks with Cole, Yorke and Solskjaer. It seems his skills have not diminished with age. His game was never about pace, his main asset was always quick thinking and intelligence. Teddy’s creative skills up front, improved with age like a vintage wine.
Sheringham began his career with Millwall as an apprentice and after playing 220 league appearances for Millwall, scoring 93 goals, he was bought by Nottingham Forest in 1991 where he came to prominence. Whilst at Forest he played with a young Roy Keane but at the end of his first full season at the City Ground, Sheringham was sold to Tottenham Hotspur for £2.1 million. At Spurs he became a hero, making 166 League appearances and scoring 76 League goals. By then, a full international, Sheringham played an important part in England’s success in Euro 96 as regular strike partner for Alan Shearer.
However, concerned that at the age of 31 he had yet to win a major trophy, he asked for a transfer in the summer of 1997 and it was shock when he bought by Manchester United in the summer of 1997 for £3.5 million. He made his debut for United, ironically at White Hart Lane, against his old club Spurs. His season, after a good start began to falter after January and United finished pot-less to Arsenal who won the double. Sheringham was something of a scapegoat, constantly compared to the legendary Cantona while Arsenal fans loved to mock the ex-Spurs man’s failure.
After being overshadowed by the Yorke-Cole strike partnership for most of the 1998-99 season, Teddy Sheringham came good at the end of the season. Sheringham’s role in United’s treble of 1998-99 was considerable. He scored the opening goal in the FA Cup Final win over Newcastle and the last minute equaliser against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final. Not only that but he also set up Solskjaer’s winner with a header. While many had written him off he still had highly impressive performances against Juventus, Arsenal (the FA Cup Replay) Sheffield Wednesday and Bayern.
The 1999-2000 season saw Teddy in much the same role as a super-sub but he still made a valuable contribution scoring vital goals against Sheffield Wednesday and Arsenal (which shut up the taunting Gooners fans). The 2000-2001 season was undoubtedly Sheringham’s best at the club. He was top scorer with 21 goals and instrumental in guiding the club to the Premier League title. The best moments must be: A hat-trick of great goals against Southampton, the crucial winner at home to Dynamo Kiev, a brace away to Leicester, a pair at home to Bradford, the winner at home to Middlesbrough, the last minute FA Cup winner at Fulham and the sixth goal in the 6-1 rout of Arsenal. Dwight Yorke was now the one to make way for Teddy, a reversal of the situation two years ago.
His excellent form saw a return to the England scene and Sheringham also won a personal trophy double as he won both the PFA and Football Writers’ Player of the Year awards in May. At 35 he decided that perhaps he had reached his peak at United and it would be all downhill from then on. Sheringham returned back to the less intense environment of Tottenham on a free transfer in May 2001 and later to newly promoted Portsmouth in June 2003.
When Teddy returns to Old Trafford he always gets a great reception, we’ll never forget that goal in the Nou Camp when our Treble dreams where rescued so dramatically. Teddy Sheringham came to Man United and won it all, but he also won the respect of everybody in the world of football.
