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William
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The
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sky at night UNITED delight!"
www.red11.org DAILY NEWS
Date: Tue May 25 00:19:58 GMT 1999
Mail: barry@www.red11.org
This Issue:
1. Personal FA Cup Final Match Report by RED KELLY
2. United just one game away from European glory
3. Supersonic United on final journey
4. United fans fly in and set up luxury base
5. JOHNSEN - I'LL PLAY ANYWHERE
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
**********************************************
* MANCHESTER UNITED ARE *
* TRIPLE DOUBLE CHAMPIONS *
**********************************************
* *
* 1999 PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS *
* & *
* 1999 F.A. CUP CHAMPIONS *
* *
*** CHAMPIONS *** CHAMPIONS *** CHAMPIONS ***
TWO Trophies - 1 to go!
************ ALL 1999 FA CUP PICS ***************
http://www.red11.org/mufc/images/facupfinal/
*************************************************
www.red11.org CHAMPIONSHIP Sound Archive x 5 ENJOY!!!!
SPECIAL SPECIAL SPECIAL Mp3 "REDS Going to Barcelona" 3megs hifi-sound
Download here: http://www.red11.org/mufc/sound/mp3/99/Barcelona.mp3
+ Players thoughts before the cup final: 134k 2mins
http://www.red11.org/mufc/sound/mp3/99/player_talk__on_cupfinal.rm
MUFC New Single:
For those in the UK, The 1999 Manchester United Football
Squad has released a new single.
It's called Lift It High (Its all about belief).
--------------------------------------
Daily RED Trivia TUESDAY May 25 1999
25/5/1963:
United beat Leicester City 3-1 in the FA Cup Final at Wembley
watched by 100,000. David Herd 2 and Denis Law score the goals
that bring the cup back to Old Trafford for the first time in
15 years. Team was: Gaskell, Dunne, Cantwell, Crerand, Foulkes,
Setters, Giles, Stiles, Quixall, Herd, Law, Charlton.
25/5/1971:
Lee Sharpe born in Halesowen. A winger who could play
elsewhere, he was signed for £185,000 from Torquay United, and
made his debut against West Ham United in September 1988 aged
17. He won a European Cup Winners Cup medal in 1991, and
followed that with a League Cup Winners medal in 1992 and
Premiership medals in 1993,1994 and 1996, together with an FA
Cup Winners medal in 1994. 261 appearances and 36 goals for
United between 1989-96, and caps for England, the first in 1991
when just 18 years old. Sold to Leeds United for £4.5 million
in June 1996.
*********************
Bill's Daily Comment:
*********************
Barry has made it to Barcelona!
I fly out in 4 hours for Manchester, and will meet up with Barry
Wednesday in Barcelona. I leave the Daily News in the capable
hands of our very own MUTV MasterFan Quiz Champion Paul Hinson.
RED KELLY said it best in today's FA Cup Match Report:
"What a season it's been and now it is due to end at the Nou
Camp on Wednesday night. I'll be there, I wish you could be too.
If you can't, be sure that we will drink a drink to you in the
knowledge you will be there in spirit." - RED KELLY
My sentiments exactly. Cheers everyone!
*********************
**** LATEST BARCE NEWS ****
How to be recognised by list members in a crowd THE SIGN IS A HANDKERCHIEF
tied with 4 knots on your head! If you feel like it call out "GUMBI!" [NOT a joke]
MORE..............
MUSCS SA Secretary Ethel Sleith called from SA today
SHE WILL BE IN BARCE! She flies in on Monday afternoon IBERIA IB650 17.15pm
and will be joining us all!!!!
GOOD LUCK REDS WHATEVER HAPPENS!
*** Barry OFF THE NET until SAT 29th ****
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Latest sound interviews in Real Audio here:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/sound/99
Everyone who wants the goal in Real Time Video 300k now thanks to RED CAFE!
http://www.iol.ie/~redcafe/texts/report98/domestic/arse-fa2.htm
FA Cup Semi Final Replay
14 April 1999
Manchester United 2:1 Arsenal (Villa Park)
Download Ryan Giggs Goal! (Real Video: 300K)
--> http://www.iol.ie/~redcafe/real/giggs-goal.ra
Thanks to the Theatre of Dreams
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
MANCHESTER UNITED STATS v ALL teams on the Web
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats.htm
Previous News:
BSKYB Takeover news/pics at http://www.red11.org/mufc/bskyb.htm
Brian Kidd Press conference, pic, real audio
http://www.iol.ie/~redcafe/kidd.htm
Peter Schmeichel's last Season at United!
http://www.red11.org/mufc/news/schmeichel.htm
Next games:
ALL Result/Fixture Index:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/fix9899z.htm
If you would like ALL the final fixtures for
UNITED/Arse/Chelsea then go to http://www.red11.org/mufc/fix9899.htm
Final Games:
May
22 FAC Final Wembley Newcastle (N) Live on Sky Sports UK
26 European Cup Final Bayern Munich Nou Camp
UNITED Stats v All teams:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/
*** FINAL PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AS AT 16/05/99 ***
Pos Team P W D L F A W D L F A GD Pts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Manchester United 38 14 4 1 45 18 8 9 2 35 19 43 79
2 Arsenal 38 14 5 0 34 5 8 7 4 25 12 42 78
3 Chelsea 38 12 6 1 29 13 8 9 2 28 17 27 75
4 Leeds United 38 12 5 2 32 9 6 8 5 30 25 28 67
5 West Ham United 38 11 3 5 32 26 5 6 8 14 27 -7 57
6 Aston Villa 38 10 3 6 33 28 5 7 7 18 18 5 55
7 Liverpool 38 10 5 4 44 24 5 4 10 24 25 19 54
8 Derby County 38 8 7 4 22 19 5 6 8 18 26 -5 52
9 Middlesbrough 38 7 9 3 25 18 5 6 8 23 36 -6 51
10 Leicester City 38 7 6 6 25 25 5 7 7 15 21 -6 49
11 Tottenham Hotspur 38 7 7 5 28 26 4 7 8 19 24 -3 47
12 Sheffield Wednesday 38 7 5 7 20 15 6 2 11 21 27 -1 46
13 Newcastle United 38 7 6 6 26 25 4 7 8 22 29 -6 46
14 Everton 38 6 8 5 22 12 5 2 12 20 35 -5 43
15 Coventry City 38 8 6 5 26 21 3 3 13 13 30 -12 42
16 Wimbledon 38 7 7 5 22 21 3 5 11 18 42 -23 42
17 Southampton 38 9 4 6 29 26 2 4 13 8 38 -27 41
18 Charlton Athletic 38 4 7 8 20 20 4 5 10 21 36 -15 36
19 Blackburn Rovers 38 6 5 8 21 24 1 9 9 17 28 -14 35
20 Nottingham Forest 38 3 7 9 18 31 4 2 13 17 38 -34 30
*** TEAM RESULTS - MANCHESTER UNITED - AS AT 05/05/99 ***
Date Opposition Score Pos. Attend.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
15/08/98 Leicester City Home D 2-2 11 55,052
22/08/98 West Ham United Away D 0-0 11 26,039
09/09/98 Charlton Athletic Home W 4-1 9 55,147
12/09/98 Coventry City Home W 2-0 5 55,193
20/09/98 Arsenal Away L 0-3 10 38,142
24/09/98 Liverpool Home W 2-0 3 55,181
03/10/98 Southampton Away W 3-0 2 15,251
17/10/98 Wimbledon Home W 5-1 2 55,265
24/10/98 Derby County Away D 1-1 2 30,867
31/10/98 Everton Away W 4-1 2 40,079
08/11/98 Newcastle United Home D 0-0 3 55,174
14/11/98 Blackburn Rovers Home W 3-2 2 55,198
21/11/98 Sheffield Wednesday Away L 1-3 2 39,475
29/11/98 Leeds United Home W 3-2 2 55,172
05/12/98 Aston Villa Away D 1-1 2 39,241
12/12/98 Tottenham Hotspur Away D 2-2 1 36,079
16/12/98 Chelsea Home D 1-1 2 55,159
19/12/98 Middlesbrough Home L 2-3 3 55,152
26/12/98 Nottingham Forest Home W 3-0 3 55,216
29/12/98 Chelsea Away D 0-0 3 34,741
10/01/99 West Ham United Home W 4-1 3 55,180
16/01/99 Leicester City Away W 6-2 2 22,091
31/01/99 Charlton Athletic Away W 1-0 1 20,043
03/02/99 Derby County Home W 1-0 1 55,174
06/02/99 Nottingham Forest Away W 8-1 1 30,025
17/02/99 Arsenal Home D 1-1 1 55,171
20/02/99 Coventry City Away W 1-0 1 22,596
27/02/99 Southampton Home W 2-1 1 55,316
13/03/99 Newcastle United Away W 2-1 1 36,500
21/03/99 Everton Home W 3-1 1 55,182
03/04/99 Wimbledon Away D 1-1 1 26,121
17/04/99 Sheffield Wednesday Home W 3-0 1 55,270
25/04/99 Leeds United Away D 1-1 2 40,255
01/05/99 Aston Villa Home W 2-1 1 55,189
05/05/99 Liverpool Away D 2-2 2 44,702
09/05/99 Middlesbrough Away W 1-0 1 34,665
12/05/99 Blackburn Away D 0-0 1 30,436
16/05/99 Tottenham Hotspur Home W 2-1 1 55,189
*** TEAM STATISTICS - MANCHESTER UNITED - 1998/9
AVERAGE HOME ATTENDANCE: 55,188
HIGHEST HOME ATTENDANCE: 27/02/99 - Southampton (55,316)
LOWEST HOME ATTENDANCE: 15/08/98 - Leicester City (55,052)
BEST WIN: 06/02/99 - Nottingham Forest (8-1)
HEAVIEST DEFEAT: 20/09/98 - Arsenal (0-3)
BEST HOME WIN: 17/10/98 - Wimbledon (5-1)
HEAVIEST HOME DEFEAT: 19/12/98 - Middlesbrough (2-3)
BEST AWAY WIN: 06/02/99 - Nottingham Forest (8-1)
HEAVIEST AWAY DEFEAT: 20/09/98 - Arsenal (0-3)*****
Champions League:
Group D P W D L F A Pts
Bayern Munich 6 3 2 1 9 6 11
Man United 6 2 4 0 20 11 10
Barcelona 6 2 2 2 11 9 8
Brondby 6 1 0 5 4 18 3
Dec 9 Brøndby 0-2 Barcelona
Dec 9 Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich
******
CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE QUARTER-FINALS
Manchester Utd 2 v 0 Inter Milan
Real Madrid 1 v 1 Dynamo Kiev
Juventus 2 v 1 Olympiakos
Bayern Munich 2 v 0 Kaiserslautern
**DYNAMO KIEV 2 v 0 REAL MADRID (Agg:3-1)
FC KAISERSLAUTERN 0 v 4 **BAYERN MUNICH (Agg:0-6)
INTERNAZIONALE FC 1 v 1 **MANCHESTER UNITED (Agg:1-3)
OLYMPIAKOS 1 v 1 **JUVENTUS (Agg:2-3)
Semi Finals
Manchester United v Juventus 4-3agg 3-2 [1-1]
Bayern Munchen v Dynamo Kiev 4-3agg 1-0 [3-3]
UEFA Champions League Final MANCHESTER UNITED v BAYERN MUNICH
Venue Camp Nou (Estadi FC Barcelona), Barcelona, Spain
Date Wednesday 26 May 1999 Kick-Off 20.45 CET (19.45 GMT)
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
CONGRATS to REDS ALL over the world.
PREMIER LEAGUE & FA CUP CHAMPIONS 1999!
Subject: Personal FA Cup Final Match Report by RED KELLY
Here a stripe, there a stripe, everywhere a stripe-stripe
- Personal FA Cup Final Report by RED KELLY
In May of 1977 I took myself down to Wembley. A game against the
scousers was not to be missed. I had no ticket as I didn't
possess enough tokens even though I regularly travelled to Old
Trafford from Preston where I lived at that time. Naturally
everyone told me I had no chance of getting a ticket so should
save myself the trouble. But I had never been to an FA Cup Final
before and was determined to go to this one.
But I did get a ticket that day and sat in the sunshine on the
third row just to the right of the Royal box. The FA Cup has
always been special to me from the very first game I ever saw on
TV, the '57 Final, to the present day. I came away from that
treble busting game in 1977 with a suntan and a grin as wide as
Wembley Way. Yesterday I came away with a grin as wide as
Wembley Way and a suntan too!
I was picked up at around 10am and driven to Wembley at the
speed of light. How did it only take us an hour and a quarter to
travel the 90 odd miles and negotiate the North Circular Road as
well you may ask. If you could have seen my white knuckles I'm
sure they would have told the story. Apparently it was
imperative to get there early to allow the tension of the
journey to be released before kick-off. I don't know whether
I've missed something here but maybe we should have driven a
little slower and then the tension within us wouldn't have been
at the heart stopping level and so we wouldn't have needed so
much time to get over it. There's a simple equation there but
our driver hadn't quite twigged it!
Anyway I'd arranged to meet the Boston Red between the towers at
midday to help him try and secure a ticket. It turned out he'd
already done so with the help of a few list members, myself
included. The New York branch had phoned a well known
Californian Red to say there may well be a ticket spare. He then
phoned Fish, that well known Red from Vancouver Island, who
phoned me with the hotel where the New York Reds would be
staying. I then phoned Sean, who phoned the hotel and secured
the ticket! Networking of the highest order.
I did get my reward though and was given a T-shirt to signify my
honourary membership of the Boston Reds. Maybe I'll get to watch
a game with you guys at the Plough and the Stars and if so,
maybe the next day one of you would administer a hangover cure!
All that remained for us to do was to wait by entrance J for
someone wearing a T-shirt which stated "Soccer for Life".
Neither of us knew who this person was or what they looked like,
the only thing we had to go on was the T-shirt. So we waited and
waited. We really wanted to get off to the Torch for the usual
pre-match ritual but the ticket was far too important for that.
Then Boylie arrived saying the Torch had fallen to the Geordies
and the Dibble had moved United on. The Mags had got there first
and as the saying goes - finders keepers. I tried not to let
superstition get the better of me and wandered off in search of
the missing T-shirt wearer leaving Sean hopping nervously from
foot to foot outside J.
Boylie was doing his best to whip up some atmosphere and by the
time I came back he'd succeeded. The noise from that part of the
ground outside the turnstiles was testament to the songster. But
the T-shirt wearer hadn't arrived at the appointed time and the
nerves were beginning to show. There's only one answer in these
circumstances - beer, so off I went up Wembley Way towards the
Torch where there are a couple of Off Licenses.
The whole place seemed to be full of barcodes in rasta wigs,
they were everywhere, to such an extent I wondered if any United
had turned up. Halfway along I came across the T-shirt. At
bloody last I thought and asked the wearer if he had a ticket
for the Boston Red. He looked at me incredulously and when he
spoke it became clear that this was not the New Yorker I had
expected, but a Manc. Mistaken identity. I hoped there wasn't
going to be a rash of these bloody T-shirts about or things
could become rather embarrassing.
Onward to the Offy I went dodging the barcodes. They were
singing their hearts out but I couldn't understand a word they
were on about so it mattered little to me. It mattered a lot to
them though and as I was only one Red on my own in amongst many
Mags they were getting agitated that their words were having no
effect. To be honest I couldn't have cared less, I'd not stopped
smiling since Sunday anyway and they certainly weren't going to
stop me then.
The sight of so many stripes was making me dizzy though. I used
to get the same effect looking at Bridget Riley's Op Art
paintings but realised the solution - don't go to any Bridget
Riley exhibitions and the problem ceases to exist. This was a
slightly different problem, there was no way I could get away
from the bloody stripes. Standing above the steps as they came
pouring out of the tube station was unbelievable. Good job they
didn't all walk sideways, wave after wave of undulating black
and white stripes, it's enough to make anyone feel nauseous.
Nearly every single one of them wore the shirt in fact anyone
who didn't must have been branded an interloper. Thank god we're
not playing Juve on Wednesday, I don't think I could stand it -
I'm all striped out.
It was like being at a clowns convention on open day. There were
groups dressed as Elvis Presleys, groups dressed as Arabs in
long black and white stripped night gowns, black and white
stripes with black and white checked trousers. I mean what were
these people on for god's sake.
I finally made the Offy, purchased some cans and set off back
again. At least I had a beer or two to keep me company on the
way back and I can assure you that by the time I returned to
young Hennessey there was only the one can left. It was enough
though! The ticket had arrived and the smile which had spread
over his face told me before he opened his mouth to let out the
words. Why open your mouth to speak when you can be pouring beer
down your throat anyway!
After a brief search for Fish and his flag at the main gates
where we had made tentative arrangements to meet around 2
o'clock we decided to get in the ground early. It was around
2.30 by the time I made it down to my seat after a brief
encounter with a very upbeat Barney and an even more upbeat Tony
Smith. Now that was a worry, Tony isn't usually one for optimism
I thought - so what's got into him then!
I don't think I've ever been to Wembley, except that first time,
and stayed in my own allocated seat and yesterday was no
exception. Down at the front I spotted the BDS and in front of
him (thankfully not behind him) were Linda and Ian. Later we
were joined by Pat Jennings and also Tony.
Wembley was bathed in sunshine and say what you like about the
facilities and the prices on offer but we were there where
thousands crave to be. I have to say though that if it was your
first visit then you'd be forgiven for thinking the stadium was
called AXA because the sponsors signs were everywhere. I get
sick of this sponsor overkill, why can't it be more understated?
After "Abide With Me" there were explosions at the other end and
I looked up expecting to see the barcodes blown apart into
chequered ticker tape, but those bloody sponsors had set off a
line of fireworks to welcome the teams. Do they have to do this?
Shouldn't the two teams be allowed a dignified entrance onto the
Wembley pitch as of old. Are all aspects of tradition now deemed
old hat? Normally we'd see the entrance, but yesterday we could
see zilch apart from palls of smoke billowing up and darkening
the otherwise blue sky.
Anthems over, Charlie comes out to ask which teams are playing
and, "aren't there supposed to be horses and mints with holes?"
What was he doing there anyway?
My first real sight of the team was when they came down our end.
It didn't seem to matter who was or wasn't playing. The Wizard
had made his rotation policy work so why should we care anymore.
So it was Ole and Andy up front with Superstar and Ronny at the
back. No Nicky, but we had Roy so no worries. Oh really!
The oh really lasted a mere few minutes and as Captain Keano
hobbled off the pitch and Teddy ran on we wondered - just a
little, but we really did wonder. The Geordies had started like
Palace did in 1990 - very hard, but within a couple of minutes
we were one up. Actually from where we were behind the goal
anything could have happened. We only knew it was a goal because
everyone told us so and so we were happy, to put it mildly. We
were well into the singing anyway and would have celebrated
anything, but a goal was more than welcome.
We were so far away from the other goal and with so many black
and white stripes at their end I was getting disorientated. Were
we at a football match or about to be charged by a gigantic herd
of zebras on the Serengeti. Whatever it was confusing but I was
gradually getting used to it.
We were belting out the songs by now. My favourite of the day
had to be "cheer up Alan Shearer, oh what can it mean, to a sad
Geordie bastard and a shite football team." Shearer came in for
more than his share of baiting as the greedy ineffectual big
headed t**t made no impression on his big day at all. "David May
Superstar, got more medals than Shearer" eat your heart out you
greedy bastard. I like this man a lot as you can tell - the
boring bean-feasting fart.
For long periods United shut the game down and the Mags had no
answer. Only once did they raise an eyebrow or two and cause
Linda to look back and wipe her brow. But we were fairly
comfortable at half time and Keano's injury had unwittingly
sparked the performance of the day from Sheringham.
I can't say I was Teddy's biggest fan at first, but over the
last few weeks I've come to accept him as one of our own and
after yesterday he can have the freedom of Manchester as far as
I'm concerned. I never thought I'd ever say Teddy Sheringham was
my man of the match, but he was.
Peter said his goodbyes to us for the last time on English soil
as he left his goal and I have to say it brought a lump to my
throat as I saw him walk away.
Half time and another trek to the toilets was in order and on
the way I bumped into a friend who had only just been allowed
back into the ground after chinning a Mag. Apparently there were
mitigating circumstances like he was in our end and mouthing
off, but he was lucky to be back and busy searching for his
mates!
A quick chat with the lap dancer and a few other mates and it
was back outside just as the teams re-appeared for the second
half. Drunken was on which was no surprise. So that would test
Superstar and Ronaldo and prepare them for the German
bombardment which is coming our way on Wednesday. No need for
concern - they coped with him exceptionally well.
Newcastle started the second half as they began the first, it
was all action down the other end. I was glad we couldn't see
very well as it seemed to be rather too frantic for my liking.
The Geordies had found their voices again after a half-time beer
and they even rivalled our singing for a short while, but
thankfully we soon shut them up when Ole won the ball on the
edge of the box to our left, slipped it to Teddy who laid it
back to Scholsey and it was 2-0.
This time we all knew it was enough and pandemonium ensued. The
stewards came and stood close by and watched in amazement as we
went absolutely mad. The looks on their faces were a picture as
they seemed to enjoy the moment nearly as much as we did. I was
grateful that I was standing on the third row with BDS in front
of me as Pat made a beeline for the big man and planted a
smacker on him - ooooooh nasty! I was merely engulfed by the two
blokes either side of me!
In truth we could have been celebrating more goals with Teddy's
audacious chip the best and closest effort. It was the
culmination of a class move - one of the many class moves of
that second half. The Geordies did come mighty close though as
they rallied in the last ten minutes. I thought Superstar had
cleared off the line but they'd hit the post and there followed
a couple of other chances when our hearts were briefly tickling
our tonsils.
But the match was ours and the triple double ours too and hardly
ever did the smiles leave our faces all day. The lads grouped
together and formed a circle in the centre of the pitch and with
their arms around each other they danced a jig of delight. Team
spirit is a wonderful thing and United have it in abundance -
that is plain for all to see.
Give the Mags their due, they clapped Keano as he held the Cup
aloft and many stayed to clap United on their lap of honour. The
Newcastle team dared not to come round to our end though, but if
they had they'd have been clapped as well - oh ye Toons of
little faith.
I remember that last time, in '96, the lads were prevented from
breaking through the over zealous cordon of stewards who barred
their way from the pitch, but this time they got through and
came round to see us. I'm glad they did so that we could see the
joy etched into their faces and they could the joy in ours. It's
a moment that I never tire of, the Cup held aloft and us
standing there with huge grins applauding our heroes. I could
have stayed there forever.
The other end was almost empty as Becks left the pitch cradling
the Cup as affectionately as he would his baby son. And those
who were left applauded him too. We said our goodbyes to each
other with promises to meet in Barca and there was a special hug
for Linda as she knows as much as I do that it doesn't get any
better than this.
We have travelled a long and sometimes very hard road to get to
where we are now. Our support has never wavered and now we are
reaping the rewards. One man has brought us to this point. One
man has instigated everything you are now privileged to witness.
The one man who danced in front of us after the team had passed,
waving his arms in the air and grinning as widely as we were.
Alex Ferguson you are a Wizard indeed.
So on to the final chapter of an amazing season. Never in my
wildest dreams did I expect to be sitting here typing such
words. Nearly every record has already been broken with style,
class and sheer grit. What a season it's been and now it is due
to end at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night. I'll be there, I wish
you could be too. If you can't, be sure that we will drink a
drink to you in the knowledge you will be there in spirit.
Copyright RED KELLY 1999
CONGRATS to REDS ALL over the world.
PREMIER LEAGUE & FA CUP CHAMPIONS 1999!
Subject: United just one game away from European glory
By Mike Collett
LONDON, May 24 - The match Manchester United have been
waiting 31 years to play finally takes place on Wednesday night.
It happens to be in Barcelona against Bayern Munich but it could have been at any
venue against any team.
The most relevant aspect to Manchester United is that the game is the European
Cup Final with the biggest prize in club soccer at stake.
Everything that manager Alex Ferguson has worked for in almost 13 years at Old
Trafford has been geared to realising his greatest dream -- winning the European
Cup.
Now, after clinching the English Cup and League double on Saturday for the third
time in six seasons with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United in the F.A. Cup Final at
Wembley Stadium, Ferguson can emulate Sir Matt Busby and achieve his life's
ambition of seeing his club crowned champions of Europe.
Although Ferguson has far surpassed the achievements of Busby in terms of
winning domestic trophies, he knows that to be immortalised alongside him, winning
the European Cup is essential.
The fact the game is being played on the 90th anniversary of Busby's birth is only
one of the many ingredients that make United hope and pray that this will finally be
their year.
United fly to Barcelona unbeaten in their last 32 matches since December 19 and
on the verge of reaching the summit of European soccer for the first time since
1968.
Then, a Busby team created out of the wreckage of the Munich air disaster 10 years
previously beat Benfica of Portugal 4-1 at Wembley Stadium to become the first
English club to be crowned European champions.
The European Cup has eluded United ever since, and although they have been close
in the past, Wednesday's match wraps up the past, the present and the future for
United.
The fact it is against a team from Munich, the city that tragically inspired United to
regard the European Cup as a Holy Grail is lost on no-one.
"In many ways we are already the biggest club in Europe, but to prove that
conclusively we have to win the European Cup," Ferguson says.
"There's no argument about that. We have proved we are the best team in England,
now we want to show that we are the top club in Europe, both off and on the field."
United are not going to find that easy to do.
While they have been utterly imperious in both domestic competitions this season
winning the double for the third time in six seasons on Saturday, they have found
sterner tests along the way in the Champions League.
Drawn against Bayern Munich in the group stages of the competition they drew 2-2
with Bayern in Germany on September 30 after goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel made
a last-minute mistake to concede a goal and then drew 1-1 with them at Old Trafford
on December 9.
In all they have played 12 matches in Europe this season, winning five and drawing
seven.
The German champions will be just as determined to emulate their great team of the
past which won three European Cups between 1974 and 1976 and are just as
physically tough and mentally attuned as United.
United's great strength this season has been their attack with the partnership of
Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole scoring 53 goals between them, many of those
created by David Beckham whose form has got better and better as the season has
gone on.
In all United have scored 126 goals this season, but while the attack is lethal, the
defence is still not the rock-solid foundation that so many successful teams are
built upon.
The arrival of Jaap Stam for a world record fee for a defender of 10.0 million pounds
last summer -- and the rejuvenated form of the departing Peter Schmeichel in goal,
has still provided a tough enough obstacle for most teams.
"I can understand why people talk about destiny this season," Ferguson said this
week.
"It is Sir Matt Busby'ss birthday on the day of the European Cup final and we are
playing Bayern Munich, the team that reminds us of the tragdy of 1958.
"There are a lot of coincidences and I hope they all have a meaning when it is over."
It took Busby 12 seasons from United's first appearance in Europe in 1956-57 until
he won the European Cup in 1968.
Not including 1986-87 as a complete season as he only arrived in the November,
Ferguson is about to complete his 12th season in charge of United. There would be
no better time to win it.
CONGRATS to REDS ALL over the world.
PREMIER LEAGUE & FA CUP CHAMPIONS 1999!
Subject: Supersonic United on final journey
United will be hoping to celebrate another triumph on Wednesday
The Manchester United team flew out to Spain on
Concorde on Monday ahead of their European Cup final
with Bayern Munich in Barcelona in the knowledge that
their fans are not far behind.
Thirty thousand supporters, flying on over 200 different
charter planes, costing something in the region of £10m,
are also preparing for the journey.
Their team, who are one match away from winning an
unprecedented treble after securing the Premiership title
and the FA Cup, will be strengthened by the presence of
Dutch defender Jaap Stam, who has recovered from an
Achiles injury.
Teddy Sheringham, the FA Cup final matchwinner, has
already prepared himself for the fact that he will have to
settle for a place on the bench despite his performance
at Wembley.
Odds-on
The bookmakers tend to believe that United will be
strong enough with or without Sheringham, as they are
now odds-on to win the biggest prize in European club
football for the first time in 31 years.
Ladbrokes are expecting to pay out "millions" if United
win and complete the Treble.
"It is an historic game and it could be bad news for us if
United do complete the Treble which has been quite well
backed - not with big bets but the odds at the start of the
season were 80-1 so we will pay out plenty of money if
United win," said spokesman Sean Boyce.
"It is very difficult to say how much but it is safe to say
that the pay-out may run into millions of pounds.
Professional
A very professional Bayern side awaits United at the Nou
Camp stadium, a team that have also won the German
equivalent of the league and cup double.
And United will be without captain Roy Keane and Paul
Scholes, scorer of the second goal at Wembley, as both
players are suspended.
In Keane's absence, Peter Schmeichel will wear the
skipper's armband in his last game for the club.
Italian official Pierluigi Collina has been named as the
referee.
The 39-year-old, famed for his bald head, was the same
official that sent off England's Paul Ince during the Euro
2000 qualifier between England and Sweden in
Stockholm.
CONGRATS to REDS ALL over the world.
PREMIER LEAGUE & FA CUP CHAMPIONS 1999!
Subject: United fans fly in and set up luxury base
By Timothy Collings
SITGES, Spain, May 24 -- Manchester United's army of
supporters began to arrive in the Spanish resort of Sitges ahead of their team on
Monday as local Catalan fans celebrated their own club's Spanish title success.
Hundreds of English fans, bedecked in flags, red shirts and scarves, flew in to
Barcelona international airport to a warm welcome before heading down the coast to
relax before Wednesday's European Cup final between United and Bayern Munich.
There were many large groups of supporters and families in the streets of old Sitges
and on the sea front, enjoying a warm sunny day without any signs of trouble. There
are also many German families and fans holidaying in the same resort.
The Manchester United squad, fresh from winning the F.A. Cup on Saturday and
completing their third English 'double' in six seasons, arrived in a British Airways
Concorde, a gesture of appreciation and gratitude from the national airline for the
club's outstanding feats this season.
The squad is staying in a modern luxury hotel development on the northern fringes
of this old resort town, a former fishing port south of Barcelona. "They have arrived
safely and they are in their rooms resting," a hotel receptionist said.
The complex includes a full-size football pitch and good training facilities.
Many of United's fans said they had chosen to stay in Sitges because it offered
them a chance to be near the team and also to extend their trip into a holiday by
the sea.
One fan, Carrie, said: "I plan just one night in Barcelona to see the sights and all
that and then to soak up the sunshine. It is a very expensive season for us United
fans this year because there are so many away games to go to."
Most said they had tickets for the match, although several said they planned to buy
them in the city. "It's a big stadium and there will be plenty of tickets to go round,"
one fan said. "It's not a problem for us."
Security worries were, however, a problem for the local police and security forces
concerned that tickets intended to be sold to neutrals would fall into the hands of
both United and Bayern supporters who would then not be segregated.
Ticket touts could be heard approaching supporters in the arrival hall of the airport
and in the rental car parking area during the day but most fans flying to the Catalan
capital had bought tickets in advance.
United's happy fans were given a warm welcome not only because of their own
successes but also because Barcelona's supporters had seen their team clinch the
Spanish league title on Saturday.
The Barcelona squad paraded through the city on Monday afternoon and evening as
their fans, enjoying a public holiday, swept them along in a tide of festivities.
CONGRATS to REDS ALL over the world.
PREMIER LEAGUE & FA CUP CHAMPIONS 1999!
Subject: JOHNSEN - I'LL PLAY ANYWHERE
Ronny Johnsen is on standby to answer
Alex Ferguson's midfield SOS call for
the Champions' Cup Final.
United boss Ferguson must conduct
major surgery on the heart of his
side after losing Paul Scholes and
Roy Keane through suspension.
Nicky Butt should fill one of the
central midfield berths - and he sat
out Saturday's FA Cup Final win over
Newcastle to leave him fresh for the
showdown with Bayern Munich.
Phil Neville, David Beckham or even
Ryan Giggs could play alongside him,
but Johnsen is expected to step up
from defence for the Barcelona
showpiece.
Johnsen admits the bans for Keane and
Scholes will leave a gaping hole in
midfield, but he does not know where
he will play.
Johnsen said: "It is a huge loss not
having Keane and Scholes in there. I
don't know what the gaffer is
thinking for the Champions' League
Final.
"I have played in midfield before,
but he also has Phil Neville. I've
played in the back four now for quite
a while, and it must be about three
years.
"But I will play wherever the gaffer
wants me to. I will try to do a good
job in whatever position I'm asked to
play, and I will always try my best."
CONGRATS to REDS ALL over the world.
PREMIER LEAGUE & FA CUP CHAMPIONS 1999!
Pic Link today is http://www.red11.org/mufc/images/99/facupfinal/
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