CANARIES OPEN TO CAMERON OFFERS
IT is a great pub quiz question. Who put Manchester United out of the FA Cup in 1999-2000? United maintain it was the Government, although history books record they withdrew from the competition. As Champions League winners, they were invited to be in FIFA’s inaugural Club World Championship in Brazil in January 2000. The Reds were also representing UEFA in the Inter-Continental Cup against South American champions Palmeiras that November and felt they could not combine these extra games with the FA Cup. Pulling out of the cup sparked outrage, and Mirror Sport led a campaign to persuade them to change their minds, claiming they had devalued the world’s oldest competition.
United felt they were put under unfair political pressure by Sports Minister Tony Banks and the FA. England were campaigning to host the 2006 World Cup, and United chairman Martin Edwards claimed they were told the FA’s bid would be damaged if they did not go to Brazil.
“It was put to us that if Manchester United did not compete in the tournament in Brazil it would severely damage the chances of England winning the 2006 World Cup bid,” he said.
“It was purely on that basis that we withdrew from the FA Cup and agreed to play in Brazil.
“It was made quite plain to us that it would severely KEVIN PHILLIPS has no problem identifying the best goal of his prolific Golden Boot season.
“It’s the dipping volley against Chelsea from 25 yards,” he says. “Only it has become 40 yards over the years.”
It was a spectacular strike in a 4-1 demolition of Chelsea. But there is no need to exaggerate Phillips’ phenomenal 1999-2000 season.
He had joined Sunderland for £325,000 aged 24, from
AFTER 14 years in the top flight of English football Wimbledon were relegated. It was 12 years to the day from their greatest achievement in beating Liverpool at Wembley to lift the FA Cup. ROY KEANE was presented with the players’ and the football writers’ awards to prove he was the Premier League’s star man. enhance the chances of the 2006 World Cup bid if we played in Brazil. It was put even stronger than that – that we could jeopardise England’s chances if we didn’t.” There was a silver lining for Quinton Fortune, signed that summer from Atletico Madrid. “It was sad we could not compete in the FA Cup, but to play in Brazil in the Maracana was a dream come true for me,” said the South African. United were left to wonder if it was all worth it. They exited the Club World Championship at the group stage and England lost out to Germany for the right to stage the 2006 World Cup. THE Christmas No.1 in 1999 – the final one of the 20th century – was Westlife’s double A-side “I Have a Dream/Seasons in the Sun.” Watford, a fee which represents, even now, their best bit of Premier League business.
He scored 35 goals in his debut season, then 25 in helping Peter Reid’s men to the Division One title.
Then came his top-flight heroics, including that spectacular strike in December at the Stadium of Light.
Phillips (above) finished on 30 goals in 36 games, seven ahead of Alan Shearer, the man whose boots he used to clean as a Southampton apprentice. SIR STANLEY MATTHEWS, one of the greatest English players ever, died on February 23, 2000. He was 85.
He is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, and was the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year awards.
He amassed 697 appearances at Stoke and Blackpool, and was still playing for Stoke in 1965 at the age of 50.
DAVID BECKHAM’S high-profile marriage to Victoria was already a source of many embarrassing terrace chants.
After Victoria’s appearance on Channel 4’s Big Breakfast show in January 2000, the situation got a whole lot worse for David – the Spice Girls singer (right) admitted: “He likes to borrow my knickers.”
She immediately backtracked, claiming it was a joke, but when pressed by presenter Johnny Vaughan, she admitted the United and England star liked to wear her skimpy undies.
Asked if they were baggy knickers or thongs, she whispered: “Thongs.” NORWICH will listen to offers for striker Cameron Jerome as they continue to slash their budget. Canaries sporting director Stuart Webber will allow Jerome (left) to go if they get a big bid, with Sunderland and Middlesbrough keen.