Meet Jonathan Greening, a member of Manchester United’s 1999 treble-winning squad, who is now managing in non-league football.
The 1999 treble squad will go down as one of the best teams to ever grace the beautiful game. A plethora of insane players including David Beckham, Peter Schmeichel, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ryan Giggs and… Jonathan Greening?
Although not one of the most memorable members, Greening did feature in that historic season, making his debut for the Red Devils and was even an unused substitute for the Champions League final against Bayern Munich.
His footballing experience now at 44 is a world away from this madness. Let’s take a look at the story of Jonathan Greening.
The trial that changed everything
Greening started his career at York City, joining the youth ranks at the age of 15. He broke into the first team towards the end of the 1996–97 season, making his debut as a substitute in a 1–1 draw away to Bournemouth.
The very next year, Greening was offered a four-day trial with Manchester United – which went very successfully. This resulted in Sir Alex Ferguson acquiring his services from York for an initial fee of £500,000, which actually rose to a whopping £2 million.
You can’t get many better first seasons at a club than Greening. United famously pulled off the first-ever domestic treble, winning the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Champions League.
The Champions League win was the most dramatic of all, with Greening watching from the sidelines as an unused substitute as chaos unfolded in Barcelona.
Feeling like a fraud
Despite the monumental achievement, Greening didn’t feel too elated about winning the treble at the club.
He later admitted that he “felt a bit of a fraud” for picking up his winner’s medal, having not played a single minute of European football that season.
He did make a contribution to their victorious FA Cup campaign, coming on as a substitute in the fifth-round tie with future club Fulham – so at least he can safely say he deserves that one.
Remarkably due to the little time he played, the club offered him another contract, however after a severe lack of game time in 2021 – Greening decided it was time to leave Manchester for a new footballing venture.
Football elsewhere…
Greening did have a decent career elsewhere, spending three years at Middlesbrough and then having a brief spell at West Brom, Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley.
In the latter stages of his career, he returned to his boyhood club – York. He then moved to non-league side Tadcaster Albion, where he spent two years before eventually retiring in 2017.
Non-league management!
After a taste of non-league football at Tadcaster, he decided that’s where he wanted to start his managerial career.
Greening stepped into management midway through the 2021/22 season, joining hometown club Scarborough Athletic. He had an unbelievable start to his new career, guiding the club to promotion to the National League North.
His second season at the helm was also great with an agonizing end. He won the Manager of the Month award once and led his team to seventh place, which was painful as Scarborough missed out on the playoffs due to an inferior goal difference.
Now a new season beckons, with Greening more ready than ever to tackle whatever comes at him in his new home – the Flamingo Land stadium.
It’s hardly the Nou Camp, but at least Greening genuinely feels a part of this project. We wish him the best of luck throughout the entirety of his managerial career!
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