What Sir Alex Ferguson did after Man Utd’s historic treble win proved he was on a ‘totally different level’

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Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke has revealed exactly why Sir Alex Ferguson was on a “totally different level” after the club’s historic treble-winning season.

Ferguson, who stepped down as United manager in 2013, forever etched his name in the history books after completing a remarkable feat in the 1998-99 season.

United became the first English team in history to lift the Premier League title, an FA Cup and the Champions League trophy in a single season.

Yorke was a key part of the stacked treble-winning United squad, which included the likes of Peter Schmeichel, Roy Keane, David Beckham, Andy Cole and Jaap Stam.

United completed their iconic treble in 1999 with a famous victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League final at Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium.

Fast-forward from United’s 1998-99 triumph to 2023 as Manchester City would become only the second English team in history to win a continental treble.

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Yorke on Ferguson’s reaction to United’s treble win

Yorke enjoyed a prolific playing spell at Old Trafford under Ferguson and the United hero forged a formidable strike partnership with fellow legend Cole.

Despite the success of United’s treble, Yorke revealed that he instantly noticed how Ferguson had “quickly” moved on from the celebrations and was planning ahead.

The 52-year-old ex-United striker said that he was “still on such a high,” but Ferguson’s change of mindset was the moment Yorke “realised” his elite mentality.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Yorke recalled: “When I came back into training and rejoined my teammates, I noticed how quickly Sir Alex moved on from the celebrations.

“I was still on such a high, but Sir Alex went back to the drawing board and was telling all of us that we needed to be even better next season.

“I realised then that Ferguson was on a totally different level. We pulled off the achievement of a lifetime, yet the feel-good factor only lasted a few weeks or months before we came back and the manager wanted to forget all about it.

“It was fascinating to see his take on it — he was very much ‘business as usual.’”

Yorke on winning Champions League with United

Injury-time strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ensured United’s late comeback win against Bayern in the Champions League final.

Yorke’s Champions League winners’ medal is something that he holds dearly, with the ex-United star saying that he was “buzzing” when the club won the trophy.

The former Trinidad and Tobago international lifted three Premier League titles, a Champions League and an FA Cup under Ferguson before his departure in 2002.

But that night in the Champions League final was a special moment for Yorke, who admitted that he can’t remember what Ferguson said to him in the aftermath.

“I was buzzing after winning in the Champions League,” Yorke said.

“It was my first time winning it, and I don’t think any words would have resonated with me at the time.

“After we won, I went off on a crazy time in my life — one of enjoyment. I got caught up in the joy so much that I didn’t really know what Sir Alex said to me.

“I just know we created history and we were always going to be the first English team to win the Treble. Man United is such an iconic club.”