I’m a Man Utd treble winner who had 23-year feud with team-mate – I nearly punched him after a game
ANDY COLE has revealed that his bitter feud with Teddy Sherigham almost led to him PUNCHING him after a Manchester United game.
The two stars are two bonafide legends at Old Trafford – especially after their exploits in 1999.
Cole, 52, bagged United’s title-winning goal after replacing Sheringham against Spurs.
While Sheringham, 58, scored the equaliser in Barcelona for the Champions League final against Bayern Munich before United went on to win and claim the treble.
However, despite the pair being strike partners that term, they were not even on speaking terms.
And it all stemmed from an incident while on international duty years earlier when Cole was making his debut for England back in 1995.
The striker was being brought on for his Three Lions debut against Uruguay at Wembley when the man he was replacing, Sheringham, snubbed a handshake or any acknowledgement of him.
Speaking to ex-team mate Gary Neville on the latest episode of The Overlap, brought to you by Sky Bet, Cole said: “I was disappointed. As far as I’m concerned, you’re a senior professional and I remember I’ve always watched England play when someone’s making their debut and whoever comes off makes a massive beeline to that individual to wish them all the best. Naturally, I was cheesed off, but I got my head down.
“When he joined Manchester United, I thought okay, I’ll get on with it. I remember the first day of pre-season, the boys couldn’t stop laughing at me because they knew the situation.
“I’ve come in pre-season, we’re playing a game, and he tried to coach me into position, and I thought, I’ve been at Manchester United for a while now, I know what I’m doing.
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“That happened and I let him know that he shouldn’t try and coach me into position because I’ve been at Manchester United and been successful at this football club.”
However, things continued to get so bad between them that Cole had to be restrained from punching Sheringham after one particular match.
He added: “The final straw for me was in a game against Bolton, I remember drawing 1-1 at Old Trafford, they scored a late goal and he said to me that it was my fault.
“I said to myself, okay, let’s just get to full-time. Usually, I’m one of the last off the pitch but that day I was one of the first off the pitch. I ran down the tunnel and waited for him to come in.
“We had a little bit of a set-to and I’ve just about copped my arm back and then peacemaker [Roy Keane] came in for thirty seconds and turned It on his head. He tried to break it up then got involved himself.”
Sheringham and Cole showed that the past is the past when they celebrated the release of the new “99” premiere on the red carpet together this week.
The pair joined the likes of Neville and David Beckham at the first showing of a brand new documentary that recalls United’s treble winning season of 1999.
Speaking in an interview with TalkSPORT last year, Sheringham revealed how he and Cole made up in a nightclub some 23 years after their feud began.
ANDY COLE
The hotshot's record at Old Trafford and for England:
League games:
195
League goals:
93
Honours:
Premier League titles x 5, FA Cup x 2, Champions League
England caps:
15
England goals:
1
He explained: “Probably about ten years after we finished playing, I was in a nightclub with a couple of pals.
“Andy was in the nightclub and I saw him walking towards me.
“And I thought to myself, ‘He looks a little bit stern, this looks a bit naughty’.
“I just looked over his shoulder and his wife Shirley was in the background, and I could see her looking over and looking a little bit apprehensive.
“I thought ‘Hello, this could turn a bit nasty’, I don’t know whether he’s going to try and put one on me or what.”
He then revealed that it was Cole that initiated the truce, adding: “He walked over and he said, ‘Ted look, let’s let bygones be bygones and forget about what’s happened and move on’.
“He put his hand out and I was like, ‘Wow, I did not expect that Andy’.
“But yeah I’m happy to do that, put my hand out and shook hands.”
Pundits' verdict on Ten Hag's future
Where do the pundits stand on Erik ten Hag's Manchester United future?
Michael Owen – He has to go
“He cannot, simply cannot, manage this team next season. He’s not good enough.”
Teddy Sheringham – Might stay if he wins Cup but should go
“If United win the FA Cup, he could stay. But, for me, changes are needed and United need to get it done sooner than later.”
Jamie Carragher – Sacked
“I don’t see how Erik ten Hag stays. It’s just performance after performance.”
Gary Neville – Stay if he wins the FA Cup
“To sack a manager who’s won two trophies in his first two seasons at the club I think would be extreme.”
Louis Saha – On the fence
“I don’t see it as clearly but they need changes from the players but they need changes from him as well.”
Alan Shearer – Sacked
“I believe the future of the Man Utd manager is already determined. Even if they win the FA Cup I think he’s gone.”