Andy Cole and Teddy Sheringham were part of one of the most successful Manchester United squads ever assembled. But sadly, their success on the pitch did not transfer to their relationship off it.
In fact, they were at odds with each other before they even became teammates.
It all started at Wembley, in 1995. During an England friendly against Uruguay, Andy Cole came on in the 71st minute to make his national debut. His first cap. The man brought off in his place, was Teddy Sheringham.
Cole was just 23 years old at the time, while Sheringham was 29 and in his third year as an England international. A senior player. So as Cole stood on the line watching Sheringham run towards him, he expected a handshake, maybe a few words of encouragement. Just something.
Instead, when Cole offered his hand, Sheringham left him hanging, walked right past him, and didn’t even make eye contact.
For Andy Cole, his debut had been ruined. It should have been a huge moment for him, but he felt snubbed, he felt small, and he took it personally. Teddy has explained that he doesn’t even remember the moment, so he was probably just in his own head, perhaps annoyed at his performance or at being subbed, but that’s not how it came across to Andy Cole.
Working Together at United
Cole never really got established in the England squad – some might say he was criminally overlooked – but it did mean the two men didn’t see much more of each other.
That is, not until Sheringham was signed for Manchester United in 1997.
He came in as a replacement for Eric Cantona, which meant he would not only be playing on the same team as Andy Cole, but would be working with him directly as a strike partnership.
Luckily, the feud did not stop the pair working professionally together. During the 97/98 season, they were frequently chosen by Alex Ferguson up front, scoring 39 goals between them in all competitions. Coley finished top scorer with 25 – his best season yet in a United shirt – and Teddy got 14.
Despite their effectiveness on the pitch, things did not improve behind the scenes. In fact, things got worse.
After a game against Bolton Wanderers, Sheringham blamed Cole for a goal that was conceded, and it was the final straw. A tension that had been simmering for years finally boiled over, and Cole was ready to punch his teammate. He would have done too, had Roy Keane not intervened and put himself in the middle of them. Keane ended up having his own issues with Teddy, but then, Roy Keane had issues with a lot of people.
Keeping Things Professional
It’s amazing that the two men’s dislike for each other didn’t effect their performances. It just goes to show how professional both of them were about it.
Teddy has commented in interviews that the two of them “didn’t have the best relationship” and rubbed each other up the wrong way from the first meeting, but also stressed that they both wanted what was best for Man United. He wasn’t just talking about himself there, he recognised professionalism in the man he disliked, even if he wasn’t keen on him personally.
They were more than capable of playing next to each other, but Dwight Yorke arrived in Sheringham’s second season, and became first choice next to Cole, with Teddy becoming less prominent but remaining a vital squad player. Both men made huge contributions to the club.
Never was this more evident than in the 1999 Champions League final, of course, in which he scored in stoppage time having come on as a substitute, then set up the winner for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Cole didn’t score in that one, but he did score the goal against Tottenham that secured the Premier League title in the same year.
The Feud Is Over
Teddy Sheringham left Manchester United after the 2000/2001 season, Cole left half way through the following season, but they still hadn’t buried the hatchet.
The two men wouldn’t see much of each other for the remainder of their careers. They met each other various times as opponents in the Premier League, of course, but were never in the same dressing room again.
After retiring, they didn’t see each other for almost a decade. If you watch interview clips of the two of them talking about the fall out, you get the impression that for Cole, the resentment was still there, whereas Sheringham had moved on.
Then, sometime around 2018, Andy Cole and Teddy Sheringham unexpectedly ran into each other in a nightclub. Cole made a beeline for Sheringham, who initially thought trouble might be coming, but Cole held out his hand in peace, and suggested they let bygones be bygones.
The two Manchester United heroes shook hands, and the feud was over – although they are unlikely to be going around to each other’s houses for tea.