Teddy Sheringham – From The Archives

A man with a quarter of a century’s worth of experience and memories.

In this edition of From the Archives, we look back at the career of former England Striker, Teddy Sheringham. As he turned 54 today, it was only right to look back at his successes in football.

Sheringham was born in Higham’s Park in London and was a youth player at Leytonstone and Ilford. His performances for the non-league club were recognised by Millwall, who gave him his first professional contract. At the age of 17 and in hise second ever Millwall appearance he scored his first ever goal in English Football in an away game at Bournemouth in January 1984.

But despite Sheringham’s impressive start to life in the professional game he would only make five more appearances that season, and in 1985, Sheringham went out on loan to Aldershot Town and Swedish Second Division side Djurgården, he did pretty well for the Scandanavian club, scoring 13 goals in 21 games.

Sheringham was recalled to his parent club for the remainder of the 1985-86 season. They were now playing in England’s Second Division and although he made very little impact that year he would play a pivotal role in the East London side’s next two campaigns.

Sheringham scored 13 league goals in 86-87 to keep Millwall in the second tier. Then in the 87-88 season, he scored 22 league goals, helping Millwall win the Division Two title and earning them promotion to the First Division for the first time. He once again scored 13 goals for Millwall as they finished 10th in their debut season, but he missed a quarter of the following season through injury which saw The Lions relegated back to Division Two in 1989-90.

Despite demotion from Division One, Sheringham stayed at Millwall and scored an impressive 33 League goals which guided his side to the Play-Offs, losing to Brighton in the semi-finals.

Although Millwall did not return to the top-flight, Teddy Sheringham did. His performances in the second-tier attracted the great Brian Clough and in the Summer of 1991, Sheringham signed for Nottingham Forest for a fee of £2 Million. He scored 22 goals in all competitions for Forest that year, which fired them to the 1992 League Cup Final, which they lost to Manchester United.

The 1992-93 was another great year for Teddy Sheringham. It was the inaguaral campaign of the FA Premier League and Sheringham would score Forest’s first ever Premier League goal, shown live on Sky Sports in a 1-0 win over Liverpool. Just weeks after Sheringham’s Super Sunday winner, he moved to Tottenham and would score 28 goals for Spurs that year, ending the campaign as the Premier League’s first Golden Boot winner.

In 1994, Spurs signed German World Cup Winner Jurgen Klinsmann, who partnered Sheringham upfront, a combined 52 goals in 94-95 guided the North London side to a 7th place finish as well as an FA Cup Semi-Final, which they lost to winners, Everton. But Klinsman left Tottenham for Bayern Munich and Spurs would begin to slide down the league in following seasons.

Sheringham’s goal scoring heroics for both Tottenham and Forest caught the eye of the then England manager, Graham Taylor, and in 1993 aged 27 he was called up to the National side. Following England’s failure to qualify for the 1994 World Cup, Taylor was replaced by Terry Venables.

Venables would partner Teddy Sheringham upfront with Blacburn Rovers’ Striker Alan Shearer. They had a good strike partnership which was known as S.A.S.

The most noteable game of the formidable partnership came in the 4-1 demolition of Holland in Euro 96, which was hosted by England. Both Shearer and Sheringham scored a brace for the Three Lions. However, they would proved to be the only goals for Sheringham at the European Championships as England lost to Germany on penalties in the Semi-Final denying them their first success at a major tournament in 30 years.

In 1997, Manchester United signed Teddy Sheringham for £3.5 Million. He had big boots to fill following the departure of Eric Cantona who retired that Summer. Sheringham’s first game for the Red Devils brought him back to White Hart Lane where he recieved a hostile welcome from the Spurs fans, United were awarded a penalty which he would take but he was unable to convert.

Sheringham scored 14 goals in 1997/98, but it was a dissapointing campaign overall for United. Despite going into March nine points clear at the top of the table, Fergie’s men where overhauled by Arsenal in final months of the season and they would take the title to Highbury.

In August 1998, Alex Ferguson lured Dwight Yorke to Manchester United from Aston Villa. Many people believed it was the end for Sheringham at United, as it was rumoured he had a tense relationship with fellow centre forward Andy Cole.

Cole and Yorke was seen as Fergie’s preferred two up front moving Sheringham to the bench. But despite having limited game time at Old Trafford, Teddy Sheringham played a peripheral part in what was an immaculate year for Manchester United.  United avenged the previous seasons league misery by taking the Premiership crown off Arsenal. This was Sheringham’s first major trophy in his career.

United also beat Arsenal in a frantic FA Cup Semi Final replay at Villa Park. They faced Newcastle in the final at Wembley. Sheringham started on the bench in the final, but an injury to captain Roy Keane meant Sheringham was summoned by Fergie. He instantly an impact, opening the scoring on 11 minutes following a one two with Paul Scholes. United would go on to win the Final 2-0.

Four days later Manchester United faced Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou in the Champions League Final. With 23 minutes to go United were 1-0 down and were dominated by Bayern and in need of some inspiration. Sir Alex once again called on Teddy Sheringham in hope he could change to United’s fortunes.

In stoppage time United won a corner, Bayern cleared David Beckham’s set piece into the path of Ryan Giggs, he took a shot which Sheringham got on the end of and tucked it home for the equaliser.

Straight from the kick off and United won another corner, Beckham crossed it in to Sheringham who flicked it on to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who put it in the roof of the net for United’s winner. Manchester United had won a unprecedented treble and Teddy Sheringham, had contributed a major part to that success.

“Sheringham! Name on the trophy” – Clyde Tyldsley, ITV, May 26, 1999

Sheringham would claim another two league medals in 2000 and 2001, the latter proved to be an exceptional year for the Striker, he scored 21 goals for United that year, and would go on to win the PFA Player of the year.

In the Summer of 2001, Sheringham returned to Spurs on a free transfer. He scored 26 goals in two seasons back at the Lane and reached the League Cup Final which they lost to Blackburn.

In 2003 he signed for newly Promoted Portsmouth, he became the oldest ever player to score a Hattrick in the Premier League in a 4-1 over Bolton, Sheringham’s early season form sent Pompey top of the division, although the Hampshire side’s form dropped, his nine goals thats season helped keep them in the Premier League.

In the off season of 2004, Sheringham moved to Millwall’s arch rivals West Ham, he scored 20 goals for the Hammers that season as West Ham won Promotion back to the top-flight, with Sheringham winning Championship Player of the year.

He spent two more seasons at Upton Park. In that time he reached the 2006 FA Cup Final which they lost to Liverpool on penalties and also made history , he became the oldest outfield player to feature at a Cup Final, the oldest player to feature in the division and the oldest ever player to score in the top flight.

Teddy Sheringham moved to Colchester United and would retire the following season aged 42. Scoring 361 goals in over 900 career appearances.

Though Teddy Sheringham may not be the Thierry Henrys, or the Cristiano Ronaldos who graced the game, his successes in football are incredible. He played a major part in United tremenodus season of 1999 and was one of a few who played into his forties at the pinnacle of English Football.