Champions: Manchester United
Runners-up: Arsenal
Champions League places: Manchester United, Arsenal, Leeds United
UEFA Cup places: Liverpool, Chelsea (FA Cup), Leicester City (League Cup)
Promoted (from 1998/99): Sunderland, Bradford City, Watford
Relegated: Watford, Sheffield Wednesday, Wimbledon
Leading Scorer: Kevin Phillips (Sunderland) 18 goals
Premier League Table 1999 – 2000
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Manchester United | 38 | 28 | 7 | 3 | 97 | 45 | +52 | 91 |
2 | Arsenal | 38 | 22 | 7 | 9 | 73 | 43 | +30 | 73 |
3 | Leeds United | 38 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 58 | 43 | +15 | 69 |
4 | CLiverpool | 38 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 51 | 30 | +21 | 67 |
5 | Chelsea | 38 | 18 | 11 | 9 | 53 | 34 | +19 | 65 |
6 | Aston Villa | 38 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 46 | 35 | +11 | 58 |
7 | Sunderland | 38 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 57 | 56 | +1 | 58 |
8 | Leicester City | 38 | 16 | 7 | 15 | 55 | 55 | 0 | 55 |
9 | West Ham United | 38 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 52 | 53 | -1 | 55 |
10 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 57 | 49 | +8 | 53 |
11 | Newcastle United | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 63 | 54 | +9 | 52 |
12 | Middlesbrough | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 46 | 52 | -6 | 52 |
13 | Everton | 38 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 59 | 49 | +10 | 50 |
14 | Coventry City | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 47 | 54 | -7 | 44 |
15 | Southampton | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 45 | 62 | -17 | 44 |
16 | Derby County | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 44 | 57 | -13 | 38 |
17 | Bradford city | 38 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 38 | 68 | -30 | 36 |
18 | Wimbledon | 38 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 46 | 74 | -28 | 33 |
19 | Sheffield Wednesday | 38 | 8 | 7 | 23 | 38 | 70 | -32 | 31 |
20 | Watford | 38 | 6 | 6 | 26 | 35 | 77 | -42 | 24 |
1999/2000 Season Review
The Red machine was unstoppable as Manchester United stormed to victory again, with an enormous 18-point margin over runners-up Arsenal at the top of the 1999/2000 Premier League table. Even new £10.5million signing Thierry Henry couldn’t keep the Gunners in the chase. But the season has to go down, marking the end of Wimbledon’s incredible rags to riches story.
The Dons joined the Football League in 1977, taking nine years to reach the top flight. However, perennial underdogs had always performed well against the odds, finishing most seasons in the top half of the table. So expectations were high in pre-season as former Norwegian coach Egil Olsen took over.
Newly promoted, Watford made an impressive start, beating Liverpool at Anfield and claiming the scalp of Chelsea. But their success was short-lived, and they were relegated, eventually finishing with a then-record Premier League low of 24 points. Sheffield Wednesday swiftly followed them. Their worst moment was an 8-0 thrashing at the hands of Bobby Robson’s Newcastle United.
Relegation Spots Go To The Last Match
But the final relegation spot wasn’t decided until the very last match. Bradford City – back in the FA Carling Premiership after 77 years – was widely expected to go down. Instead, somehow they pulled off one of the shocks of the season, defeating Liverpool 1-0 – a result which denied the Reds a Champions’ League spot.
Instead, the Dons lost to Southampton and were relegated 12 years after beating Liverpool to achieve a shock FA Cup triumph. Former manager Dave Bassett said: “The club has been in the top flight for 14 years and, as the manager who took them there, it’s sad for me to see them relegated.”
Sunderland impressed in their return to the top flight. Chasing a UEFA Cup spot all season, they eventually missed out, ending the campaign in seventh place on the 1999/2000 Premier League table.
The title’s winners were already decided long before the season ended – but it wasn’t always a one-horse race. Manchester United started the season well but was still second to Leeds United at the start of the new millennium. The Elland Road side were favorites, but the Red Devils came good when it mattered and powered to the top. Manchester United was sensational in the second half of the season. Seemingly scoring for fun, they took their final goal tally to an incredible 97.
FIFA Club World Championship
But there was to be no repeat of the treble. United pulled out of the FA Cup, electing to participate in the inaugural FIFA Club World Championship instead. Real Madrid ended their defense of the European Cup in the quarter-finals.
Leeds ended the season 22 points adrift, but third was still their highest Premier League finish. However, they had more significant matters to worry about as disaster struck in the UEFA Cup. Two fans were stabbed to death during their semi-final defeat to Galatasaray.
In other matters, Chelsea won their fourth cup in as many seasons – triumphing in the last FA Cup match to be played at the old Wembley stadium. And theatrical impresario Bill Kenwright completed his takeover of Everton after buying out former owner Peter Johnson.
1999/2000 Cup Results
1999/2000 FA Cup Winners: Chelsea [Final – Chelsea 2-0 Aston Villa]
1999/2000 League Cup Winners: Leicester City [Final – Leicester City 2-1 Tranmere Rovers]
1999/2000 Champions League Winners: Real Madrid [Final – Real Madrid 3-0 Valencia]
1999/2000 UEFA Cup Winners: Galatasaray [Final – Galatasaray 0-0 Arsenal (aet) (Galatasaray win 4-3 on penalties)]
1999/2000 Managerial Changes
Newcastle United: Ruud Gullit out, Bobby Robson in
Nottingham Forest: Ron Atkinson out, David Platt in
Sheffield Wednesday: Danny Wilson out, Peter Shreeves in (caretaker)
Southampton: Dave Jones out, Glenn Hoddle in (temp)
Wimbledon: Joe Kinnear out, Egil Olsen in, Egil Olsen out, Terry Burton in
1999/2000 Premier League Player of the Month Awards
The following soccer players received the award for their achievements in the Premier League Player of the Month 1999/2000 season.
August 1999: Robbie Keane (Coventry City)
September 1999: Muzzy Izzet (Leicester City)
October 1999: Kevin Philips (Sunderland)
November 1999: Sami Hyypia (Liverpool)
December 1999: Roy Keane (Manchester United)
January 2000: Gareth Southgate (Aston Villa)
February 2000: Paul Merson (Aston Villa)
March 2000: Dwight Yorke (Manchester United)
April 2000: Thierry Henry (Arsenal)