I was at Man Utd’s 99 documentary premiere and was surprised by one thing in the final episode

Manchester is no stranger to a red-carpet event. But when David Beckham’s involved, the sun’s out and it’s staged at the famous Printworks building, it’s a big deal.

That was the case on Thursday night as members of Sir Alex Ferguson’s famous treble-winning side were among those to attend the premiere of 99, an Amazon Prime documentary - which is to be released on 17 May - and tells the behind-the-scenes story of that fabled Manchester United team.

Twenty-five years on, and the interest certainly hasn’t damped - even if their city rivals replicated the extraordinary achievement 12 months ago. A throng of fans milled around outside Vue Manchester Imax, craning their necks to get a glimpse of the likes of Beckham, Gary Neville and Dwight Yorke walking down the red carpet. Try as they might, security staff couldn’t keep the walkway clear.

It wasn’t just former footballers at the screening, but also staff from United and Amazon, alongside members of the media - including MancheterWorld. So popular was the event, two 345-capacity screens were in operation to squeeze in all the guests.

Conspicuous by their absence were the current United team, who are a long way off celebrating that sort of glory. No wonder the club decided it would be ill-advised to send their underperforming players to witness the heroics of that determined ‘99 squad, a group bonded by glory, passion and a shared desire to overcome adversity. 

Unsurprisingly, the likes of Neville and Yorke spoke in withering terms about United’s 2024 iteration when they were interviewed by local and international broadcasters, while Edith Bowman hosted a Q&A session for Amazon that was streamed in the various cinema screens.

When guests were finally ushered to their seats for the maiden screening of the documentary, the treble-winning team were clapped into the room, something which doesn’t have quite the same razzmatazz in a darkened movie theatre. Beckham, Neville and Yorke were joined by Andy Cole, Peter Schmeichel, Teddy Sheringham, Jesper Blomqvist, Nicky Butt and Ronny Johnson.

The premiere featured snippets of the first two episodes of this three-part series, setting the backdrop for that remarkable end to the 1998/99 campaign. After a quarter of a century, it’s difficult to find new ways of telling that magnificent achievement (spoilers: they win all three in 10 days), but 99 manages to encapsulate the enormity and emotion of that finale.

Detailed reviews will have to wait, but for now, let’s just say that having watched the final episode, it’s hard to disagree with Neville’s verdict that this felt like destiny. Perhaps there were a few misty eyes among the most ardent of United supporters in those comfy cinema seats, an impressive feat from director Sampson Collins, given how often this particular tale has been told.

He and five of the former players held a bonus Q&A after the premiere, in what was a night of inescapable nostalgia in Manchester.

Walking back through the ambient city centre streets didn’t feel too dissimilar to a stroll down Las Ramblas, something hundreds of United fans experienced in Barcelona 25 years ago. While their current side continues to fall short, fans will always have those unforgettable memories to cling onto.