REVIEW: ’99’ Is Missing An Important Piece

99 is a sports docuseries created in a collaboration between Ventureland, Studio 99, and Buzz 16. Directed by Sampson Collins, this is a limited series dedicated to the Manchester United team of 1999. One of the most famous, successful, and celebrated teams in all of sports, manager Sir Alex Ferguson attempts to lead the squad to the coveted and seemingly unattainable treble: the Premiership, The FA Cup, and the Champions League.

The team’s most remarkable season is split over three episodes, each appearing to focus mainly on an individual competition. The introduction of 99 details the ten days in which United could win all three trophies, but the series’ structure breaks down afterward. There is a vast amount of information to cram into those three episodes, especially the first two. This includes the team’s history, the framework of the competitions, the club’s fragile state, and the manager going into the season. These are just three examples of what has to be addressed, and it isn’t even close to everything.

The first episode brings the Premiership into focus, a 38-game season. However, there are not just matches in that competition to highlight, with other early season fixtures to touch on briefly. Alongside player-based storylines, the documentary then jumps back to the previous seasons to demonstrate the group’s situation.

The structure and pacing are crucial for historical context but may be confusing to complete outsiders. After the fact, rose-tinted glasses may have provided a different view of the team’s situation before embarking on the season, so the contributors and producers sought to set the record straight.

The second episode also has many games and information bunched into it, consisting of FA Cup matches and the latter stages of the Champions League. The one consistency is that each episode ends with a drive for a particular trophy, completing a story arc across the limited series. Everything being compressed in episodes 1 and 2 clears the way for the finale solely dedicated to the prized fight—Manchester United vs Bayern Munich in Barcelona, with the Champions League up for grabs.

The structure is still split, but it is more precise and thematic. The documentary seeks to connect Ferguson with another legendary Manchester United manager, Sir Matt Busby. The history is vital as it informs the drive and determination to succeed.

The documentary has a varied and full cast, interviewing most of that incredible team. Ferguson, the manager, is at its core, but the players, staff, and journalists are also questioned. Studio 99 and Buzz 16 are the production companies run by two players on those pitches: David Beckham and Gary Neville. The interviews are spread across the documentary, dissecting each clip into small, digestible chunks.

There are a lot of faces to see and voices to hear from, which can occasionally give the impression that many aren’t in the series much. The most prominent figure, Ferguson, is talked about more than he talks about himself. Whilst it leads to some fascinating insight about how he speaks to others, there isn’t much about how he felt in his own words.

Getting information from all sides does generate a rounded view of the events. Many of the storylines created from the start continue to the end, building to the final culmination in Barcelona. The former Chief Executive of Manchester United makes revelations that many of the most established players weren’t aware of until the documentary’s production.

Whilst some players have since become experienced and established broadcasters, thus present on screens over the last 20 years, others have just faded into the background. Perhaps the most interesting is Dwight Yorke, the Trinidadian striker. He is entertaining and unfiltered, always talking with a grin.

The cast is extensive but there is one noticeable exclusion. Manchester United’s captain, Roy Keane, is absent from the interviews. This was surprising when it became clear he wasn’t in it. He is arguably the most crucial player in the entire team and has a powerful personality and an unwavering drive for success. He has also worked with Neville in his own productions and appeared in Beckham’s documentary. But it could be due to fallouts with senior squad members, including Ferguson himself. Although Keane is absent, those who played alongside him ensure that his work is not forgotten. His presence is still felt from the reverence that he is spoken with.

The production and editing are touching and genuine but have some flaws. The original footage, clips of matches and news reports from 99 are kept in the original aspect ratio. This maintains the authenticity of the moments. The screen widens to take in the whole scene when moving to the present day. The editing can be confusing when it bounces around in time.

Occasionally, there is an awkward pause before cutting to a different clip, negatively affecting the episodes’ flow. The music is hugely nostalgic and reminiscent of the period. 99 frequently uses either Mancunian bands or artists who are famous Manchester United fans, lacing their spirit into the soul of the series. The documentary captures the match’s emotion and spectacle, especially when the season reaches its conclusion.

99 misses a few pieces but thrives on nostalgia. For Manchester United and general football fans that were present in the 90’s, it relives a golden era of the sport. The old kits, the stadiums, the brilliant players. Their personalities and their determination radiate from the screen. Most of them then reappear, emotional and honest in their interviews.

For the younger generations, the 99 documentary allows us to see the teams their older siblings, parents, or family members used to deify with starry eyes. Modern Manchester United fans may turn incandescent with rage when they then remember what their team looks like now. But the editing and the structure aren’t brilliant, and missing Keane’s voice from this team is a crime.

99 is available on Amazon Prime Video.