Jonathan Greening
A versatile midfielder who lifted the Champions League trophy with Manchester United before becoming a dedicated lower-league coach and manager.
Born 1979 (age 47)·English footballer and coach·Birthday: January 2·Generation X
Biography
Jonathan Greening's career arc traces the full ecosystem of English football. It began with a teenage debut at York City and soared to its pinnacle at Manchester United, where, as a diligent squad player under Alex Ferguson, he collected a Champions League winner's medal in the dramatic 1999 final. He didn't take the field in Barcelona, but his contribution to that historic campaign was part of the fabric. A sought-after professional, he later found his most meaningful playing years at West Bromwich Albion, becoming a fan favorite and captain who helped secure promotion to the Premier League. After stints at Fulham and elsewhere, his passion for the game seamlessly transitioned into coaching. Starting in youth academies, he worked his way up, embracing the gritty realities of non-league management with York City and later Scarborough Athletic. Greening’s story is one of a football lifer, respected not for fleeting superstardom but for a deep, enduring commitment to every level of the sport.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jonathan was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jonathan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Jonathan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the UEFA Champions League as part of the Manchester United squad in 1999.
- Captained West Bromwich Albion and played a key role in their promotion to the Premier League in the 2007-08 season.
- Made over 500 professional appearances across all competitions during a 17-year playing career.
- Led Scarborough Athletic to promotion to the National League North in 2023 as manager.
Did You Know?
He was on the bench for Manchester United's treble-winning Champions League final against Bayern Munich.
Greening played in the same Middlesbrough youth team as former England defender Colin Cooper.
After retiring, he initially worked in Manchester United's academy coaching the U-16 team.
“I learned more from training with Keane and Scholes than from any medal.”
