“There was an undisclosed agenda… one day I’ll find out what really happened”: Sir Alex Ferguson’s doomed pursuit of his dream Manchester United star

“I’ve acquired no regrets, I’d do the identical once more.

“I sat down with Kevin Keegan and Sir Alex on the identical day.

“I noticed Keegan within the morning and talks had gone actually, very well.

“Then the Manchester United contingent got here in. His first query to me was: ‘Am I seeing you first or am I seeing you second?’ I informed him I had seen Kevin within the morning and I received’t inform you his phrases. He stated principally I’ve acquired no likelihood, then. He wished to see me first.

“However I believed the talks went extraordinarily effectively. I used to be very impressed with what he needed to say.

“I needed to go and decide. At one level, I used to be going to Manchester United.”

Sir Alex Ferguson walked away from a gathering with Alan Shearer and his agent in the summertime of 1996 sure United have been about to land their prime switch goal.

That they had the cash, the squad and the historical past to counsel the Geordie marksman would lastly be capable of swap the metal work he crafted as a younger man for silverware which might outline his soccer profession.

After European Championship heartbreak with England the earlier month Shearer knew it was lastly time to depart Blackburn Rovers if he was to take his profession to the following step.

He’d already spoken with Gary Neville concerning the prospect of transferring to Outdated Trafford whereas away on worldwide obligation, so far as the skin world was involved United would get their man. They all the time did.

Nevertheless, virtually per week after their assembly and Ferguson nonetheless hadn’t had a response. He sensed one thing was mistaken, it was.

It wasn’t the primary time United had missed out on a deal for the ahead. Ferguson wished Shearer in 1992 however stuttered over the financing of a doable club-record deal. Blackburn proprietor Jack Walker acted in haste, sanctioning a £3.6 deal which took him to Ewood Park as a substitute.

112 objectives in 138 Premier League matches in addition to a Premier League title could be his reward, however nonetheless United would not really feel too disheartened by his need to maneuver elsewhere three years earlier.

In the identical summer time that they had initially chased Shearer, consideration as a substitute turned to Eric Cantona. He could be the catalyst for the primary nice facet constructed by Ferguson, however the Scot knew additional funding could be wanted if he have been to finish his dream of lifting the European Cup. Shearer was very a lot his dream acquisition.

After 4 years at Ewood Park the star striker wished out and proprietor Walker reluctantly granted Shearer permission to talk to different golf equipment together with his inventory excessive after Euro 96.

The participant’s agent, Tony Stephens, was fast to name Ferguson in hopes to rearrange a gathering the following day.

It appeared like every part was slowly falling into place. Certainly this time a transfer to reigning league champions United was inevitable?

United’s assembly with Stephens and Shearer was solely soured by the indication his shopper additionally deliberate to talk with each Newcastle and Arsenal within the coming days. Each side supplied totally different challenges, however none got here with such an assurance of success fairly like United.

“Once I’m completed, I really feel certain he received’t give you the option to withstand coming to Outdated Trafford,” Ferguson wrote in his diary of the 1996/97 season A Will to Win after the assembly.

In any case United have been the largest crew in English soccer and Shearer had a need so as to add to his solitary title win with Blackburn – absolutely it was a no brainer?

“I would truly executed a deal so far as Alan Shearer’s contract was involved, we might come to a settlement,” the membership’s former chairman Martin Edwards revealed in his personal ebook Red Glory.

“Shearer had been to Alex Ferguson’s home, spoke to him and warranted him he wished to come back.”

Within the eyes of Ferguson the deal all relied on two guarantees; his shirt quantity and the promise of changing Cantona on penalty duties ought to the Frenchman all of a sudden fail to ship from 12-yards.

The previous United supervisor added: “He wished to know if he would be capable of take the penalty kicks and if he may put on the quantity 9 shirt.

“I inform him that Eric Cantona hasn’t missed a penalty for us since he arrived however that if he ever did, then, presumably. As, for the quantity 9 shirt, no drawback.

“I believed that if we have been the one issues worrying him, we’d get our man.”

“I requested if I may take the penalties. His response to me was: ‘Eric’s on them!’” Shearer stated himself of the assembly. “He checked out me with these steely eyes as if to inform me that he wasn’t going to inform Eric Cantona that I used to be going to take them.”

The participant’s agent, Stephens, promised he would telephone Ferguson three days after their assembly, however 72 hours later the Scot’s telephone was but to ring.

Ultimately the United supervisor waited a full week earlier than he acquired a reply from the agent. He might need wished he hadn’t even had that.

“I begin phoning at 8am, early sufficient to pay money for Tony Stephens,” Ferguson continued.

“Once I lastly make contact he merely says: ‘I’m sorry, Alan has agreed to hitch Newcastle.”

Ferguson was left enraged and the contract Edwards had drafted was left with a clean house on the backside of it.

The United supervisor stays adamant Blackburn proprietor Walker was the rationale his facet by no means acquired their foremost goal. “From what I can collect, Jack Walker says over his lifeless physique: he cant go to Manchester United. He in all probability broke down crying.”

It isn’t how Shearer sees it himself. He was a Geordie born and bred who idolised then-manager Kevin Keegan rising up. Finally his love for Newcastle outweighed his need to win trophies with United.

“It was such a giant resolution,” Shearer informed The True Geordie Podcast again in 2017. “At instances I used to be staying at Blackburn, at instances I used to be going to Man United.

“Then I acquired a name off Kevin Keegan to say ‘can I’ve one other half an hour with you’ two or three days later.

“I stated sure. I used to be on the stage the place I wanted a couple of extra days to consider it. I left my residence to fulfill Kevin in Manchester. Then I went, ‘that is it. – I’ll Newcastle’.”

United have been favourites to retain the Premier League title within the upcoming season however Shearer believed he could possibly be the lacking piece required to lastly take his homegrown membership to glory.

At St. James’ Park he’d be enjoying below his childhood hero in Keegan, a person who was more than pleased to grant the 2 needs he had over a transfer to any membership.

He added: “I wished to play for Newcastle, I wished to put on the quantity 9 shirt, I wished to attain objectives, it was my dream. I believed ‘what am I ready for?’ They have been ready to interrupt the financial institution – a world-record charge.

“They (United) had an ideal crew and I used to be just about assured trophies. It was simply Newcastle, my love for the soccer membership the place I stood on the terraces as a child.”

Few would begrudge Shearer for fulfilling his lifelong dream and enjoying for Newcastle, however Ferguson nonetheless wasn’t so satisfied.

He was adamant the ahead wished to hitch after their switch assembly and believed Walker had a key half to play within the snub.

Ferguson added: “I’m fairly certain I understand how Jack Walker would really feel if Shearer have been to hitch us.

“Maybe the participant feels such loyalty to somebody who introduced him from Southampton and made him a rich younger man that he doesn’t want to upset him by becoming a member of us.

“At any price, there was clearly an undisclosed agenda, and sooner or later I’ll discover out what actually occurred.”

It nonetheless stays unclear if Walker was the only real issue which prevented United from getting their prime goal, however it’s a narrative which former chairman Edwards sympathised with himself.

He stated: “The issue, I feel, was with the chairman of Blackburn, Jack Walker, who was not an ideal fan of Manchester United, (we have been) native rivals, each Lancashire golf equipment.

“He didn’t need Alan Shearer to come back to Manchester United. Shearer was fairly near Walker, who was like a father determine to him, and I do not assume Alan wished to upset him by coming to United. And I am unsure Jack would have let him come anyway, whereas he was blissful for Alan to go to Newcastle, I do not assume that was a risk to him.”

After agreeing an preliminary five-year take care of Newcastle and being greeted by 20,000 followers at his unveiling United would quickly be about to find whether or not or not Shearer actually was to be a risk to their very own lofty ambitions.

In his diary Ferguson admitted he had initially felt ‘sick and offended’ concerning the switch betrayal, however seemed to take the few positives after lacking out a on participant who might need brought about rifts within the Outdated Trafford dressing room.

“Historical past will show whether or not he was proper to choose Newcastle forward of us,” Ferguson wrote.

“And I do really feel that there’s typically a sting within the tail if you signal somebody for that type of cash.

“Afterwards, my gamers inform me that there’s already muttering within the Newcastle crew about a few of them on the lookout for new contracts.

“It’s very troublesome retaining some type of pay parity in a membership, particularly in nowadays of brokers.”

It is unimaginable to inform what would have modified had Shearer joined United that summer time as a substitute, however there are some things we will take into account.

A secure assumption is that he would have received greater than his solitary Premier League title, but it surely would possibly effectively have come at the price of his phenomenal scoring file which noticed him plunder so many objectives for the Toon – typically as the only real striker.

There’s is not even something to counsel he would have lasted the lengthy haul at Outdated Trafford such was Ferguson’s fame to promote star gamers and rebuild squads every time he felt vital.

Nevertheless, had he signed it’s secure to say Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will not be answerable for United proper now.

“You make me blissful, When skies are gray, Oh Alan Shearer, Was f**king dearer, So please do not take, My Solskjaer away…” goes one of many Norwegian’s many chants.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t fairly the case.

A day earlier than Shearer’s unveiling at St James’ Park on 30 July 1996 there was far much less fanfare for United’s personal summer time striker signing.

“Once I arrived to signal the contract, there have been no media or followers,” Solskjaer mirrored of his arrival in English soccer. “I simply turned up, signed it and went residence.”

Fairly than spending a world-record £15million on Shearer the membership had ditched a digit and signed the largely unknown Norwegian for a sum of £1.5million as a substitute, having already agreed the acquisition earlier than pursuing Shearer.

It would not take lengthy to search out out if their different was up to speed.

United signed Solskjaer on a Monday, Newcastle unveiled Shearer on the Tuesday and that following weekend the 2 sides would conflict at Wembley within the Charity Protect.

Shearer began and wore the No.9 shirt for Newcastle, Solskjaer sat as an unused substitute. Ferguson’s facet received 4-0.

It will in all probability function a good evaluation for the duo’s subsequent prolonged spells at every membership.

Solskjaer netted an unimaginable 18 league objectives as United received the Premier League title forward of second-placed Newcastle, with Shearer the Golden Boot winner on 25 strikes for the third season in succession.

As would develop into the customized over the following decade Shearer would plunder the objectives whereas Solskjaer would plunder the trophies. Every of them possessing one thing the opposite wished, however would both have swapped their state of affairs? Not an opportunity.

Solskjaer would solely higher his debut season’s purpose tally as soon as in his 21 years at Outdated Trafford, although he is excused for a gradual bluntness in entrance of purpose given his huge contributions throughout The Treble season.

It was arguably that crowning second on the Nou Camp which secured Solskjaer’s return to the membership as a caretaker supervisor twenty years later. Shearer’s personal managerial return to the membership he cherished led to relegation again in 2009.

In a special world it would effectively have been a Geordie reasonably than a Norwegian who was known as in to rescue United following their bitter divorce from Jose Mourinho, however that we are going to by no means know.

Forward of his remaining journey to Outdated Trafford as a participant Shearer summed it up finest.

“Come the ultimate whistle on Sunday I’ll shake Alex Ferguson’s hand. He’s a person you can’t assist however admire for what he has achieved within the sport.

“I had a magical time at Blackburn, successful the league. And I accomplished my very own dream of enjoying for my residence city membership of Newcastle.

“I’ve reminiscences I’ll maintain without end and a goalscoring file that makes me extraordinarily proud.”

Simply as United thrived with out Shearer he continued to thrive with out them, retiring as a bona fide legend of English soccer.

His story would possibly effectively have been totally different had he ever worn the well-known crimson of United however his achievements within the sport guarantee he’ll all the time be revered by the followers who solely ever mocked him out of sheer respect.