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Sir Alex Ferguson revealed that missing out on signing Paul Gascoigne was one of his greatest regrets during his tenure at Manchester United.
The legendary manager, who oversaw global stars like David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney at Old Trafford over his 27-year spell, lamented the failure to add Gazza to that illustrious list. Speaking to LADbibleTV, Ferguson recounted his attempt to sign him back in 1988 following an impressive run with Newcastle United.
He said: “We played Newcastle up there, it was Easter Monday I think, and he had just come back from injury. As soon as he came back, they started winning games. I went there and played three in the middle of the pitch – [Norman] Whiteside, [Bryan] Robson and Remi Moses, and he destroyed them. Honestly.
“And then he nutmegged Moses right in front of the dugout and patted him on the head.” After witnessing Gascoigne’s talent first hand, Ferguson urged then-United chairman Martin Edwards to make the acquisition, but their efforts were in vain. He added: “He was unbelievable and I said to Martin Edwards coming back on the bus, ‘Sign this boy. Get on the phone to him on Monday’.
“And by that time, he had already done a deal with Tottenham, which was really unfortunate. That was a disappointment because he agreed to sign and then Tottenham changed his mind by buying his mother and father a house.”
Gascoigne’s transfer to Spurs, who are set to host United in the Premier League on Sunday, in the summer of 1988 was a record-breaking move at the time, costing £2.2million. He netted 33 goals across 112 appearances for the north London club and earned his first senior England cap during this period.
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Reflecting on the signing that got away, Ferguson said: “Unfortunately, we didn’t get him and I think, looking back now, he made a big mistake. He recognised it himself years later. But we had Geordies in the camp. We had Bobby Charlton, Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, even Gary Pallister from Middlesbrough.
“We had people there who would have taken care of him, particularly Bryan Robson who is fantastic with players. Instead, he goes to an island in London, and you’re easily swallowed up there as a young lad.”
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After his stint in the capital, Gazza transferred to Lazio in 1992 and went on to play for Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton, Burnley, Gansu Tianma and Boston United before retiring in 2004. Despite his successful career, which included lifting the FA Cup with Spurs and securing two Scottish Premiership titles with Rangers, one can only speculate on the heights he might have reached under Ferguson’s guidance at United.
The legendary Scottish manager’s tenure at Old Trafford saw him claim 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, and two Champions Leagues, solidifying his legacy as one of football’s all-time greats.
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