Paul Ince has recalled an argument during his tempestuous relationship with former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
Ince, who unwisely nicknamed himself 'The Guv'nor' at Old Trafford, spoke about a falling-out during a then-Premiership match.
Paul Ince on Alex Ferguson
“We played Norwich away at Carrow Road and this was a time when they were going for the title at the same time as us,” Ince told Jim White.
“I think we were winning 3-0 or 3-1 and we got to the 92nd minute. I’ve got the ball in the middle of the park, I looked up and didn’t see anything, so I went on a mazy run, beat one, a little step over, and beat two but then lost the next one.
“They went back down the pitch and nearly scored. The whistle goes at the end of the game and we are patting people on the back and giving high fives and saying ‘what a great result, lads’."
Argument
Well, all's well that end well. Not quite.
“Ferguson comes in [to the changing room] and goes absolutely ballistic at me saying ‘who do you think you are? You ain’t no Maradona or Pele’.
“I said: ‘Gaffer, what are you on about?’
“He said: ‘You’ve lost the ball in the 92nd minute and they could have scored’.
“I said: ‘But they didn’t, gaffer, we won 3-1’.
“He starts coming up to me in my face and I’m thinking I’m not having this. So I stand up, we are face to face, and he is shouting and as he is shouting I’ve got spit going in my eye.
“I’m trying to talk back to him but every time I open my mouth the spit goes in so I thought I would keep my mouth shut."
Overhead
Brian Kidd rides to the rescue, but there was only one winner in this war.
“Brian Kidd stepped in between the two of us and we didn’t speak for five days.
“We played head tennis on a Thursday and he was the referee. It gets to 9-9, [Steve Bruce] heads the ball up in the air and I do an overhead kick, it hits the line to win the game.
“Sir Alex goes: ‘out’.
“Because we weren’t speaking at the time I could not say anything. I looked at him, he said ‘out, game over, they won’.
“As I walked away he said ‘there’s only one guv'nor around here, Incey and it ain’t you.”
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