05 June 2024 , 09:40
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Paul Gascoigne claimed Sir Alex Ferguson once gave him one of his watches, despite him snubbing Manchester United to join Tottenham.
The legendary England midfielder is one of a few players to reject Ferguson's advances during his playing career. In 1988, Gascoigne boldly rejected the opportunity to move to Old Trafford, instead opting to link up with Terry Venables in north London.
He went on to become a Spurs legend, winning the 1991 FA Cup and playing some of the finest football of his career at White Hart Lane. Ferguson, 82, was furious with the cheeky Geordie, who claimed the Scotsman refused to speak to him for many years.
Many decades on from the snubbing, Gascoigne was reunited with Ferguson, who may have still been unhappy with Gascoigne not linking up with him. Despite, possibly, holding a small amount of resentment for the midfielder's decision, the 57-year-old divulged a kind gesture Ferguson did for him.
"A couple of years ago I went to watch Man Utd play - I think it was Chelsea," Gascoigne said to the Rest is Football podcast. "He [Fergie] was in the lounge. A guy come up and said 'Sir Alex Ferguson wants to see you in the office'. I just started panicking.
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“He would still give you a bollocking like: ‘You didn’t sign for me’ and I’m like ‘I know, I know’. He’d still give us a bollocking, but he did give us one of his watches, so that was good."
Gascoigne won the FA Cup with Tottenham (GETTY)Ferguson handing Gascoigne one of his watches is a sign of his fondness for the ex-Newcastle United midfielder, despite the fact he was turned down. The legendary boss has previously said Gascoigne is one of the players he always regretted missing out on.
While speaking on the UTD Podcast in 2021, "In reality, you have to say, there's only one that always comes to my mind and that's Gascoigne. He was absolutely fantastic. I think if we'd have got him, he would have had a great career, I really do. I'm not saying he didn't have a good career but he would have had a better career with us.
“We had Geordies in our squad like Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce plus Bobby Charlton. Sir Bobby would have been a fantastic mentor to him because he's such a fantastic man and even Gary Pallister, although he was from Middlesbrough and I know they don't count that as a Geordie... someone who understands the culture like Gary would.
Sir Alex Ferguson was unable to convince Paul Gascoigne to join Man United (PA)"He promised to sign for us and I went on holiday. I got a phone call from the front desk from Martin Edwards saying he'd signed for Tottenham. He signed for Tottenham because they bought his mother a house for £80,000 and, dearie me, I couldn't believe it, you know. He was a fantastic player."
Gascoigne made 111 appearances for Tottenham, contributing 33 goals and six assists across three seasons in North London. He went on to join Lazio in 1992, before a move to Rangers in 1995. Gascoigne's career petered out with stints at Middlesbrough, Everton and Burnley.
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