Manchester United news: Paul Ince recalls story of the time he squared up to a furious Sir Alex Ferguson

Paul Ince has revealed what happened when he squared up to Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ince played 281 games for Manchester United during six seasons under Fergie before signing for Inter Milan in 1995.

The legendary Old Trafford boss was famous for keeping players in line at Old Trafford with his ‘hairdryer treatment’ and Ince told Jim White on talkSPORT about one of his less than pleasant encounters in the early 90s.

“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 talkSPORT.

“I think we were winning 3-0 or 3-1 and we got to the 92nd minute and 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’.

“Ferguson comes in 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 and 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.

“Brian Kidd stepped in between the two of us and we didn’t speak for five days.

“We played head tennis on the Thursday and he was the referee. It gets to 9-9, Brucey 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 guvnor around here Incey, and it ain’t you.”

Ince returned to the Premier League in 1997 to sign for United’s north west rivals Liverpool and the boss didn’t appear to hold his former midfielder in high regard then.

Preparing his side for a game against The Reds, Fergie was caught on camera being less than complimentary during the documentary ‘The Alex Ferguson story’.

“You just make sure you’re ready for [Ince] tomorrow,” he growled. “That’s all you need to worry about him. His fucking big-time Charlie bit – he’s against fucking men, am I right?”
Years later, though, when asked about the incident, Fergie revealed he regretted the comment.

“We let a camera into our dressing room, which we had never done before, and it won’t happen again. It wasn’t a personality issue with Paul,” he added.