Magpies ended up being used by Fergie though to get a better contract at Old Trafford.
Former Newcastle United chairman Freddy Shepherd has revealed how the Magpies tried to sensationally lure the then Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to St James’ Park in 1997, according to reports in the Newcastle Chronicle.
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Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan had just stunned the club by resigning in the January of that year , with Shepherd reacting to the loss of Special K by making an audacious move for the Red Devils coach.
“[United chairman] Martin [Edwards] rang and said to me, ‘Have you got anything to tell me?’
“I said, ‘No’.
“He said ‘What if I said, “Ferguson”, what would you say?’
“I was on a boat at the time and I nearly fell off it.
“He [Ferguson] was just trying to get an increase in salary. We knew we were just being used. Kevin had left and we tried to get Ferguson but that’s as far as we got.
“We were ambitious, we tried to get him – at least we tried.
“At one time we thought we might get him because he wasn’t happy with Man U. It wasn’t to be though.”