Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that he nearly joined Arsenal way back in 1986 before taking charge at Manchester United.
Ferguson, then at Aberdeen, was approached by the North London club as the potential successor to Don Howe.
Ferguson made the revelations in Glasgow Rangers' match programme for their Tuesday night meeting with Dundee United - manager Walter Smith's last match in charge at Ibrox.
He said: "I was offered the Arsenal job and I wanted to take Walter with me.
"I thought I would sound him out when we were on Scotland duty together. We were going to play in Israel and I didn't know that Walter was going to Rangers at that time.
"I told him that I had been offered the chance to go to Arsenal and I asked him what he thought. He was positive about it, saying they were a big club and that kind of thing."
As it transpired, Smith was to move to Ibrox, initially as the assistant to Graeme Souness.
"So I said to him 'Do you fancy coming with me?' Then he dropped the bombshell that he was going to Rangers," Fergie added.
"The thing about the Arsenal offer was that they wanted an answer right away but I couldn't give them one because I was going to the World Cup in Mexico with Scotland.
"So the Arsenal thing fell by the wayside. Walter went to Rangers and then later that year I went to Manchester United."
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| Sir Alex Ferguson turned down the opportunity to manage Arsenal in 1986 Photo: Getty Images |
Ferguson, then at Aberdeen, was approached by the North London club as the potential successor to Don Howe.
The 69-year-old was coaching Scotland at the World Cup in Mexico at that point and regards only a delay in his decision as putting an end to the move.
Ferguson made the revelations in Glasgow Rangers' match programme for their Tuesday night meeting with Dundee United - manager Walter Smith's last match in charge at Ibrox.
He said: "I was offered the Arsenal job and I wanted to take Walter with me.
"I thought I would sound him out when we were on Scotland duty together. We were going to play in Israel and I didn't know that Walter was going to Rangers at that time.
"I told him that I had been offered the chance to go to Arsenal and I asked him what he thought. He was positive about it, saying they were a big club and that kind of thing."
As it transpired, Smith was to move to Ibrox, initially as the assistant to Graeme Souness.
"So I said to him 'Do you fancy coming with me?' Then he dropped the bombshell that he was going to Rangers," Fergie added.
"The thing about the Arsenal offer was that they wanted an answer right away but I couldn't give them one because I was going to the World Cup in Mexico with Scotland.
"So the Arsenal thing fell by the wayside. Walter went to Rangers and then later that year I went to Manchester United."
Related links:
Team
Personal
Also see:
