United’s washing machine didn’t put my head in a spin
BRADY REVEALS SIGNING DILEMMA
MANCHESTER UNITED tried to sign Arsenal legend Liam Brady by offering his mum a washing machine.
Brady was a Gunners sensation between 1973 and 1980 before swapping England for Italy when he joined Juventus, Sampdoria (below) and Inter Milan. But as Arsenal gear up for Saturday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea – which Brady won with the club in 1979 – he revealed how his career could have taken a different path. “I nearly went to Manchester United as a kid,” said the former Republic of Ireland star last night. “The reason I didn’t go was because Arsenal got in before them. “The scout here in Ireland was a guy called Billy Behan. Because I was a Manchester United fan he thought I was nailed on. Then I went to London and Arsenal liked me and they looked after me. “United actually offered my mother a washing machine for me to go there but my mind was made up and a washing machine wasn’t going to change it. Now a kid gets a house and a car and his father gets a job for life.” Brady gave a virtuoso performance in that 1979 FA Cup final win – against United. He teed up Brian Talbot and Frank Stapleton to hand the Gunners a 2-0 half-time lead before United levelled late on. But with five minutes remaining Brady danced down the left and crossed for Alan Sunderland to score a sensational winner. Brady ranks it among the top three performances of his career. “That would be one of them,” he said. “Also, my debut for Ireland in 1974 against the Soviet Union and maybe winning the title with Juventus in my first year.” But having failed to secure Champions League football for the first time in 21 years, the pressure is on to win the cup again. Brady reckons fortunes could have been so different had they landed Luis Suarez instead of Barcelona when the Uruguayan left Liverpool in 2014. “Arsene Wenger was sure he was going to get Suarez,” said Brady who was head of youth development at Arsenal. “He told me Suarez would arrive in the next couple of weeks and it didn’t happen. If we’re going to be competitive, those things have to be put right. “But if we win the FA Cup, the season won’t look as bad. Wenger will become the manager that has won the cup the most times ever.”