Fergie never forgot
Norman Whiteside thinks necking champagne with Charlie Nicholas and Ally McCoist on the flight back from Mexico 86 signalled the beginning of the end for him at Old Trafford.
Northern Ireland and Scotland found themselves on the same flight home from the World Cup that summer.
Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge of the Scotland team at the time – just before taking over at Manchester United.
And he witnessed firsthand that the 21-year-old midfielder from Belfast he was set to inherit had a thirst for good times.
Whiteside said: “Fergie had taken temporary charge of Scotland for the tournament and they were on the same flight home as Northern Ireland’s squad.
“A few of us – myself, Charlie Nicholas and Ally McCoist – had a bit of a champagne party.
“It was a decent drink, to be fair! But Fergie never forgets. So when he came to United one of the first things he asked me was whether I’d enjoyed the flight home from Mexico.
“It was a little warning that he would be keeping an eye on me.”
When Whiteside was sold to Everton in the summer of 1989, many United fans were furious.
Paul McGrath followed him out of the exit door a few weeks later to join Aston Villa, as United boss Fergie clamped down on the drinking culture he felt was holding his team back.
A film about Ferguson’s life – ‘ Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In’ premiered at the Glasgow Film Festival yesterday.
And Whiteside hopes it captures the essence of a man who led United to the most successful period in the club’s storied history.
He said: “Contrary to popular belief, I never fell out with Fergie.
“He even gave me a bit of advice about the money I should ask Everton for. I ended up being on four times more money.”