Cole: I didn’t ask to leave Toon despite falling out with King Kev

ANDY Cole has revealed his relationship with former Newcastle United boss Kevin Keegan had broken down before he was sold to Manchester United.

Cole sits third on the Premier League’s all-time scorers list and was part of Manchester United’s treblewinning side of 1999.

However, it was at Newcastle where his top-flight career started to blossom after Keegan signed him from Division One side Bristol City. Cole scored 41 goals in 45 games in all competitions during the 1993-94 season, breaking Hughie Gallacher’s record of almost 70 years.

The Magpies finished third that season, their first campaign back in the top flight, and were seen as genuine title contenders heading into the 1994-95 campaign.

However, midway through the season Cole moved to Manchester in a transfer which shocked English football.

Cole said: “It was totally out of the blue.

“There has been a lot of talk about how I instigated the move but that is a load of nonsense.

“Everyone knew Kevin and I had a bit of a problem earlier that season and I don’t think I enjoyed what Kevin said to me and I don’t think Kevin enjoyed what I said to him.

“The relationship after that was not the same so when Kevin accepted the offer I knew nothing about it until that Monday night.

“I got a phone call from the guy representing me at the time to say: ‘The deal is done for you go to Manchester United.’

“So all this nonsense about people saying I instigated the move is nonsense. I knew nothing about it until the Monday night.”