10 Players You Didn't Know Nearly Signed For Middlesbrough

9. Keith Gillespie

Northern Irish winger Keith Gillespie was always prepared to spend the best years of his career at St. James€™ Park, eternally grateful to the club for rescuing him from his Old Trafford hell. Riding the crest of a wave at high-flying Newcastle, Gillespie intended to give his peak for the club - despite their best efforts to flog him to north-east neighbours Middlesbrough in the summer of 1998. With David Ginola, Les Ferdinand and Peter Beardsley already having left the club, it looked like the industrial winger was next line, with the club having agreed a deal with the Teeside outfit behind Toon boss Kenny Dalglish€™s back.

''In the summer of 1998, Newcastle agreed to sell me to Middlesbrough without telling the then manager Dalglish. I eventually failed a medical and returned to Newcastle.۪۪ - Keith Gillespie, March 2013.

Middlesbrough had even released a premature statement claiming to have signed the Northern Irishman on a five-year contract, leaving a fuming Dalglish to lament his lack of involvement in the transfer.

''Obviously if a player is involved coming in or going out, you۪d think the manager would be involved in the decision. I was aware of the offer but you cannot sign a player before he۪s had his medical. I haven۪t had a chance to speak to Keith and this isn۪t right. Movement is part and parcel of football but there۪s a way to do things and it۪s wrong if I haven۪t spoken to the player.۪۪ - Kenny Dalglish, August 1998.

Boro boss Bryan Robson attempted to quell expectations that the deal had gone through, claiming that despite personal terms having been agreed, €™everyone has jumped the gun€™.