8 Newcastle Players Who Almost Signed For Man Utd

Despite Craig Bellamy's assertions that Newcastle are nowhere near the size and profile of Manchester United, the two clubs have some serious history when it comes to close rivalry and some bad blood. The clubs have butted heads on the pitch several times, playing their part in some of the most entertaining Premier League matches, and though the days the Magpies compete with the big bucks of Van Gaal's side are gone (as we're told almost every window), for a while the pair were close business rivals. The revelation that Alan Shearer turned down Man Utd more than once is nothing new, but he is far from the only Newcastle player who almost ended up playing for the Red Devils at one point in their career...

8. Paul Gascoigne

Having made his name at Newcastle as a prodigious, if a little wayward talent, Gazza sought a bigger move in 1988 and was duly rewarded with a move to London and Spurs. But that wasn't how it was supposed to go down. At the start of the summer, by his own admission, Gazza had assured Sir Alex Ferguson that he was going to sign for him:

"I told Sir Alex I was signing for United and that he should go away and enjoy his summer holiday. I drove to Old Trafford to put pen to paper, but I kept on driving in my car and eventually joined Tottenham."

Apparently, Chris Waddle was the man Sir Alex should be most annoyed at: he had already moved to Spurs and told Gazza how happy he was and that he should follow him South. Terry Venables then rang Gascoigne personally, which impressed him, and told him he would get him into the England squad within three months - a promise he delivered with a month to spare.

"I enjoyed my time at Spurs, but I do look back and wonder what my life might have been like if I€™d signed for United. I reckon Sir Alex Ferguson would have taken me by the balls €“ just like Vinnie."