FERGIE'S BIG REGRET

Failing to land Paul Gascoigne is the most painful regret of Sir Alex Ferguson's 20-year reign at Old Trafford.

Speaking in an interview with the Manchester United Disabled Supporters Association magazine, Ferguson said:

“The biggest regret would be missing out on Paul Gascoigne. With all the Geordies here at the time and Newcastle being only two-and-a-half hours up the road, he knows it was a mistake going to London.

“I'll always remember during my first full season going up to St James' Park after we'd got these reports in advance on this dumpy local boy we needed to keep an eye on!

“He had real talent, the boy. He annihilated the three I put out against him that day - Bryan Robson, Remi Moses and Norman Whiteside. He beat us 2-1 single-handed.

“No question he and Wayne Rooney are the most talented players this country has produced in 20 years.”

On Forlan:

“I told him we were selling him too cheaply when we let him go. Two great feet, great movement, an intelligent boy with plenty of languages.

“It was just a shame for him we were playing one up front back then and he couldn't really get it going with Ruud van Nistelrooy. He got disillusioned in the end.

“With Veron you just can't deny or dismiss his talent, but at every single club he played for, they ended up playing him wide right. He's such a free spirit that you end up losing your shape with him in the middle, but he'd still run all day long.

“Kleberson just did not have the personality to be a United player - he never opened his mouth. It wasn't his physique that was the problem. Again, he had good ability and again he could run all day. Too quiet.”