FERGUSON BEATS MACLAREN'S DRUM

"I always felt Steve would succeed as a manager," he said. "He is a dedicated lad who works very hard.

"I spoke to Jim Smith about him when I was looking for an assistant to replace Brian Kidd in 1999 and also had a chat with one or two other managers and a player who had worked under him. All I received were really good reports.

"I always remember Steve's first game was an 8-1 away win at Nottingham Forest. I just turned round to him and said 'we are looking for some improvement'.

"His record at Middlesbrough tells you everything you need to know about him and I totally expected what he has done."

"I still speak to Steve," confirmed Ferguson. "When he left us, I knew he had got the urge to be a manager. I didn't want to stop him and then find that two years later, either he, or I, regretted it.

"When you get a situation like that, you wish the lad well and let him get on with his life."

That'll be interesting reading to a lad from Collyhurst who was treated somewhat differently just before Maclaren arrived.