DANNY SIMPSON has opened up on the time a woman turned up on his doorstep claiming to be pregnant with his child – hours after he played in the Champions League for Manchester United.
After progressing through the club’s academy, Simpson made eight appearances for the Red Devils.
One of those came against Roma in the Champions League in December 2007.
He played 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw in the group stages, the same season United went on to lift the trophy in Moscow.
Then, the day after his big night at the Stadio Olimpico, Simpson was told he was going to be a father at the age of 19.
The claim turned out to be false, and Simpson has now spoken on the effect that period of time had on his life.
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The now 36-year-old told the Under The Cosh podcast: “People don’t know this but I don’t mind saying it. I played Roma away in the Champions League, drew 1-1, think [Gerard] Pique scored.
“Next day, my apartment buzzer has gone. ‘Hello?’ Ah it’s… I won’t say the name, but I was like ‘oh yeah, come in’.
“This girls turned up at my door, five months pregnant, telling me I’m the dad.
“So imagine, I’ve just played the Champions League, biggest night of my life, drew 1-1, got [Francesco] Totti’s shirt, come home buzzing, all my mates are buzzing, and then 24 hours later some bird is telling me she’s pregnant.”
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The outing against Roma ended up being Simpson’s last game for Manchester United.
While he went on to win the Prem title with Leicester in 2015-16, Simpson described that period of his life at United as “madness”.
Simpson ended up joining Ipswich on loan in March 2008, before having further loan spells at Blackburn and Newcastle before he left Old Trafford for good in 2010.
He continued: “When you’re playing you think you can deal with it. I’m a kid [at the time], I’ve got this lawyer saying she wants this house and this and that.
“Cut a long story short, had the test and obviously it wasn’t mine. It was a mad four to six months. Madness.”
Simpson revealed he didn’t tell boss Sir Alex Ferguson, but Rio Ferdinand was there “helping” him to get through a difficult period.
He added: “Rio was helping me with that one. It was mad, when that test came, the results come through, it was mad.
“I was on tele the night before playing against Roma – one of the best nights of my life, playing for United in the Champions League against Roma and Totti, Ludovic Giuly, I played some top players and I had a good game – and then next day a big bomb [was dropped] on me.”
Simpson has not played since leaving Bristol City in March 2022.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
