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    Man Utd were refunded for Chinese disaster Dong Fangzhuo after the infamous striker flopped with the Red Devils

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    MANCHESTER UNITED were given a full refund for Dong Fangzhuo after the Chinese striker flopped at Old Trafford.United infamously signed Fangzhuo from Chinese club Dalian Shide in 2004 for an initial fee of £500,000, which could have risen to £3.5million, depending on appearances.
    Man Utd were given a full refund for Dong Fangzhuo after the infamous Chinese striker flopped at Old TraffordCredit: Getty – Contributor
    But the forward only played three matches and failed to score a goal before his contract was terminated four years after moving to England.
    The Premier League giants were not out of pocket for the gamble signing, though, due to a clause inserted when they signed Fangzhuo.
    According to The Athletic, Dalian Shide agreed to refund United if they were not satisfied two years after the striker completed the move to Old Trafford.
    The flop moved back to his ex-club after leaving Manchester, and retired aged 29 after spells in Poland, Portugal and Armenia.
    Fangzhuo’s spectacular fall from grace culminated in appearing on a Chinese reality TV show undergoing plastic surgery.
    In 2015 Fangzhuo was without a club and was struggling to stay fit.
    Overweight, he appeared on a Chinese TV show where he underwent plastic surgery on his jowly face.
    Despite the cruel twist of fate in his career, his former United team-mate Darren Fletcher claimed Fangzhuo had all the attributes to be a success in England.
    Fletcher said: “Listen, it was difficult for Dong. You’re talking about a stage and a time at Manchester United where the competition for places was crazy.
    “But there was something there with Dong. He was aggressive, he was quick, he had a great shot. He had attributes. But he was still learning the game and things like that.
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    “Confidence is a massive part of it for any young player, especially when you struggle with the language and the cultural changes.
    “It’s difficult to say someone wasn’t good enough. It wasn’t like he was miles off it at Manchester United.
    “I didn’t see any reason why he wouldn’t have been a success elsewhere. But I think he went back to Asia and we never really saw or heard of him again.”
    United signed Fangzhuo from Dalian Shide in 2004 for an initial fee of £500,000, which could have risen to £3.5 million, depending on appearancesCredit: Getty – Contributor
    However, a spectacular fall from grace culminated in Fangzhuo appearing on a Chinese reality TV show undergoing plastic surgery More

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      I was taken to Pizza Express by Roy Keane who tried to persuade me to sign for Sunderland but I knew we would not get on

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      MIDO once deep panned Roy Keane after revealing all about the meal that persuaded him never to play for the Manchester United legend.No amount of dough would have persuaded the Egypt striker to sign after the then-Sunderland manager invited him to Pizza Express in 2006 for what he thought would be a friendly “come and join us” chat.
      Mido was taken for lunch at Pizza Express by Roy Keane but the pair didn’t exactly hit it off
      Mido, who was with Spurs at the time, said Keane “didn’t talk much” – and he would “end up fighting” with the former Republic of Ireland legend if he played under him.
      Ex-Ajax and Marseille star Mido told talkSPORT how he couldn’t wait to dessert his less-than-topping dining experience with Keane.
      So instead he left Tottenham for a three-year spell with Sunderland’s North East rivals Middlesbrough.
      The now 40-year-old said: “My agent Mino Raiola said, ‘Mido, Roy Keane wants to have lunch with you and show you the training ground’.
      “So I went to Newcastle airport. He came to pick me up in his Range Rover, we went to Sunderland and he took me to lunch to Pizza Express.
      “I was very surprised that he didn’t talk to me much.
      “Normally you get a player for lunch, you try to talk to him and try to convince him to sign for your club, but he didn’t talk much, he was just very quiet.
      “I knew straight away that me and him, we could not work together, we would end up fighting. He was talking to me and looking at the ceiling.
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      “I knew straight away that it would not work.”
      Ultimately, Keane’s managerial career crumbled – after two-year spells with Sunderland and Ipswich.
      Mido has grabbed a slice of the managerial action himself – with four Egyptian clubs before taking over Saudi Arabia’s Al-Wehda Club in December 2018.
      He was most recently in charge Egyptian side El Makkasa, but was sacked in 2020 after just six months in charge. More

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      Meet Britain’s richest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who wants to buy Man Utd, owns Nice and is nicknamed Bond villain Dr No

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      BRITAIN’S richest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe – worth a staggering £15billion- is plotting to buy Manchester United.The billionaire businessman wants in after the Glazer family put the club up for sale – as long as it’s for the right price.
      Britain’s richest man, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, wants to buy Man UtdCredit: Getty – Contributor
      United announced on Monday that the Glazers were “looking to explore strategic alternatives” for the club.
      Ratcliffe, 70, is a lifelong Red Devils fan and it was revealed in the summer he was interested in taking over the club.
      A spokesperson said: “If the club is for sale, Jim is definitely a potential buyer.
      “If something like this was possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership.
      “This is not about the money that has been spent or not spent. Jim is looking at what can be done now and, knowing how important the club is to the city, it feels like the time is right for a reset.”
      Back in April, Ratcliffe put in an offer for Chelsea after speaking with former Blues chairman Bruce Buck, when sanctions placed on Roman Abramovich triggered a fire sale.
      Ratcliffe is a petrochemicals tycoon who at his peak was worth around £21BILLION.
      He runs multi-billion-pound chemicals giant Ineos, which owns French club Nice, Swiss side Lausanne, plus a third of Formula One team Mercedes.
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      Speaking in October about taking over United, he said: “If it had been for sale in the summer, yes, we would probably have had a go, following on from the Chelsea thing.
      “But we can’t sit around hoping that one day United will become available.”
      Now United IS available, and billionaire businessman Ratcliffe is ready to negotiate a potential takeover.GROWING UP
      Ratcliffe was born in Failsworth,  LancashireCredit: AFP or licensors
      Ratcliffe was born in Failsworth, Lancashire, a commuter town just outside of Manchester.
      His father was a joiner and his mother worked in accounts, with the family living in a council house until the age of ten, before eventually moving to Hull, Yorkshire.
      His father later ran a factory making lab furniture.
      Ratcliffe previously admitted that despite having a Chelsea season ticket for many years, he is actually a Manchester United fan.
      He said: “I am a season ticket holder at Chelsea, have been for years, although I’m a Manchester United fan really.
      “Or was!”
      After attending Beverley Grammar School, Ratcliffe graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in chemical engineering.
      He also attended the London Business School, studying management accounting and graduating in 1980.
      CAREER
      Back in 2019, Ratcliffe forked out £91m to buy NiceCredit: Jamie McPhilimey – The Sun
      Ratcliffe’s first job was with oil firm Esso, before moving to American private equity group Advent international in 1989.
      He only became an entrepreneur at 40, as co-founder of INSPEC and then in 1998 forming Ineos in Hampshire, buying out his partners.
      The company used high-yield debt to finance deals, buying unwanted operations from bigger firms such as ISI and BP.
      In 2006, Ineos bought BP’s refining and petrochemical arm Innovene, giving the company refineries in five European countries and Canada.
      Ineos quit the United Kingdom in 2010, moving their head office from Hampshire to Rolle, Switzerland.
      The move is said to have saved Ratcliffe and his firm around £100million annually because of lesser tax.
      We’d look at businesses that were unfashionable or unsexy… We’d run them a bit better, reduce the costs, make them busy, and over the cycle they are very profitableSir Jim Ratcliffe on how his company made their billions
      He did return in 2015, however, putting the chemicals and energy branch of Ineos in Knightsbridge, London, saying he was “very cheerful” about being back in the UK and untroubled by Brexit.
      In fact, Ratcliffe had voted for Brexit.
      However, he quit the UK in 2018, moving to tax haven Monaco.
      The same year, the Sunday Times named Ratcliffe as Britain’s Richest Man, with a personal wealth of £21.05bn.
      Ineos, which employs around 19,000 people across the globe, makes fuels and lubricants, food packaging and construction materials that are a huge part of everyday life.
      It also supplies natural gas to homes and produces plastics, acids and polystyrene.
      In 2018, Ineos had a turnover of £45bn and is valued at £35bn.
      He previously revealed to The Times how he made his money, saying: “We’d look at businesses that were unfashionable or unsexy, facilities owned by large corporations where you’d know they would be sloppy with the fixed costs.
      “We’d run them a bit better, reduce the costs, make them busy, and over the cycle they are very profitable.”
      Ratcliffe has been called secretive and reclusive and according to the Financial Times has been given some nefarious nicknames by rivals and staff.
      They reported he has been called JR after the scheming oil tycoon from 1980s hit show Dallas, as well as Dr No – after the Bond villain/mad scientist.
      Ratcliffe’s company, Ineos, produces a range of plastics, lubricants and products used in everyday life – such as bottle tops and toothpasteCredit: Reuters
      Ratcliffe is a supporter of controversial drilling process frackingCredit: PA:Press Association
      PERSONAL LIFE
      Ratcliffe, who is a vocal supporter of fracking, was married to Amanda Townson in 1985, before divorcing in 1995 – the couple had two sons.
      He also has a daughter from his second wife, Alicia, whom he married in the late 1990s.
      Ratcliffe had properties in Chelsea and Hampshire before quitting the country for the French Riviera.
      His move to the tax haven, where he already had a property, saved him around £4BILLION in tax.
      Ratcliffe was also made a Knight Bachelor in the 2018 Birthday Honours list for services to business and investment.
      He has owned two large super-yachts, the Hampshire, which he sold in 2011 to take order of the Hampshire II, which he still owns.
      The Hampshire II cost £130million is 257ft 6in and can house 14 guests and 23 crew.
      It features six large cabins, has a swimming pool on one of the decks, a helipad, Jacuzzi, sauna, cinema and beach club.
      The helipad can even be transformed into a special sports area fit for tennis, badminton, basketball, baseball or football.
      His other toys include FOUR private jets and a fleet of cars – although it’s not known which cars he has.
      However, he is a known lover of Land Rover Defenders and has financed his own line of cars to rival his favourite 4×4.
      The Ineos Projekt Grenadier starts at £55,000.
      Ratcliffe is a lover of sports and the outdoors – and financed a new 4×4 to replace the Land Rover DefenderCredit: Jon Bond – The Sun
      The billionaire’s super-yacht, the Hampshire II, cost £130m and includes a swimming pool, helipad and room for 14 guestsCredit: YouTube / Feadship
      SPORTS
      Sir Jim has always been a huge fan of sport and physical activity.
      As well as growing up a Manchester United fan, he has made expeditions to the North and South Poles and also spent three months on a motorbike trek across South Africa.
      Ratcliffe is also said to have completed the London Marathon in 2007.
      Before his interest in buying Man Utd, Ratcliffe and Ineos had already bought another football team: Swiss side FC Lausanne-Sport.
      He completed the purchase of the team in November 2017, with the club sitting fifth in the Swiss Super League.
      However, The Blue and Whites were RELEGATED in his first season at the helm, dropping down to the Challenge League.
      The club are currently fourth in the table.
      Ineos then paid £91million to take over French Ligue 1 side Nice in 2019.
      Elsewhere, Ratcliffe completed a move for cycling outfit Team Sky – and turned them into Team Ineos.
      He said: “Cycling is a great endurance and tactical sport that is gaining ever more popularity around the world.
      “Equally, cycling continues to mushroom for the general public as it is seen to be good for fitness and health, together with easing congestion and pollution in city environments.
      “Ineos is delighted to take on the responsibility of running such a professional team.”
      In 2018, Ratcliffe teamed with Olympic hero Sir Ben Ainslie to form Ineos Team UK, and they competed for the America’s Cup from 2021.
      It is believed he spent more than £110million on the project.
      Clearly, with money to burn, Man Utd fans will be getting excited at the prospect of Ratcliffe backing their club.
      Ratcliffe is a keen sailor and teamed with Olympic hero Sir Ben Ainslie to form Ineos Team UK – the billionaire has already spent £110m on the projectCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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      Liverpool missed out on signing Man Utd star Cristiano Ronaldo just a week before move after ‘fee trebled’ overnight

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      LIVERPOOL failed to sign Cristiano Ronaldo only a week before he joined Manchester United after Sir Alex Ferguson gazumped his rivals, according to Phil Thompson.The then-Reds assistant boss has revealed that his team were one of many English clubs interested in the Portuguese forward.
      Ronaldo went on to become a mega star at Old TraffordCredit: PA:Press Association
      Ronaldo had already declared that a move to Anfield was “a dream” with agents Paul Stretford, Jorge Mendes and Tony Henry negotiating his exit from Sporting CP.
      In recalling the 2003 transfer to The Athletic, Thompson states that a £4million fee was required.
      He noted: “I asked what kind of salary he would want and they said it was £1 million per year after tax. That was a lot for an 18-year-old kid but they said that was negotiable.
      “It was a Sunday and I explained to them that I needed to go back to Liverpool and speak to Gerard Houllier and see what we could do. I fed all the information back to Gerard, who said he would speak to [chief executive] Rick Parry.
      “Lo and behold, the following week I’m at Melwood when the yellow ticker on Sky Sports News says: Manchester United sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting for £12.2m.
      “I couldn’t believe my eyes.”
      As Thompson says, United had not paid the £4m fee earlier touted and he was left shocked at how the figure changed overnight.
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      The former defender continued: “Tony told me that when he’d got off the plane on the Monday he had got a call to say he was off the deal. It was down to Stretford and Mendes instead.
      “It was astonishing that the fee trebled.
      “He was clearly a big talent but no one could have predicted back then how great he was going to be.”
      Ronaldo went on to win a treble of Premier League titles in Manchester with 118 goals in almost 300 appearances in his first spell with the club.
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      Chelsea legend John Terry’s dad was furious he snubbed Man Utd for Blues and refused to join him as he signed first deal

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      JOHN TERRY once revealed his dad was so furious he snubbed Manchester United for Chelsea that he refused to join him on the pitch as he signed his first contract.Terry, who had been playing for West Ham at youth level up until the age of 14, had the choice of joining the Blues, United or Arsenal.
      Jonh Terry’s dad was so furious he snubbed Man Utd for Chelsea he refused to join his son on the pitch as he signed his first contract
      Terry won five Premier League titles before leaving Chelsea in 2017Credit: PA:Press Association
      But after falling in love with Chelsea, the legendary defender defied his dad’s wishes and refused a United contract.
      And the former Aston Villa assistant manager Terry told the Footballer’s Guide to Football podcast in June 2020: “My dad never wanted me to sign for Chelsea.
      “Actually, on the pitch of me signing my schoolboy form at the club, my dad refused to go on the pitch with me.
      “I’m in the tunnel, the players are coming off the pitch and I’m waiting in the tunnel, Glenn Hoddle goes past and my dad’s going, ‘You’re not signing for this football club, we should sign for Man United’.
      “Again, me being me at the time I’m going, ‘I’m 100 per cent I’m signing here, if you don’t come out with me I’m going out to sign’.
      “And you needed a parent, so my mum said she would come and sign it with me, my dad’s going mad at my mum, ‘No you wont’.
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      “There’s a picture of my mum and Graham Rix signing my contract, but my dad refused and absolutely kicked off that night. Again, me being the character I was, I knew Chelsea was right for me.
      “One night that was probably supposed to be one of the best nights of my life turned out to be a tough one for a young 14-year-old to be honest.”
      Terry’s instinct to sign for Chelsea paid off, as he went on to win five Premier League titles and FA Cup’s as well as lifting the Champions League in 2012 before leaving the club in 2017.
      But the legendary centre-back revealed he did come close to joining rivals United, and even visited the club several times over a year with David Beckham.
      Terry said: “I actually went up to Man United for a year, so I was kind of travelling up in school holidays, I went up with David Beckham when he signed his first pro contract.
      “We went up in the car together, I was there on a two-week training camp.
      My dad never wanted me to sign for Chelsea. Actually, on the pitch of me signing my schoolboy form at the club, my dad refused to go on the pitch with me.John Terry

      “I went up, stayed up for a couple weeks every school holiday really on my own, which was tough to be fair, being away from home.
      “Then I had the option between Arsenal, Chelsea and Man United and to be fair all of them went above and beyond.
      “The moment I walked into Chelsea, it just felt right, I know that’s going to sound really bizarre.” More

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      Chelsea stars Reece and Lauren James become the first brother and sister pair to play for England and are ‘living dream’

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      IN the case of the James clan, it’s very much about keeping it in the family.This weekend, Lauren James earned her first cap for England – coming as a substitute against Austria as Sarina Wiegman’s European Champions booked their place at the World Cup with a 2-0 win.
      Chelsea stars Reece and Lauren James are the first brother and sister to play for EnglandCredit: EPA
      Reece and Lauren James have become professional footballers with the help of dad NigelCredit: Instagram / @rjames
      James made her debut for the Three Lions against Austria over the weekend
      In doing so, she joined her famous brother Reece in becoming a full England international. They are now the first brother and sister to play for the Three Lions, in what is a remarkable achievement.
      While Reece has just signed a new five-year deal with the Blues

      It’s astounding that two talented footballers of the men’s and women’s game are even playing professionally, not to mention representing their country.
      But the London-born pair are living the dream. Part of their success is due to their incredible father, Nigel.
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      A motorbike accident halted his promising career, after spells at Luton Town and Southampton.
      Nigel found his true calling through mentoring youngsters and later set up Nigel James Elite Coaching programme.
      It’s testament to him, his son and his daughter would eventually become pros.
      PARKLIFE
      Reece, 22, and Lauren, 20, grew up in London with football an ongoing backdrop in their lives.
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      As well as a father with footballing aspirations, their elder brother Joshua was on the books of Fulham and Reading. Their mother Emma worked admirably for the NHS.
      If the three siblings weren’t kicking a ball against a wall, they would be down the park honing their skills.
      Often, their dad who would pass on his knowledge and put the three through training drills and exercises.
      Lauren and Reece have always shared a tight bond together
      The siblings grew up in London with football as their backdrop
      Reece and Lauren enjoy a kickabout togetherCredit: Instagram @laurennjjames
      Dad Nigel coached Reece, Lauren and their brother Joshua in the local park
      “We grew up as a three,” Reece of Chelsea proudly told the Blues official website.
      “Obviously, Josh learned from my dad and then it just passed its way down. I started playing because my brother played, and my sister played because I played.
      “We all used to play every day together at the park and over time we all gradually got better. There was a field behind my house, with two pitches, and every day I’d be playing football, either in the field or in the street.”
      Lauren, who joined her brother at Chelsea this summer, echoes the sentiment that the beautiful game dominated their lives.
      “All I ever knew was football, football and football,” she told The Telegraph.
      “My brothers got me into football. Whether it was when Josh was at Fulham or when Reece was at the Chelsea academy, I was there kicking the ball against the fence.
      “I’ve always had a football and it has just taken me to where I am now.”
      PATHWAY TO SUCCESS
      Reece was an early bloomer when it came to his footballing talent.
      By the age of six he joined Chelsea’s impressive development academy, where he progressed through the ranks.
      James joined Chelsea’s youth set-up aged six
      James progressed through Chelsea’s youth teams and won a FA Youth CupCredit: Getty – Contributor
      However, it took him some time to find his best position. He started off as a striker, moved into midfield and then had to learn the art of defending.
      Once he cemented the right-back as his own, there was no stopping him. In the 2017-18 season, he appeared for England at U18, U19 and U20 level.
      A loan at Wigan Athletic the following campaign saw Reece named as their Player of the Year.
      Once he made his debut against Grimsby in the EFL Cup in 2019, scoring one and assisting two, he could no longer be ignored for a first team spot.
      Lauren might be slightly younger than Reece, but her achievements are just as impressive.
      At 13 she joined Arsenal, and because of her experience with playing with her brothers was encouraged to train with the boys’ team.
      Two years later, the prolific forward made her first team debut for the Gunners women’s team – beating Reece to the punch there.
      She created history in the process becoming the youngest player in Arsenal’s history male or female to make their bow for the club.
      In 2017, she moved to the newly reformed Manchester United women’s team to take on a new challenge in a city she never knew.
      In 2017, Lauren James joined Manchester United’s newly formed women’s teamCredit: Getty
      Since joining the Red Devils, James has thrived scoring 27 goals in 54 gamesCredit: Getty
      But that didn’t deter the brave teen, who scored 14 goals in 18 league games as the Red Devils won promotion from the Championship at the first time of asking to the Women’s Super League.
      This summer, Lauren joined Reece at Chelsea – where she has scored once in her five games so far this campaign.
      BATTLING RACISM TOGETHER
      As is a sad indictment of our times, both Reece and Lauren have been targeted with online racist abuse.
      They are united in their efforts to encourage social media companies to do more with their platforms in stopping racism.
      “When we both get messages like that, we turn to each other and discuss it,” Reece said.
      “I think everyone agrees and knows that what’s happening with social media and racism is wrong. Everyone says they want to change, but not many things are changing.”
      MUTUAL RESPECT
      Although they share a competitive nature on the pitch, Reece and Lauren only have a mutual respect for each other’s achievements.
      But Lauren knew she had to emulate her brother by following his footsteps into the England squad.
      “We are not usually competitive,” she revealed.
      “When he got his senior England call-up, it was like, “Right, he got his, I’ve got to get mine now. That’s probably the only time and I laugh about it now.”
      Reece earned his first cap against Wales last October, while a month later Lauren received a senior national team call-up as part of a 29-player training camp at St George’s Park.
      Despite their careers mirroring one another, Reece is adamant they can’t be compared.
      Reece James has become a regular in the England squad since his first call-up last OctoberCredit: Marc Aspland – The Times
      His sister Lauren James celebrated an England call-up last November when she was included in a 29-man squadCredit: Getty
      “I wouldn’t say there’s competition,” he said.
      “You know, she is my sister. Our games are the same, our professions are the same, but it’s still different. I play men’s football when she plays women’s football, you can’t compare them.”
      No. But you can applaud their success. They are, after all, living the dream. More

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      Ben Foster was once ‘nailed’ by irate Sir Alex Ferguson after howler in win over Man City while playing for Man Utd

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      IT was the most dramatic Manchester  derby  of  all  time.But Ben Foster can only remember it for a ‘b****cking’ that sparked the end of his five-year spell at Old Trafford.
      Ben Foster made a howler in the 2009 Manchester derby – and was hammered by Sir Alex Ferguson afterwards
      Sir Alex Ferguson with ex-Man Utd goalkeeper Ben Foster
      Michael Owen had just scored United’s injury-time winner in the 4-3 classic in September 2009 and the dressing room was bouncing — until goalkeeper Foster was very quickly brought down to earth.
      Boss Sir Alex Ferguson was furious with how Foster had blundered for the visitors’ first goal as he came for a ball that Carlos Tevez ultimately won to set up Gareth Barry to score.
      Then right near the end, he was dummied at his near post by Craig Bellamy as City levelled at 3-3.
      Owen got United out of jail but Foster was firmly in the dock and he was soon to be sent down — to Birmingham City.
      Foster, now a free agent after a four-year stint with Watford, said: “I remember coming in at full-time and Ferguson nailed me.
      “We’d just won the game, so everyone was buzzing. He shut everyone up to nail me. He said, ‘You pull this s**t ever again and that’s you f***ing done’.
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      “Thankfully he kept me in the team and I had a few more decent games — but then I dropped another clanger.
      “We were home to Sunderland, Kenwyne Jones bullied me to the ball and scored with the header. Thankfully Patrice Evra scored a last-minute equaliser, so I was buzzing again.
      “But nah, Fergie’s gone in at me at full-time for two or three minutes, ‘You’re finished. You’re out. You’re in the reserves now, that’s you done.’
      “Scholesy was the only person who went, ‘Don’t worry about it, he does it to everyone’.
      “I wasn’t ready for Man Utd at the time. It was the wrong place at the wrong time. I just couldn’t deal with it. Nobody could drop their standards — ever. That’s what drove them to be the best.”
      Foster was made very aware of those exacting standards soon after arriving in 2005, with a blast from midfield hardman Roy Keane he did not forget.
      Speaking to That Peter Crouch Podcast, Foster said: “I was s**t-scared of him. I rolled the ball to him too slow apparently.
      “He stopped the ball, b****cked me, then turned around and carried on playing.
      “I was so glad he signed for Celtic a few weeks later.”
      Foster is now back training with former club West Brom.
      The ex-United star hit the headlines with his hit YouTube videos last term, which infuriated relegated Watford chiefs in the build-up to his release. More

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      in Soccer

      Worst Man Utd signings XI since Sir Alex Ferguson, including, Di Maria, Depay and De Beek that cost a whopping £431m

      by

      SIR ALEX FERGUSON left Manchester United with the Premier League trophy – but a raft of bad signings has seen it taken away with little sign of returning. An incredible £431.7million has been splashed on 13 dodgy deals in particular by flop bosses ranging from Louis Van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Romelu Lukaku cost an initial £75m and United struggled to find takers when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer decided to offload the Belgian to Inter where he thrived, before re-joining Chelsea.
      A promising first season was lost with a drop-off in 2018-19, scoring at an average of one every three games before leaving for Italy.At the very least, Lukaku provided some memorable moments but the same cannot be said for Angel Di Maria.
      The winger arrived with much fanfare in 2014 and quickly dropped off the pace, shepherded out to Paris Saint-Germain where he painfully found the form he lacked in England.
      The next expensive error was Fred who joined for £52m, but last season he did prove some doubters wrong with some impressive displays.
      Although, for that kind of outlay, you still want to see more.

      Pogba played over 200 games in total for United, winning two trophies, but often came under fire from sections of the Red Devils’ supportCredit: AFP

      Paul Pogba is perhaps the biggest duff of the lot.
      The £89million paid by Manchester United bring him back in 2016 remains the club’s highest ever transfer fee.
      It was also the world record figure paid for a footballer at the time.
      But now six years later Pogba will leave Old Trafford for NOTHING, with only a League Cup and Europa League winners medal to show for it.
      Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind were picked up in 2014 off the back of good World Cup campaigns – a strategy that rarely pays off and cost the club over £30m.
      And although Matteo Darmian was an Italian international when plucked from Torino, Louis van Gaal’s exit cast him to the fringes.
      De Beek’s has had a torrid time at Old Trafford since joining from Ajax for £35m
      Few have flopped in the Prem like Di MariaCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      Falcao struggled both at United and ChelseaCredit: PA:Empics Sport

      In the slightly more affordable but nonetheless useless category are Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Morgan Schneiderlin, who came in for £30m and £27m respectively.
      Still, United recouped most of the fee they spent on French anchor man Schneiderlin when he joined Everton but Mkhitaryan’s exit saw Alexis Sanchez arrive – making the Chilean’s initial fee cheap and yet still a huge disappointment.
      Among those who arrived with potential and waited until after leaving to go on to great things is Memphis Depay.
      Now a star at Barcelona and with the Dutch national team, his baffling form in the 2015/16 season showed that United had lost their touch when turning young gems into superstars.
      Many United fans point to former executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward as the chief architect of these abysmal deals.
      While replacing the peerless David Gill was a tough assignment, and finding a man capable of replacing Fergie nigh-on impossible, there were serious questions over his approach, which is why Richard Arnold is now orchestrating affairs. Credit: PA:Empics Sport Perhaps the Red Devils thought they were pulling off a cunning piece of Andrea Pirlo-esque business when bringing in Bastian Schweinsteiger but, at 31, the German was far past his best during an 18-month spell.
      Radamel Falcao was still in his late-20s when arriving on loan in 2014 on a £6m fee and massive wage combination yet hit just four goals in 29 games.
      United’s last boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also brought in a few questionable faces to Old Trafford.
      The Norwegian was responsible for recruiting Dutch flop Donny van de Beek from Ajax for £35m last summer.
      But he’s hardly set the Premier League alight, making just four domestic starts since the beginning of last season.
      De Beek’s joined by Jadon Sancho on Solskjaer’s list of poor signings. The winger signed from Borussia Dortmund in the summer for a whopping £73m but has flattered to deceive.
      However, the English international may prove doubters wrong next season under new boss Erik ten Haag.
      Of course, not all of Fergie’s signings hit the right note – just ask Kleberson, Eric Djemba Djemba, Juan-Sebastian Veron, Massimo Taibi. More

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      in Soccer

      Watch Jack Grealish’s reaction after Man Utd legend Roy Keane advises him to ‘keep off the top shelf’

      by

      JACK GREALISH won’t hold back as he toasts his first Premier League title after a dramatic final day at the Etihad.Manchester City star Grealish linked up with Sky Sports pundits Keane, Gary Neville, Jamie Redknapp and Micah Richards for a post-match interview while his team-mates celebrated their side’s incredible 3-2 win over Aston Villa.
      Manchester United legend Roy Keane had a hilarious piece of advice for Jack Grealish
      Manchester City star Jack Grealish was left in stitches after Roy Keane’s advice
      The legendary United captain, who won seven Prem titles during his celebrated career, was asked what advice he had for the 26-year-old, who just won the title in his debut season at the Etihad.
      Keane said: “Keep off the top shelf, stick with beer.”
      Grealish and the rest of the panel were left in stitches after that hilarious tip.
      But the forward insists he is ready to wholeheartedly celebrate the greatest moment of his career.
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}PREM FINALE .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}All the reaction as Man City WIN title, Burnley go down and Spurs land CL spot
      Grealish responded: “Not for the next three nights. No chance.”
      City came from behind against Villa to seal the title at the Etihad and end Liverpool’s hopes of an unprecedented Quadruple.
      Legendary Reds captain and Villa manager Steven Gerrard saw his team pick up a two-goal lead with Matty Cash and Philippe Coutinho.
      But Pep Guardiola’s men fought back with three goals in just five minutes thanks to Rodri’s strike and Ilkay Gundogan’s brace.

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title, Burnley go down and Spurs land CL spot
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      United great Keane looked visibly unimpressed after watching his former rivals clinch their fourth title in five years, while ex-City ace Richards was having the time of his life.
      But that didn’t stop the legendary midfielder from praising the Manchester giants’ incredible achievement.
      Keane said: “The bottom line is, the challenge City faced today was in front of them, Aston Villa.
      “You know you’ve got to score three goals to win the title. That’s huge pressure. You’ve got to get the ball running.
      “Credit to City. Them and Liverpool are the hardest working teams.” More