Keith Gillespie has recalled how Sir Alex Ferguson got him a bumper pay rise when he acted as his agent.
The Northern Irishman made the move to the north east in 1995 with Andy Cole heading the other way.
Gillespie was still a teenager at the time and earning less than £250-a-week.
But Ferguson sought the player's mother's permission to act as his representative and told him to keep hush while he handled the negotiation.
“We got to the hotel, got on the hotel phone and I rang home,” Gillespie told the United podcast.
“My mum answered and I explained the situation and the manager comes on to her and said: ‘Look, is it OK if I do the deal and act as his agent?’
"She said she was happy enough with that. And I remember the manager said to me: ‘When we go in here, don’t say a word.’
“We were on £230 a week and the contract was going up to £250 a week the next year, but I remember sitting at a big round table with Sir Alex, Kevin Keegan [ Newcastle ’s manager], Freddy Shepherd, the chairman, Freddie Fletcher, the chief executive.
“I was sat with my head down and remember Sir Alex going: ‘Well, Keith’s on £600 a week at the minute and we want you to double it to £1,200.’
"I sort of looked up and he said [again]: ‘£600,’ and gave me this look as if to say: ‘Don’t say a word here.’ And Newcastle agreed to it right away.”
Gillespie would spend three years at St.James' Park before moving to Blackburn Rovers.
