Darren Fletcher has revealed that only an 'absolutely mental' last-ditch phone call from Sir Alex Ferguson convinced him to join Manchester United rather than Newcastle United.
Before arriving in Manchester and staying for the next 15 years, Fletcher was training with both United and Newcastle as a schoolboy and then faced the difficult decision on which club to join.
At the time of making his big switch from Tynecastle FC, the Magpies were a competitive side at the top end of the Premier League and with its proximity to the Scottish border it made the decision harder despite the size of United.
In fact, Fletcher admitted that he had made his mind up to move to Newcastle - until Ferguson moved to intervene in explosive fashion.
"Newcastle were going toe-to-toe with Manchester United at the time for the Premier League," the Scot said on the Footy Talks podcast.
"They were arguably the second biggest club in England at the time.
"I absolutely loved my time at Newcastle. Great club and great people. I couldn't speak more highly of it.
"As it got closer to making that decision, it was so close between Newcastle and Manchester United for a number of reasons.
"It was decision time, and it was tough. I really enjoyed it at Manchester Utd, but I more enjoyed the club rather than the dressing room and the lads so to speak.
"Whereas at Newcastle I enjoyed the club and all the lads and the atmosphere around the place and things like that.
"So I had the decision, I decided right, I’m going to go to Newcastle."
Once Ferguson heard of his decision, however, he was furious and took the matter into his own hands by ringing the then 15-year-old.
"The house phone rings and my sister answers it and says ‘Darren it’s for you’," Fletcher continued.
"It’s Alex Ferguson on the phone and he’s going absolutely mental down it. I'm 15 and I was like mouth open, not speaking, and he’s just going absolutely bananas down the phone at me.
"My mum grabs the phone because she sees me going chalk white, and she listens for a second and says 'don’t call this house again' and slams the phone down.
"I’m there just going like – what is going on? Five minutes later the manager phones back and he’s dead apologetic."
Fletcher would then travel down to Manchester to meet Ferguson with his father and the meeting would convince the midfielder to join the club where he enjoyed a brilliant career, winning five Premier Leagues, three League Cups, the FA Cup and the Champions League.
"Deep down my dad knew I was going to Newcastle because it was closer to home," he added." Looking back, it was probably the right decision."
