Peter Davenport revealed to Setanta.com that Manchester United seriously considered appointing Brian Clough as club manager.

Retired Manchester United striker Peter Davenport recently revealed that during his time at Old Trafford, he believed that the club were seriously considering appointing Brian Clough as United's manager just before the Red Devils secured the services of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Clough has been the subject of many discussions of late, as the biographical film of his time as a manager, 'The Damned United', has just been released in cinemas.

Both Ferguson and Clough are figureheads of top-flight management, and Davenport had the privilege of playing under both gaffers, signing for Manchester United from Nottingham Forest back in 1986.

Ron Atkinson was sacked during Davenport's tenure at United, and in the quest to find a new manager for the side, the ex-striker felt that chairman Martin Edwards was keen on having Clough take over at the club.

Despite press reports suggesting a link between the two at the time, Edwards denied that any offer was made to Clough before appointing Sir Alex at Old Trafford. However, Davenport has now revealed that Edwards spoke to him three times about the whole affair, requesting his opinion on Clough as a manager.

"Martin was always intrigued at the possibility of getting Brian Clough," claimed Davenport.

"He asked what he was like, how he operated, and Martin would have been very pleased if Clough had ever been in the frame for the United job. I think he would have got it.

"At that stage Clough was at the height of his powers, had won the European Cup twice. But Forest had finished higher than United [in the First Division] a couple of seasons before, so the teams were in similar positions.

"I don’t think he [Edwards] ever made a move, but I think he had a lot of respect for Clough."

- Goal.com

GOALKEEPERS

• Peter Schmeichel
• Edwin van der Sar

FULL BACKS

• Denis Irwin
• Gary Neville
• Patrice Evra
• Fabio and Rafael da Silva

CENTRE BACKS

• Jaap Stam
• Steve Bruce
• Rio Ferdinand
• Gary Pallister
• Ronny Johnsen
• Jonny Evans

MIDFIELDER

• Bryan Robson
• Roy Keane
• Paul Scholes
• Ryan Giggs
• Cristiano Ronaldo
• David Beckham

STRIKERS

• Eric Cantona
• Ruud van Nistelrooy
• Andy Cole
• Dwight Yorke
• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
• Teddy Sheringham
• Wayne Rooney

Paul Gascoigne has revealed he once turned down the chance of a move to Manchester United.

Speaking in a frank interview with Sky News to be broadcast tonight, the former England legend describes the snub as one of his greatest regrets as a player.

Earlier this week, Sir Alex Ferguson admitted in an interview that "not getting Gazza" was the biggest disappointment of his managerial career.

Gascoigne, 41, said he was shown around United's training ground as a young player but he chose to join Tottenham instead - and when he contacted Ferguson from Italy about a deal several years later, the Scot did not seem interested.

"Maybe if I had stayed at Man U I might have been still there,"

"I don't know, you just look at these players and the squad of young kids that play, young Rooney that's there, the Neville Brothers and Becks, the way he (Ferguson) just brought them on and there are so many.

"I got invited to the academy and it is a magnificent place and you can see the way he treats his players, he treats them with respect but he also makes men out of boys.

"It took me six years to get back talking to Sir Alex, I called him from Lazio and asked him would he re-sign us.

"He was with Eric Cantona and he said he would see what Eric Cantona was going to do but I think everyone knows if you do something to Sir Alex Ferguson the way I did you don't get a second chance."

Gascoigne spoke with great admiration of the current United squad, picking out Cristiano Ronaldo as the player he views as "the new Gazza".

"Ronaldo is different, he's a different type of player and he delivers," he said.

"Last year he scored more goals and they said he was fabulous. This year they are talking about him and saying he is not doing as well, just because he's not hitting the back of the net.

"Now I think he is doing a lot better this year than he did last year, even though he doesn't score as many goals. I think Sir Alex has made him a complete player."

Gascoigne also revealed that he had recently been contacted by Argentina coach Diego Maradona and that he would love to return to management himself one day - at his first club, Newcastle.

"I got a call, they just said Maradona has invited us to stay with him," he said.

"This was a couple of months ago but I left it, I said I'd just leave it because he was taking on the job of Argentina coach and he would be busy anyway. But it's still on offer.

"In time I would love to manage Newcastle but you have got to take your badges, you have got to be strong. I am feeling really strong now."

- mirror.co.uk

See these Manchester United players joking around at Old Trafford interviews room.
Lots of laughs at these boys.

World best player, Cristiano Ronaldo believe that Manchester United still have the edge ahead of second leg of the Champion League against Inter Milan.

"We played better than Inter last night,'' said Ronaldo. "We created more chances, especially in the first half, and we deserved to win. At home I feel we have a better chance.

"I don't know whether Inter will be a better team in Manchester. We respect them but in my opinion we have a better chance at Old Trafford because we have a better team.''

Here's Sir Alex Ferguson view after the game and his prediction for the next game: -