Former Newcastle and Celtic legend reveals he once turned down Man United to join his boyhood club – leaving Sir Alex Ferguson shocked

• Shay Given revealed he turned down a chance to sign for Manchester United 
• The former goalkeeper opted to move to his boyhood club Celtic 
• Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’ 

Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Shay Given revealed he once turned down a chance to play for Manchester United.

The 47-year-old recalled the time he once had trials with the Premier League giants, who were managed by Sir Alex Ferguson at the time.

Given claimed that the reason he turned down a move to Old Trafford was because he favoured a move to his boyhood club, Celtic. 

The former Republic of Ireland international said he was a Celtic fan growing up and believed joining the Scottish side would benefit him early on in his career.

Speaking to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Given said: ‘I had a trial at Man United and they actually offered me a contract, but I turned them down in favour of a move to Celtic.’

Former Newcastle United legend Shay Given reveals he once turned down Manchester United

Given opted to sign for Scottish side Celtic instead in search of regular first team minutes

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‘I was a big Celtic fan growing up and United had Peter Schmeichel just coming into his prime whereas Celtic had Packie Bonner who was 34 so my dad and I felt that was a quicker route to playing first-team football.’

Given’s choice didn’t prove to pay off, however, as the former goalkeeper struggled to break into the first team.

After leaving Celtic at the age of 18, Given moved back home for a month as he struggled to find a club. 

‘I left Celtic at 18 and had to go back to Ireland and stay at home for a month or two because I did not have a club before Blackburn offered me a contract.’

After a few loan moves away from Blackburn, Given was eventually snapped up by Newcastle where he would go on to become a legend at St James’ Park. 

‘If you had have said then when I was back in Donegal that three years later I’d be rocking out at St James’ Park in the Champions League with the number one jersey on my back, people would have looked at me and gone, ‘Yeah, good one, mate,’ because that was just a dream.’

He would go on to make 463 appearances for the Magpies before spells with Manchester City, Aston Villa and Stoke City. 

Given recently met Ferguson at the 2023 Carabao Cup final between Manchester United and Newcastle – 30 years after he turned the Red Devils down.

Given (top left) would eventually make a name for himself during huis time at Newcastle United

The Irishman said Ferguson was still shocked that he turned the club down all these years ago. 

‘I met Sir Alex Ferguson at the 2023 League Cup final, some 30 years later, but he is like an elephant who never forgets.

He said to me, ‘I still cannot believe you turned me down to go to Celtic.”

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify

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