‘Sir Alex didn’t like agents – so I got Gary Neville to negotiate my contract’

  • Bookmark

    • For the latest from the pitch sign up for our football newsletter

    We have more newsletters

    Sir Alex Ferguson’s dislike of football agents once saw Gary Neville negotiate on behalf of his Manchester United teammate.

    Danny Simpson, a future Premier League winner with Leicester City, was an emerging right-back at United in the mid- 2000s. The academy graduate was an understudy to veteran Neville, who had won a handful of Premier League titles by that stage in his career.

    Neville took an interest in aiding the youngster Simpson, now 36, on the pitch. And he even went out of his way to help Simpson get a better deal at Old Trafford.

    READ MORE: Laura Woods' eerie face swap with Gary Neville leaves fans 'frightened to sleep'

    Speaking on Under The Cosh podcast, Simpson recalled: “He actually negotiated my contract with Sir Alex. Sir Alex didn’t like agents, he was scared of getting people involved.

    “Gary Neville was helping me and I was learning from him. I spoke to him asking for advice and Neville offered to help. I got him to go in with me, so it was me Gary and Sir Alex chatting about my contract! I was like, ‘is this happening?’

    “Neville went in and said ‘Listen, he’s taking over from me. You’ve got to give him more than that [contract offer]. He got it bumped up. But I do look back now and I think maybe they were both in on it.”

    Simpson added: “Listen, he helped me loads, I was there for a few years with him and I tried to base my game on how a full-back was back then. He told me ‘defend well and everything else is a bonus.’”

    The defender only went on to make three senior league appearances for the Red Devils, with all three coming in the 2007/08 season. His time at United was best characterised by his constant loan moves away.

    Simpson finally left the club in 2010 for Newcastle United, where he became a first-team regular. After a stint at Queens Park Rangers, he signed for Leicester CIty in 2014 and won the league in his second season there.

    READ NEXT:

    • Man Utd now pampering Women's team stars – from tuning TVs to paying gas bills
    • Gary Neville hijacks ex-team-mate's TV interview and says 'you're not the manager'
    • Juventus ace Dusan Vlahovic's agent 'blocked £89m' move to Premier League club in January
    • Manchester United FC
    • Sir Alex Ferguson
    • Gary Neville
    • Premier League
    • Leicester City FC

    Source: Read Full Article