Manchester United

Sir Alex Ferguson, a former Manchester United defender, was kicked out of the team but later regretted his decision., l

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11 months ago

October 23, 2023

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Ex-Manchester United defender Sir Alex Ferguson banished from first-team but regretted selling

Sir Alex Ferguson later admitted he regretted selling Ryan Shawcross to Stoke City following his acrimonious departure from Man United in 2008

Sir Alex Ferguson later admitted he regretted Man United’s decision to sell Ryan Shawcross (Image: Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)

The future had looked bright for Ryan Shawcross at Manchester United.

He had been part of an Academy side which included the likes of future stars Giuseppe Rossi, Gerard Pique and Jonny Evans and hopes were high the youngsters could eventually provide a strong core for the senior side for years to come. It was a youth side that also featured Darron Gibson, Fraizer Campbell and Danny Simpson, who wracked up dozens of Premier League appearances between them – though most of them were not for United.

Shawcross had joined the United Academy at the age of nine, eventually making his debut against Crewe Alexandra in the League Cup in 2006. He was farmed out to Royal Antwerp and Stoke City, later joining the Potters on a permanent deal.

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It was a move the defender had to push hard for, though, as his insistence on leaving for first-team football led to legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson banishing him from first-team training.

“I was offered a new four-year contract to stay at United,” Shawcross told StokeonTrentLive in 2020. “But I didn’t see a pathway through to the first team. I just wanted to play first-team football and wanted to sign for Stoke, so I was then banished to train on my own at United before eventually signing for Stoke.

“I was absolutely terrified of him (Ferguson), to be honest. Everyone was. But he was an unbelievable man-manager, and I put so much down to him and the people at Man United. Not only is it one of the biggest clubs in the world, it has huge standards off the pitch too, and that’s something I am massively into – always have been.”

Despite Fergie’s reluctance to sanction the move, things worked out for Shawcross at the Potters. The centre-back made 453 appearances for the club, and made his solitary appearance for England in November 2012 when he came on in the 74th minute in a friendly against Sweden.

England had held the lead at Shawcross’ introduction, but former United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored three times, including a wonder overhead kick from 30 yards out to win the game. Shawcross later joked the Swede had ‘ended’ his international career, but Sir Alex spoke about his joy at seeing his former charge earn an England call-up.

Ryan Shawcross only made two appearances for Manchester United (Image: AMA/Corbis via Getty Images)

“I was delighted to see him called up for the England squad because he is a quality player I have wished – particularly of late – was still at Old Trafford,” Sir Alex wrote in his programme notes ahead of Stoke’s visit to Old Trafford in 2012. “The problem was that at the time of his release we had an especially strong group of young centre-halves and it was becoming impossible to give them all games at the level their progress warranted.

“We had Jonny Evans, Gerard Piqué, Ryan Shawcross, Craig Cathcart and Paul McShane and something had to give. We made the right decision keeping Jonny Evans but I’m not so sure about letting Shawcross join Stoke.”

The following year, Shawcross was the topic of Fergie’s programme notes once again, as he opened up on the decision to sell the centre-back: “It always grieves me when I have to release a young player of great potential, and Shawcross certainly fell into that category.

“He had the misfortune – though he perhaps doesn’t see it that way considering the success he has had with Stoke – of coming through along with a number of other young defenders. This was the era of Gerard Pique and we kept him at Ryan’s expense, only I didn’t know that Gerard was growing homesick and soon after was telling us he wanted to go back to Spain. He has prospered with Barcelona as we know, and if I had known he wanted away then I would have kept Ryan Shawcross.”

Discussing his exit from United with the Daily Telegraph in 2016, Shawcross revealed Ferguson wanted to keep him at Old Trafford but the defender’s desire to play led to a ‘disagreement’ with his old boss.

“I’d agreed to go to Norwich on loan and was going to the hotel on the Friday night before the Saturday game to go and meet the team, but not play,” he said. “(Tony) Pulis phoned me and said ‘if you come to us you’re playing Saturday’ so that swayed me.

“After a few months at Stoke I got offered a new deal at United but I wanted to play. Me and Sir Alex had a disagreement, he wanted me to sign and then go out on loan again, and it took a week or so before we agreed.