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Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once banned a reporter after calling him a “c***”, it has been claimed.
On Tuesday Manchester United banned a series of media outlets that claimed there was dressing room unrest at Old Trafford.
Reporters from Sky Sports, the Daily Mirror, Manchester Evening News and ESPN were all barred from attending Ten Hag’s press conference over reports of player revolt ahead of United’s Premier League game against Chelsea at Old Trafford, which the Manchester club went on to win 2-1.
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United said the measures were taken not due to the stories themselves but because the club was not contacted for comment in advance.
But The Times’ senior writer Matt Dickinson claimed he had been dealt a much more severe punishment than the aforementioned publications during Ferguson’s time at the helm at Old Trafford.
Dickinson opened his latest column with the claim: “Call that a ban? Manchester United this week told four news outlets they would not be welcome at press conferences after writing stories about dressing room unrest. They were back within 24 hours, which must leave Sir Alex Ferguson despairing at a world, and club, gone soft.
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“My longest exile while covering United in the 1990s lasted considerably more than a month.
“Those were the good old days when a manager would call you a bastard to your face. Or “get that c*** out of my tunnel!” as Ferguson once bellowed on seeing me, with permission, waiting for a player to emerge from the away dressing room at Old Trafford.”
Meanwhile, Ten Hag hit back at the claims of a dressing room revolt in his press conference and insisted he still had the backing of his players.
The Dutchman stressed that the majority of the playing squad were on board with his plans, but admitted “one or two” had spoken to him about his approach.
Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: Football, Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson, Premier League, Erik Ten Hag