Sir Alex Ferguson had a bag full of tricks when it came to transfer tactics and one of his must unique included an incredible FA Cup final offer.
Ferguson, a 13-time Premier League winner with Manchester United, had a knack of saying the right things to top players and ultimately convincing them to come and play for him.
However, perhaps his most outrageous tactic ultimately proved to be unsuccessful despite being full of creativity.
In 1994, Ferguson won his second FA Cup with United after they beat Chelsea 4-0 - with all the goals coming in an enthralling second half at Wembley.
Advert
But he used the occasion to try and get Joe Cole to sign for the Red Devils, the former England international has now revealed years after retirement.
Cole grew up a Chelsea fan and so was supporting the Blues for the showpiece. But Ferguson asked the young prodigy, then just 13, if he wanted to accompany United out on the pitch as mascot.
The Scot phoned up Cole's adoptive father George and made the proposal.
"That’s why Alex Ferguson was the best,” Cole said in an interview with FourFourTwo to promote the release of his new autobiography, 'Luxury Player'.
“He was trying to compete for Premier League titles with his team, but he always had one eye on the next generation.
I’m not saying I was unique, there were probably other talented players around the country who got offers to go up there, but he rung up and asked if I wanted to walk the team out at Wembley.”
Cole was quickly beginning to make a name for himself as a youngster and Ferguson thought the gesture could seal the deal and allow them to fend off other clubs for his signature.
However, he had already agreed to sign for West Ham and under instruction from his dad, did not go back on his word.
He added: “I’d already made my mind up by then to sign for West Ham, and my dad was very much like ‘You don’t lead them on’.
“I was a kid and I was like ‘It would be pretty cool though, dad?’ But he was like, ‘No, no, you don’t take something when you know you’re not going to go there’.
“So I didn’t do it, although I was at the game in the end, I went to watch it, I did get tickets another way. It was a good day for Man United and not a great day for Chelsea!”
Cole proceeded to sign schoolboy forms with West Ham and developed there but that didn't deter Ferguson, with reports claiming that United were prepared to pay £10 million for his services as a 16-year-old.
That wasn't the only ploy Ferguson used as a bit later, Harry Redknapp claimed Ferguson even sent Cole a United shirt with his name and number on the back and invited him to train with the Red Devils.
“Sir Alex Ferguson sent him a Manchester United kit with COLE 10 written on the back," Redknapp wrote in his autobiography.
“‘This is what your shirt will look like when you play for Manchester United,’ read the message. Alex was desperate to get him.
“He even invited him to travel on the team bus when United got to an FA Cup Final.
"Arsenal were into him, Chelsea were into him, but I knew Joe was happiest playing for West Ham. So I gave him space.
“When George [Joe’s dad] said Joe had been invited up to train for two weeks at Manchester United, I let him go.
“I could have got annoyed, said that he had signed schoolboy forms with us and threatened to report United, but what good would that have done?”
Cole made his West Ham debut at 17 and played 150 times before signing for Chelsea and winning three Premier League titles as well as featuring 282 times.
One of the most talented players of his generation, Cole racked up 378 Premier League appearances and scored 46 goals.
Topics: Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United, Premier League
Josh Lawless