Paul Scholes has revealed he thought he would have to look for another club after Sir Alex Ferguson went "ballistic" at him following a costly mistake.
Scholes was on the receiving end of Fergie's hairdryer treatment after a 4-3 defeat to Newcastle.
The former England midfielder had come on as a substitute for Andy Cole and helped United get back into the game but attempted a flick for the Newcastle goal that ultimately put the contest to bed.
After the game, the player and manager butted heads in the changing room - with Scholes simply replying "B***ocks" to the fiery Scot's criticism in actions that were out of character for him.
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After the heated exchange, Scholes had doubts as to whether he would pull on the United shirt again.
"I had a few [received a rant from Ferguson], some lads will say I didn't have any," Scholes recalled on The Robbie Fowler Podcast, as per Pundit Arena.
"I remember one at Newcastle when Newcastle were a really good team. He left me out, we were 3-0 down and he brought me on with 20 minutes to maybe, 3-0.
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"We got it back to 3-2, I'm not saying it was anything to do with me, made two chances, made two goals, but nothing to do with me. Anyway, got it back to 3-2, we were flying creating chances.
"I tried a back flick in the middle of the pitch on the halfway line, they broke away and I think Shearer scored, that made it 4-2. We got it back to 4-3 and then in the dressing room, I'm walking in thinking, 'I made a difference in that game, I did okay'.
I had a couple of chances where I should have scored but he went ballistic at me. You'll never play for this club again and all that type of stuff because I made that mistake on the half-way line.
"I was never, ever one to answer back, people like Giggsy always answered back, even Becks would say something but, I don't know why I just kept saying 'b***ocks'. I just kept saying that to him, no matter what he said.
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"I don't know what I was doing, I was frightened to the death of the man! I was on the way back on the coach thinking 'I'm going to have to look for a new club here'."
The game in question was in the 2001/02 season and was Sir Bobby Robson's 100th game in charge of Newcastle. Scholes was thinking the worse after feeling Fergie's wrath but to his surprise, he received an apology days later.
"Monday morning, he came straight over to me," Scholes continued.
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"I'm thinking he's going to fine me two weeks' wages here. He said 'I'm sorry, I realised you did make a difference in the game, what happened after the game was an overreaction'.
"That was the quality of the manager. If he thought he'd made a mistake he'd quickly rectify it."
Scholes spent his entire career at Old Trafford, scoring 155 times in 718 appearances and winning a total of 25 trophies - including 11 Premier League titles.
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