Arsenal hero Alan Smith has revealed he could have joined Manchester United instead of the Gunners and even spoke to Sir Alex Ferguson about a move to Old Trafford.
Smith made a huge impact at Arsenal after joining from Leicester City in 1987 and was the club’s top goalscorer for four successive seasons, netting over 100 goals in total.
The ex-England striker helped Arsenal win two league titles in the space of three years and also lifted the FA Cup and League Cup during his eight-year spell at Highbury.
A winner of two Golden Boot awards, Smith is still much-loved at Arsenal and considered one of the club’s greatest goalscorers, only surpassed by the likes of Thierry Henry and Ian Wright.
In a different world Smith may have never played for the Gunners and would have ended up at Manchester United had legendary manager Sir Alex had his way.
Fergie personally phoned Smith in an attempt to convince him to join the Red Devils but was thwarted as the striker had his heart set on a move to north London.
Almost 40 years on, Smith is more than happy with his choice, insisting he had a ‘great time’ at Arsenal, but admits he questioned at the time whether it was wise snubbing United and Fergie.
Ferguson had only been at Old Trafford for a year when he pushed to sign Smith and overcame a difficult start to his reign to establish himself as arguably the greatest manager in history, guiding Manchester United to 13 Premier League titles, nine domestic cups and two Champions League trophies.
Speaking on the Seaman Says podcast with Betway, Smith said: ‘I spoke to Alex Ferguson. I was getting a bit of interest.
‘One January evening, I was living with my mum and dad still and we were watching Coronation Street, I’ll always remember it.
‘The phone goes in the hall and my mum picks it up and she says, “Alan, it’s Alex Ferguson on the phone for you”. I thought she misheard the name.
‘Alex had only been at United for about a year and they were struggling. So it’s not like it was “the Sir Alex” calling but he was obviously a big name, he’s the Man United manager.
‘I went into the hall and spoke to him. He said he wanted me to wait until the summer when I would have been a free agent.
‘I said, “Mr Ferguson, I’m sorry but I’ve made up my mind, I want to join Arsenal”.
‘Arsenal wanted to sign me on deadline day, I had already spoke to them in a roundabout way.
‘It was a short conversation, I put the phone down and thought, “have I done the right thing there, saying no to the Manchester United manager?”
‘But they went four of five years really without winning anything and Alex was close to getting the sack.
‘Arsenal won the league in my second season and we had a brilliant time so I made the right choice. But it’s a gamble, joining the right club at the right time.’
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