Former England manager Steve McClaren has revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson almost threw him out of the Manchester United team bus for being a Leeds United fan.

Leeds’ absence from the Premier League over the last decade has concealed the fact that Manchester United and the Yorkshire giants have always shared a heated rivalry.




Manchester United signed players such as Eric Cantona and Rio Ferdinand from the Whites over the last two decades, and Alan Smith’s move to Old Trafford was also not welcomed by the Elland Road faithful, despite their relegation from the top division.

And McClaren indicated that the rivalry also cut deep with the coaching staff and the players as during his stint as Ferguson’s assistant at Manchester United, he was almost thrown off the team bus by the legendary manager for being a Leeds fan.
 


The former England boss said on BBC Radio 5 live: “I remember with Sir Alex going to my first Leeds game.  

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“We were going down to Elland Road in the bus and everybody’s giving us dog’s abuse on the side.

"You have got grown men with children on their shoulders, making signs and gestures and that’s the men.

"Then you watched the kids following suit, same gestures and routine.

“Sir Alex said, ‘look at that Steve, that is a disgrace. Look at the gestures and the kids, absolutely ridiculous’ and I said, ‘I used to be one of them’ and he nearly threw me off the bus.

“He said ‘you what?’ and I said, ‘I am a closet Leeds fan’ and he said ‘get off’. He nearly made me walk the last mile to the stadium.”

McClaren admits that he would love to see Leeds back in the Premier League and resuming their rivalry with Manchester United as encounters between the two sides were never short of action.

“Leeds should be in the Premier League, you look at the ground and the set-up and the fans are unbelievable.

“Manchester United only have [Manchester] City and Liverpool, but in days gone by Leeds-Man United was war.

“It was the white rose against the red rose.”