During his vacation in Malta in the summer of 1988, Sir Alex Ferguson received unfortunate news that cut his trip short. Paul Gascoigne had accepted an offer to join Tottenham after they agreed to pay Newcastle United’s £2.2million asking price, making them the first club to do so. Manchester United had already offered money up front. “Can I go on vacation knowing that I’ve secured your signature, Gazza? Ferguson inquired via telephone. The answer was a definite yes, but the agreement was still far from being completed and ultimately fell through. Additionally, I have experience working for Ratcliffe and Ineos, and believe he should take lessons from past mistakes. United have provided an explanation for Berrada’s appointment. In the late 1980s, during his early years as the manager of United, Ferguson was eager to bring in talented players who could help the team win matches and championships. In 1987, he first saw that particular player during a match against Newcastle. The Magpies, led by Willie McFaul, were struggling in the lower half of the First Division, but they had a standout player named Paul Gascoigne. The 20-year-old at that time relied on Mars Bars and Newcastle Brown Ale for energy but managed to outperform United’s midfield of Bryan Robson, Norman Whiteside and Remi Moses. Gascoigne’s performance against them was unprecedented, as no one in that era had been able to do what he did.
