Sir Alex Ferguson tells story about the time Eric Cantona turned up for civic reception in American Indian jacket [Video]

Sir Alex Ferguson has recalled a funny story about Eric Cantona in an interview for The Clare Balding Show.

The legendary Manchester United boss and the French maverick were a match made in heaven when Ferguson took the attacker off the hands of Leeds United in 1992.

Cantona inspired a glut of trophies before retiring at the age of 30 in 1998. But he’s as fondly remembered for his off-the-pitch charisma and hi-jinks as he is for talent on the pitch.

Ferguson told the tale of the time that Cantona accidentally rebelled against the casual wear dress code of a civic reception: “He was different. I remember when we went to a civic reception and Cantona came walking in with this (American) Indian jacket on, everybody’s head in the room turned to me and I sort of turned my head away as if I hadn’t seen him. And I’m saying: ‘Jesus, God.’

“The frills round the side and the big Indian (symbol). The players were all focusing on me and wondering what I was going to say.

“The next morning I mentioned it to Eric. He said: ‘I don’t know, I thought it was casual,’ and I said: ‘Well, that is some casual gear that’.”

You can hear the funny story in the video above.