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Amid all the salutes to the departing Ferguson over the past week one hugely significant story, which could have changed Old Trafford history, has remained under the radar.

The Sunday Mirror can reveal for the first time that Newcastle United were close to prising Ferguson away from Old Trafford in May 1996, towards the end of the season when the Eric Cantona-inspired Reds pipped Kevin Keegan’s Magpies to the title.

The Newcastle board were alarmed by the inner torment that gripped Keegan after Ferguson won the showdown with Keegan in the run-in, sparking Keegan’s infamous “I’d love it if we beat them” TV rant after a victory at Leeds.

Keegan tendered his resignation as his Newcastle team prepared for a vital showdown against QPR with SEVEN games remaining. That move came a few days after Toon’s famous 4-3 defeat at Liverpool.

Keegan was persuaded to stay but indicated again that he would leave after the final game of the season, the day Ferguson’s side clinched their third Premier League title at Middlesbrough.

But long before that Newcastle- through the connections of their Glaswegian chief executive Freddie Fletcher- had become aware that Ferguson was unhappy that the Old Trafford board were dragging their heels over offering him a new improved contract.

Fergie was furious, but chose his words diplomatically when discussing the tense stand-off with a national newspaper reporter. “I want to stay here. I’ve been waiting to see what the chairman is going to do and I am still waiting,” he said.

(Image: Getty)

Newcastle, alerted to the delicate situation and the fact that Ferguson was far from the top earner in the Premier League, decided to launch an audacious and top-secret bid to make their nemesis an offer he couldn’t refuse.

The Magpies willingness to replace the floundering Keegan with Ferguson and make him the first £1million-a-year manager in the Premier League was relayed to the Scot.

There was also interest from the Republic of Ireland and from England headhunter Jimmy Armfield, tasked with finding someone to replace Terry Venables after Euro 1996.

Newcastle had the financial clout to blow away the interest of the international outfits and the proud Scot quipped at the time: “Can you really see me with three Lions on my chest?”

Newcastle were serious. And there was no way Fergie regarded Newcastle as “a wee club in the North-East” back then.

In the countdown to the Cup Final the political landscape at Old Trafford worsened. On the eve of the game Fergie had a heated discussion with Maurice Watkins, the lawyer and United director. Newcastle were convinced there was a strong chance they could get their man.

Fergie admitted in his autobiography Managing My Life: “I was absolutely disgusted... It got to the point where I was not prepared to be ridiculed and felt that on a matter of principle I might have to resign.”

But Newcastle’s hopes of getting their man were dashed. A domestic Double sparked United to offer Ferguson a new four-year deal worth £650,000 a-year plus bonuses.

Newcastle were devastated. Their reaction was to offer Keegan a pay rise and a new two-year deal.

They shelled out a world record £15m in July 1996 to buy Alan Shearer from Blackburn.

Ferguson may have lost out financially by not moving to Newcastle in 1996 but his decision to stay at Old Trafford rewarded him with the legendary status that goes with becoming the most successful football manager in British history.

And Newcastle and the rest of the Premier League were left to wonder what might have been if Fergie had hit the Toon in 1996.

Meanwhile, the Manchester United boss is favourite to win LMA Manager of the Year award.