Arsenal legend admits Sir Alex Ferguson tried to sign him | OneFootball

Alan Smith is an Arsenal legend, scoring over 100 goals and winning a number of trophies with the club, but he had the chance to join Manchester United instead.

1988: Alan Smith of Arsenal takes on Gary Mabbutt of Tottenham Hotspur during a match at White Hart Lane in London. Arsenal won the match 2-1. Cr…

Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith joined the Gunners in 1987, having made his name playing over 200 times for Leicester City.

After scoring 19 goals in 1985/86 and carrying that strong form into the subsequent campaign, Smith drew interest from Arsenal, who ended up signing him on the mid-season transfer deadline day – which was March 31st at the time.

Before that move was official, Manchester United also showed an interest, and Sir Alex Ferguson personally attempted to convince Smith to join them instead.

Photo by Allsport/Getty Images

“I spoke to Alex Ferguson. I was getting a bit of interest,” Smith revealed. “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”.”

Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Smith did join Arsenal, moving back to Leicester on loan for the remainder of the season to help them in their relegation battle.

“Arsenal wanted to sign me on deadline day, I had already spoke to them in a roundabout way,” Smith explained.

“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.”

Photo by Shaun Botterill/Allsport/Getty Images

Smith ultimately won all of his club honours during his spell with Arsenal, lifting the First Division trophy twice, the FA Cup, the League Cup, the European Cup Winners Cup, the Community Shield (then Charity Shield), and the Football League Centenary Trophy – beating United in the final.

Manchester United went on to be hugely successful under Sir Alex Ferguson, but largely towards the tail end of Smith’s Arsenal career, and then after his retirement.

When Smith was producing his best football, Arsenal was the best place for him to be, so he made the right choice. Fans of the Gunners will be very grateful that he did.