SIR ALEX AND TERRY
It's the picture that only serves to remind Manchester
United fans what might have been.
A young John Terry, floppy haired and bright eyed, sits
beside Sir Alex Ferguson during the Scot's ultimately unsuccessful attempt to
lure the future England captain to Old Trafford.
It's 1994-95. United are trying to defend the double and
Ferguson - then just plain 'Alex' from Glasgow - is looking to build his next
generation of Red Devils stars.
At the age of 14, Terry - then a holding midfielder - had
already been identified as a possible option.
Ferguson invited the Barking-born boy with a
United-supporting father up to Manchester to train during the school holidays
as he tried to convince him to sign.
Ultimately he was unsuccessful, Terry chose Chelsea and the
rest - four Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups, the
Champions League and 78 England caps - is history.
But that fortnight in the North West stuck with Terry, who
was evidently impressed by the personal touch applied by Ferguson.
Speaking in an interview with The Observer in 2006, he remembered the whole episode
vividly.
'I was Man United growing up,' he said. 'You know what it's
like when you're a boy, you want to support the team that's winning everything.
And my dad and granddad were Man United fans.
'But my first day at Chelsea I knew that was the club I
wanted to be at. I just loved it. But Man United also approached me.
'I met Alex Ferguson - great to meet. During the school
holidays I would go up to Manchester and train with their boys for two weeks,
play a few games and come home.
'But one thing that was really special about Man United was
that Alex Ferguson took time out and invited me to one of their games and to
have lunch with their players.
'So there we are - me, my mum and dad, my brother. He made
me feel so special, autographs, my photo done with the Premiership
trophy.
'I think it was hard for my dad to take that I was going to
sign for Chelsea, but I had to sit him down and tell him it was definitely the
right decision.'
On Tuesday, Terry posted that image on social media in a
moment of nostalgia.
Between his mum Sue and dad Ted the young Terry sits next to
Ferguson, smartly dressed in a shirt and tie.
The Chelsea skipper wrote on his Instagram page: 'Flashback
to a young 14 year old JT.
'Who would have thought I would go onto win 4 Premier
Leagues and 5 FA Cups.
'I have so much respect for Sir Alex Ferguson and will never
forget what he done for me and my family.'
The Blues benefited immensely from Terry's decision to stay
in London rather than relocate to Manchester.
After establishing himself in the first team from the age of
20, the centre back has gone on to become one of the club's most revered
players - making in excess of 700 appearances and leading his side through the
most successful period of its long history.
United didn't do too badly, of course, but for Ferguson it
was a case of the one that got away.
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