Keith Gillespie reveals Ferguson role in four-fold pay rise at Newcastle

• Scot acted as ad-hoc agent in transfer from Old Trafford
• Gillespie was 19 and earning £230 a week before move

Keith Gillespie has revealed how Sir Alex Ferguson secured him a four-fold pay-rise when the Scot acted as his ad-hoc agent in the £7m deal that took the Northern Irishman from Manchester United to Newcastle United and Andy Cole the other way.

Gillespie made his United debut under Ferguson in 1993. Yet when Ferguson moved to sign Cole two years later from Newcastle, Gillespie was the makeweight in the transfer, being valued at £1m. Gillespie was 19 and earning £230 a week and when it came to finalising his personal terms at Newcastle Ferguson became a temporary representative.

Related: Greenwood hits double as Manchester United thrash Bournemouth

Continue reading...

More...