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Ferguson reveals he snubbed Arsenal

Sir Alex Ferguson has had superb success with Manchester United © Getty Images

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Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed how he turned down the chance to manage Arsenal, a matter of months before making the move to Manchester United.

Ferguson took the reins of United in 1986 and has transformed their fortunes to the extent that they are set to become the most successful English side in terms of league titles won - provided they get one point from their final two games.

But the story could have been so different as instead of sparring with Arsenal for decades, he could have been managing them.

The Scot has revealed that an offer to take charge of Arsenal came in 1986, but the timing was not right on account of Scotland's World Cup campaign.

"I was offered the Arsenal job and I wanted to take Walter [Smith] with me," Ferguson said in Rangers' programme for their SPL clash with Dundee United on Tuesday.

"I thought I would sound him out when we were on Scotland duty together. We were going to play in Israel and I didn't know that Walter was going to Rangers at that time.

"I told him that I had been offered the chance to go to Arsenal and I asked him what he thought. He was positive about it, saying they were a big club and that kind of thing.

"So I said to him 'Do you fancy coming with me?' Then he dropped the bombshell that he was going to Rangers.

"The thing about the Arsenal offer was that they wanted an answer right away but I couldn't give them one because I was going to the World Cup in Mexico with Scotland.

"So the Arsenal thing fell by the wayside. Walter went to Rangers and then later that year I went to Manchester United."

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