MANCHESTER UNITED legend Paul Ince claims eight players had to restrain him during an fiery shouting match with manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ince, 56, joined United in 1989 and spent six glittering years at Old Trafford as he won two Premier League titles, two FA Cup trophies and the 1992 League Cup.
The former midfielder enjoyed immense success playing under Ferguson, but the two men had a heated confrontation in 1993 after a 3-1 victory over then title rivals Norwich at Carrow Road.
The ex-England international had a “decent game” but gave the ball away towards the end and the Canaries almost scored – something that didn’t go down well with Sir Alex.
Fergie gave Ince his famous Hairdryer Treatment in the dressing room after the full-time whistle and the player got so furious he had to be held back by his team-mates.
Ince told talkSPORT: “We had a big, big game with Norwich in 1992/93 and Norwich were going for the title.
“They were a very, very good team and I think we won the game 3-0 or 3-1, and with about five minutes to go I had the ball and I went on a little mazy run and I lost the ball, they went up the pitch and nearly scored.
“I didn’t think anything of it, so we got into the changing room, all the lads are patting each other on the back and saying ‘well done’ and I’m joining in the fun and then Sir Alex comes storming through the door like Rambo and absolutely slaughtered me.
“He was shouting ‘What are you doing Incey? You’re not [Diego] Maradona, get the ball and pass it to the best players!’
“I’m thinking ‘Where’s this come from?’ And me being me I bit back, we’d just beat title contenders comfortably at Carrow Road and I’ve had a decent game.
“But it was all about standards for him and doing the right things all the time and not coming away from that, and that shows the greatness of the man. But me being the character I was at the time, I bit back, started having a shouting match.”
talkSPORT host Jim White then asked about previous rumours suggesting four players had to restrain Ince.
The ex-Liverpool star replied: “I thought it was eight but I’ll take four. I was having a go. I don’t think it was right, now looking back I don’t think players should confront a manager, any manager.
“That was it, we got back on the coach, he didn’t speak to me, I didn’t speak to him.”
Ferguson and Ince didn’t speak for 48 hours after the incident, but the Scottish mastermind ended the stalemate with a massive statement to his player, then nicknamed as The Guv’nor.
Ince added: “We came back in [to training] on the Thursday and were playing head tennis and Fergie was the referee. I hadn’t spoken to him for 48 hours, hadn’t said good morning or anything.
“It was first to 11, the score was 10-10 and the ball went up in the air, I did an overhead kick, the ball went right in the corner of the court and we won the game 11-10, we were jumping about celebrating.
“Sir Alex shouts ‘ball was out’ but it wasn’t out, but because I wasn’t speaking to him I couldn’t say anything, it was just bubbling inside me, but because I hadn’t talked to him in 48 hours I couldn’t contest the decision and he said ‘winners them’.”
“I’m walking away and all of a sudden he shouts ‘Incey!’.
“I turned around and he said: ‘There’s only one Guv’nor here, son!’ and I started to laugh and after that we were speaking again and that was it. That was the greatness of the man.”
