Sir Alex Ferguson and Ian Rush embrace (Image: https://x.com/itvracing)
Liverpool legend Ian Rush has revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson once tried to sign him at Manchester United and the pair shared a heartwarming moment at Aintree.
A total of 10 players have represented both Liverpool and United, including Paul Ince, Michael Owen and Peter Beardsley. Rush’s name could very well be added to that list, with Ferguson making moves to bring him to Old Trafford at the end of his spell at Juventus.
Rush, 64, spent six years at Liverpool before moving to Juve in 1987, returning to the Reds after one season in Italy. But if Ferguson’s approach had been successful, things could have played out very differently for Rush.
The Scot, who joined United from Aberdeen in 1986, was keen to rush to strengthen his attacking options.
Sir Alex Ferguson and Ian Rush attended Friday’s Grand National (Image: https://x.com/itvracing)
Asked if he respected Rush’s career, Mr Ferguson told ITV: “Absolutely, I hated him. He’s a leading man.”
Former Wales international Rush shed light on that approach, replying: “He tried to sign me when I came back from Juventus. By the way, he’s a legendary manager. Scottish managers are the best.”
Rush and Ferguson were both at Aintree on Friday to enjoy the horse racing. Mr. Ferguson is an avid fan of the sport and owns several horses, including Caldwell Potter, Protect Rat and L’eau du Sud.
Meanwhile, Rush is also a big fan of the horse racing world. “I love horse racing. I love everything about horse racing. That’s what horse racing is all about,” he added. “We love football and all that, but for me golf is not. The second best thing is horse racing.”
Rush has scored 339 goals in 654 appearances, making him Liverpool’s all-time leading scorer. However, he has had a disappointing performance against United throughout his career, finding the back of the net just three times in 34 games.
But that didn’t deter Ferguson from trying to sign him, and the 84-year-old went on to establish himself as one of United’s most decorated managers. During his time at the club, he achieved an impressive record of 13 Premier League titles, 5 FA Cup titles, 2 Champions League titles and 2 League Cup titles.
During that period, Ferguson managed a staggering 1500 matches, winning 895 of them and drawing 338 of them. Although he led United to their 20th top-flight title, he resigned as manager at the end of the 2012/13 season.
