First Division, September 23, 1989
Maine Road, Referee: Neil Midgley, Bolton, Att: 43,246
Manchester City
David Oldfield (11, 52)
Trevor Morley (13)
Ian Bishop (35)
Andy Hinchcliffe (62)
Manchester United
Mark Hughes (50)
I WAS A GUINEA PIG BOLLOX
Owen Hargreaves has claimed he felt like a 'guinea pig' while having treatment on his knee problems during his time at Manchester United.
The 30-year-old spent four seasons at Old Trafford, but persistent tendinitis resulted in the player undergoing double knee surgery during the 2008/09 season.
Following the operations, Hargreaves played just six minutes of first-team football as he battled to regain fitness and was eventually released by United at the end of last campaign when his contract expired.
He is now enjoying a new lease of life after signing for Manchester City and scored on his debut against Birmingham in the Carling Cup in midweek.
However, Hargreaves claims some of the medical treatment he received at United did nothing to solve the problem.
"I received some injections but my tendon was never the same," he is reported as saying in several newspapers.
"After the injections, I tried to get back on my feet and they said my tendon was good, but it felt like I was made out of glass. That obviously had a huge impact.
"With my tendon injury, I've had to be a guinea pig for a lot of these treatments. It's difficult. All the people there [at United] are lovely and everybody tries their best, but at times you come to a certain point where you need to make a decision.
"They said it would help. Basically, I was left to pick up the pieces, which was incredibly frustrating.
"I wanted to play. Everyone wanted me to play, so it's not really an option to say, 'sit it out and rest for six months'. With hindsight it's a lot easier, but I wish I had not had the injections."
Hargreaves is now hoping his injury nightmare is behind him, although he is aware he will have to manage himself well in order to avoid more knee problems in the future.
"I had big surgery, so we're just going to have to be smart," he said.
"My physical function is very good, it's tip-top, but sadly, I'm not 18 any more, so I need more recovery and more time in the gym to prepare for each training session.
"It's just about getting some repetition in my training and trying to find some balance, staying sharp and fit and looking after some of the issues I've had.
"United are one of the biggest clubs in the world, with Barcelona and Real Madrid. They have a lot of wonderful people there.
"I'm sad for myself that I wasn't able to play a bigger part at Old Trafford - I really envisaged it going differently. It didn't really materialise the way I anticipated, but this is a new chapter in my life."
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]City had made their their worst start to a season for more than nine years. They had won only one of their first six games back in the top-flight and were knocked out of the League Cup at Brentford the previous week
OTHER BOLLOX
Bolton manager Owen Coyle has warned Arsenal they will have rival bidders for defender Gary Cahill when the January transfer window opens - with Chelsea also being linked with a move for the England centre-back. Daily Mirror
Manchester United and Chelsea have been told to drop their interest in Juventus midfielder Milos Krasic. talkSHIT
Inter Milan are set to go head-to-head with Tottenham to sign Brazil international Leandro Damiao in the January transfer window. talkSHIT
David Oldfied
Finding the net twice, the Australian striker terrorised Gary Pallister throughout the game. United's defence opted for a high line to counter Oldfield's runs, but to no avail as he continued to surge forward and beyond them as he caused havoc throughout the 90 minutes.
Newcastle transfer target Scott Allan has rejected a new contract at Dundee United. Daily Mail
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes is likely to leave the club in January after dropping to third choice. Daily Mirror
Russian sides Spartak Moscow and Lokomotiv Moscow are ready to launch a January transfer battle for Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko. talkSHIT
Trevor Morley
The striker was still awaiting his first goal of the season, with his last strike having come the previous campaign as City clinched promotion from Division Two. But he found his form against the old enemy, scoring once and being denied further glory only by the excellence of United keeper Jim Leighton.
Spurs legend Ossie Ardiles says Luka Modric could still join Chelsea as players hold more power than clubs in the modern game. Metro
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood insists Joey Barton's claims that he could have joined the Gunners had it not been for his clash with Gervinho are not true. Metro
Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has urged England manager Fabio Capello to be "intelligent" in his use of recently fit-again Steven Gerrard. Daily Star
Gary Pallister
By his own admission, Pallister had a nightmare. Signed from Middlesbrough for a British record fee of £2.3million only a month previously, he was still finding his feet at United and City ruthlessly exposed his nerves as he endured a shocking afternoon at the heart of the Red Devils' defence.
QPR midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips and Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge could be in the frame for an England call-up before the end of the year.Daily Mail
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce believes it will be difficult for striker Asamoah Gyan to return to the Stadium of Light once his loan finishes at United Arab Emirates side Al Ain. talkSHIT
Injured Aston Villa defender Carlos Cuellar is on the brink of a return to full training after missing the start of the season. the Sun
During the second half, loud booing and chants of "Fergie Out" could be heard from the United faithful after Ferguson replaced Russell Beardsmore with Lee Sharpe. City's fans responded by singing: "You're going down with the Millwall".
Newcastle playmaker Hatem Ben Arfa says sitting out almost a year with a broken leg has made him a stronger person.
Daily Mirror
Former Magpies star David Ginola says Ben Arfa has the potential to be one of the best players in the Premier League. Daily Star
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew insists Liverpool and England striker Andy Carroll needs a confidence boost if he is to achieve the form he showed at St James' Park. talkSHIT
Arsene Wenger could offer former Arsenal striker Dennis Bergkamp, currently assistant to Frank de Boer at Ajax, the chance of a backroom role with the Gunners. Daily Star
Spurs defender Younes Kaboul believes the team can finish as the top London side in the Premier League this season.
Daily Star
A post-hair transplant Wayne Rooney credits his red hot Manchester United form to his barber's "magical powers".
Daily Mirror
MURKY AGENT BOLLOX
Top agent lifts the lid on football's murky secrets
Andy Carroll's former agent has lifted the lid on the dodgy dealings and bung culture in British football. Peter Harrison earned millions from the game, but he has turned whistleblower after walking away from the sport.
Today, Harrison reveals the game's guilty secrets after spending 20 years at the top representing the likes of Carroll, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Rivaldo and other top Premier League players.
In a remarkable interview he claims:
He will accuse two high-profile managers of taking bungs in a television exposé.
He has been threatened by underworld characters for exposing football's dirty secrets.
He earned £900,000 for a day's work, brokering the transfer of a leading Barclays Premier League player.
Players are routinely tapped up by clubs.
He offered sweeteners to young players by buying them cars.
The FA turn a blind eye to the dark arts.
Harrison, who played under Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest, said: 'I'm doing this in the interests of the game - people take their kids to matches, they buy the shirts, the season tickets and the TV subscription.
'There are so many dreams, but they should also know there are a few agents getting away with murder. They break the rules time and again. Paul Stretford was fined a substantial amount of money and banned - how can he be the only one?'
Harrison left the game after an FA arbitration panel found against him in a legal battle over the £35million transfer of Andy Carroll to Liverpool. The FA tribunal ruled in favour of Carroll's new agent, Mark Curtis.
Harrison was Carroll's agent when he burst on to the scene and successfully negotiated his first professional contract and subsequent deals at Newcastle. Carroll still had two months left on his contract with Harrison when Liverpool bid for the England striker.
Harrison remains convinced he should have been involved in the Liverpool deal after investing so much time in the striker and becoming a family friend.
He was even named on the custody document with Northumbria police when Carroll was arrested for alleged assault in 2009. Carroll was fined after admitting assault.
Harrison said: 'I'm sorry it's come to this but I'm going to bring down two big-name managers and they know who they are. I'm doing a TV documentary and I'm exposing everything that went on.'
Harrison admits he freely took advantage of the naivety of West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson to pocket £900,000 in commission in the deal to sign Lucas Neill. He added: 'The best way is to get a "friendly agent" to act on behalf of the club - that way you can split the commission with someone you trust.
'If, for example, the agent is based in Monaco, the club will pay his commission into an offshore account and he will pay the player's agent. It's all untraceable.
'The commission with the club is whatever you can negotiate. When I took Lucas Neill to West Ham instead of Liverpool I earned £900,000 and they put the player on £72,000 a week.
'He was going to Liverpool but West Ham wouldn't take no for an answer. It was incredible. At the time I thought it was just business - I had bills to pay, office, telephone, travel - but when I look back on it now I'm embarrassed.'
The FIFA-licensed agent also admits offering financial inducements to young players to keep them under his wing.
Harrison said: 'The days of parents being offered fridges are a thing of the past - now it's cars, houses and cash. Some of them just come out with it up front and ask for the money - staggering. In many ways they deserve it because they have been watching their son in rain, sleet and snow since he was seven years old.
'The better the player, the more you look after their parents - it becomes a business decision. I've had to buy young players cars in the past. If they're good, it happens.'
Harrison, who was exposed by a BBC Panorama programme in 2006 for talking to Chelsea about his client Nathan Porritt, then under contract with Middlesbrough, claims there is a circle of trust in football.
He said: 'There is so much money being made and paid that people are frightened to rock the boat, but I'm not. It's like a magic circle of trust and people don't want to be on the outside. It's a cosy little club. There are a few managers who are close to agents, they do the same deals, and let's be honest it's not because that agent can spot a player.
'It's funny how things get done, let's put it that way. If you have a relationship with someone and gain their trust, you might have to go through a manager's favourite agent to get a deal done.'
Harrison has claimed to Sportsmail that one club are 'under the protection of the FA'.
He insists the club use the same agent for all their deals and that there are kickbacks as a reward.
Sportsmail has been unable to substantiate this allegation, but he has notified the FA of his concerns.
Harrison added: 'If you look at the deals certain clubs do at the top, it's the same agents doing them. There have been a lot of complaints about that club but the FA do nothing.
'Players know things go on, but they turn a blind eye to it all. As long as they get paid they don't care.'
Harrison also claims that some managers are in on deals and bring in trusted 'friends' and agents to make sure they go through.
He said: 'When Panorama happened it soured my relationship with a couple of people. I made a lot of money - millions - and lost a lot because of bad business decisions, but the last two years have been horrendous.
'I've been told by other agents and people connected to football that managers have been told not to work with me. A couple of managers and a couple of agents have made it a terrible two years.'
He alleges that they tried to get the underworld to get heavy with him.
'I'm not blowing my own trumpet but I've been involved in deals for 20 years and been at the top and I've got a right to tell people what goes on on this side of the fence.
'I keep talking about Andy Carroll, but in my opinion he was poached from me. When Liverpool signed Andy they brought in someone to act on behalf of the club to broker the deal even though Damien Comolli is their sporting director.
'Why do they need an agent on transfer deadline day? Surely they just pick up the phone to Newcastle and ask, "How much for Andy Carroll?" Something's wrong with the game when it comes to that.
'I complained to the FA but in my opinion they don't want to rock the boat with Liverpool or Newcastle.'
Managers, chief executives, agents and chief scouts routinely flout the rules by tapping up players, according to Harrison.
He added: 'Agents meet managers, chief executives and scouts every day without the permission of the club holding the registration of the player and it's a silly regulation.
'Some clubs pay well over the odds for players. FIFA guide you, but sometimes chairmen and chief executives are under big pressure to get deals done.'
Harrison claims he has complained to the FA many times about fellow agents, but insists nothing is ever done.
He added: 'There is a lot wrong with the way football is run in England - things could be so much better. There should be two or three independent people at the FA and on the Premier League, as well as an outside party, to regulate football agents.'
Neither the FA nor Liverpool wished to comment last night.
Paul Lake recalls an experience he had on the morning of the match. "Halfway through my journey to Maine Road I pull up to the traffic lights at the junction of Stockport Road and Dickenson Road in Longsight. And stood there at the adjacent bus stop is a City fan in his thirties with his arm around his young son, both of them kitted out in replica shirts and the old-style blue, white and red scarves. Having clocked me sitting there in my car, this fella nudges his lad and then does something that will stay with me forever. Pressing his palms together as if in prayer, he looks at me beseechingly and simply mouths "please ... please ... please."
