Paul Ince wore his 'Guvnor' alias, and all the bravado that came with it, like a badge of honour in his pomp as a midfield gatekeeper.
But when he spotted Ian Wright, sobbing uncontrollably on Wembley's hallowed savannah after a thrilling cameo, Ince's gesture of compassion for a crestfallen opponent was the mark of respect which turned them into “brothers” for life.
Manchester United, still waiting to land their first trophy under Sir Alex Ferguson, were 2-1 up against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final 33 years ago when Wright – who had made a surprise recovery from a broken leg – sprang from the bench to score twice in a thrilling 3-3 draw. But mixed in his tears was the anguish of a showman who feared his moment had passed, and the former England midfield warrior's simple expression of affinity was an unsung moment of Cup magic.
Ince once described their pact as Bill and Ben, although even the most perceptive flowerpot men have yet to work out which one is which. On Saturday night, Ince returns to Old Trafford as manager of Reading, ever-thankful that he helped to turn Fergie time into an era littered with 26 major trophies.
And at 55, he still cherishes the competition in which Ferguson broke his duck in English football – as well as the Cup's enduring capacity to manufacture legends and forge unbreakable bonds of respect. “I didn't know Wrighty before that final in 1990,” said Ince at the Royals' shiny Bearwood Park training complex. “But knowing him as I do now, I can imagine what was racing through his mind when he came on and scored those two goals.
“He was destined to be the hero until Mark Hughes equalised with a few minutes to go and, well, we all know Wrighty was always a bit over the top, a bit of a drama queen. But to see him upset like that, it was just a natural thing to go over and console him. I told him, 'You were fantastic, and you've still got the replay.'
“It was strange that he didn't start in the replay, and for some reason, Palace tried to rough us up, but since then me and Wrighty have been like brothers. Nearly everyone remembers his two goals, which is fair enough. But where I live up north, Lee Martin – who scored the winner in the second game, which secured Sir Alex his first trophy at Manchester United - can walk into my local pub and no-one's got a clue who he is.”
Four years later, with United in full cry after landing the club's first title in 26 years in 1993, they completed their first League and Cup double against Chelsea at Wembley.
Again, Ince was a model of probity, skipping round the keeper in stoppage time, with United already home and hosed at 3-0 up, but unselfishly teeing up Brian McClair for a tap-in.
“I don't know what came over me,” laughed Ince. “It was either very public-spirited or stupidity, one of the the two. But it was on my left foot, and the boss would have absolutely slaughtered me if I'd missed, even though it was 3-0 and time was nearly up.
“I saw those pictures of 'Choccy' (McClair) with all that hair and the long beard the other day. It took me quite a while before I recognised him, to be fair. Normally you need to be a manager to have all those grey hairs. People talk about Eric Cantona, Hughes and the impact they made at United, but Choccy was fantastic – an integral part of the club's success.”
Unlike some of his counterparts, who treat the FA Cup as a chore and then whinge when they miss out on European football, Ince continues to revere the competition which fired his schoolboy dreams. He said: “When I was a kid, we used to play a game called Wembley in the playground – and it was all about lifting the FA Cup.
“It was all about walking up the steps to the Royal Box and lifting the trophy. FA Cup final day was the biggest day on the football calendar to us, more important than winning the league, but since the the big money attached to the Premier League and Champions League, it's taken a back seat.
“But you've got to dream of playing at Wembley and places like Old Trafford. I'm one of the lucky ones who have walked out there, but if you haven't done it before it can be intimidating and you can find yourself stuck in the lights. We are not going there for a sightseeing trip – a lot of people do, and it's a great day out, but we've got a chance of causing an upset like those kids playing Wembley in the playground.”
Ince has been back to United as a visiting manager before – in 2008 with Blackburn Rovers in the League Cup, shortly before he was sawn off at Ewood Park despite inheriting an ageing squad. Rovers lost 5-3, with Carlos Tevez scoring four of United's goals. The experience has not diminished his reverence for an English football institution, and he added: “United had not won the title for 20-odd years when I arrived, so to be part of the team that started the ball rolling was special.
“It's been frustrating for the fans to go six years without a trophy and 10 without winning the Premier League, but when you look back at what happened after Sir Alex retired, I never thought David Moyes had enough money to do what he wanted to do. He never had a chance, he was cut pretty short. Then, when you bring in world-class managers (Louis) Van Gaal and (Jose) Mourinho, you would expect them to close the gap, but there was a lot of fragmentation within the squad and it wasn't an all-right place.
“We've talked for so many years about Man United's recruitment, but what Erik ten Hag has done in a short time is great. It looks to me as if he's raised the standards of the club. Have we met before? No, he hasn't met me yet!
