Craig Bellamy has revealed he 'never' felt like leaving Newcastle United for Manchester United - even if Sir Alex Ferguson wanted him.
Bellamy was named the PFA Young Player of the Year after scoring 14 goals in his first season at Newcastle and the Wales star's performances certainly did not go unnoticed. In fact, in 2002, Bellamy was phoned by Eric Harrison.
Harrison was the assistant to Mark Hughes with the Wales national team and also happened to be an ally of Sir Alex's after bringing through the Class of 92 among others as Manchester United's former youth team manager. Harrison told Bellamy that Sir Alex had asked him to call the striker and wanted to know who the Wales international's representatives were.
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Bellamy told Harrison and the striker's agents, Steve Horner and Peter Robinson, later met Sir Alex at Manchester United's training ground. It was during this meeting that Sir Alex informed the pair he wanted to sign Bellamy. However, Bellamy was enjoying life at St James' Park and decided to stay put as the Magpies enjoyed a memorable campaign in the Champions League under Sir Bobby Robson.
"Manchester United tried to sign me," Bellamy told the Central Club podcast. "The late Eric Harrison, who was with me with the Welsh squad, was the one who brought through the '92 squad, your [David] Beckhams and all that. I had contact off him. Eric was like, 'Look, Sir Alex wants you'.
"The honest truth: I never felt like going. How many players have ever been at Newcastle and said, 'No, I'm happy to stay here and then not gone to Manchester United', but I did. Maybe it was the Liverpoolness in me - I don't know.
"It just wouldn't sit. It was a brilliant period [at Newcastle]. It really promoted me. I was just playing with such good footballers."
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