Ferdinand reveals how Fergie’s wife saved his career at Old trafford

Ferdinand in his QPR out fit

Ex-England star Rio Ferdinand has revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson’s wife Cathy saved him while he was involved in an acrimonious situation at Manchester United.

Sir Alex Ferguson with his wife Cathy

He admitted that it was Cathy who managed to talk Alex Ferguson into letting him off a club fine for refusing to wear a Kick It Out campaign t-shirt.

It was a hugely controversial incident and one which, Ferdinand revealed, could have been the end of his relationship with Sir Alex, had it not been for the intervention of the Scot’s wife.

Ferdinand said that Fergie was furious when he was part of a high profile rebellion against football’s official anti-racist group, who he believed had not given his brother Anton proper backing.

It all came, of course, amid the backdrop of the infamous John Terry race row, which at the time was still raging.

Ferdinand’s revelations come with his autobiography, ‘#2Sides’ being serialised in The Sun, and he also explained his reasoning for snubbing the shirt movement at the time.

“The Group had refused to come to the court so I was not willing to go through the charade of wearing their shirt, my parents would not have accepted it,” he wrote.

“When the manager found out he raged: ‘Who do you f***ing think you are? I have told everybody you would wear it.’

“I said: ‘You didn’t ask me. I was never going to wear it, I didn’t tell you to go on TV and say I would.’

“He said: ‘That’s it, you are fined a week’s wages.’

“The next day I had to go and see him. He was sat down, I was standing. He said: ‘Look, I know it is your family but I just didn’t agree with you. You have got to support causes like this. I am a union man.’

“Then he said: ‘I talked to my wife, and she said did you ask the boy? When I said I didn’t, she said: there’s your mistake then. I don’t often admit mistakes, but I am not going to fine you.

’I should have spoken to you, that is my mistake and I accept that. I still believe you should have worn it, but I respect that you didn’t.’

“I was so impressed,” Ferdinand added. “My respect for him went up even more.”

The latest revelations from Ferdinand come after he lambasted former United boss David Moyes and his approach during his short tenure at Old Trafford.