After I left Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson didn’t talk to me for years, but I don’t regret leaving.

A former Manchester United midfielder has lifted the lid on what happened when he told Sir Alex Ferguson he was leaving Old Trafford

Former Manchester United midfielder Liam O’Brien has admitted that it took Sir Alex Ferguson a couple of years to speak to him again after choosing to join Newcastle in 1988.

O’Brien moved to Old Trafford in 1986 after impressing for Shamrock Rovers in his home country, Ireland. He would spend a little over a year and a half in Manchester before deciding to move to St James’ Park.

The midfielder only made 34 appearances for the Reds but that did not stop Ferguson from being livid with the Irishman for choosing to leave. Reflecting on the conversation he had with the legendary manager ahead of the release of his new book Pass Master, O’Brien told Chronicle Live: “I didn’t expect him to be impressed with the news I had to tell him.

I have something to tell you,’ I said. ‘I’m after signing for Newcastle United.’ There was a moment of silence.

“A pregnant pause. He wasn’t one bit impressed. He went through me. Who did I think I was walking out of a club like Manchester United?

“After he had his say, the phone went dead. Suddenly.

“It took some time for Alex Ferguson to talk to me again. When I met him a few months later, he didn’t speak. Eventually, the ice did thaw – although it took a couple of years.

“There were suggestions made that Alex and myself had this big bust-up before I left Old Trafford but that wasn’t the case. There was no big row.

“Did I have regrets that I left Man United – especially considering what they achieved later under Ferguson? No, I didn’t and don’t now, all these years later.”

Despite his relationship with Ferguson turning frosty upon his departure, the now 61-year-old can remember a time when the Scottish manager showed his softer side. After being sent off on his debut for United away at Southampton live on TV, O’Brien found himself under scrutiny like never before.

Sir Bobby Charlton even stormed the team bus before it departed the south coast to lambast O’Brien for his tackle on Mark Dennis. But the ex-midfielder said that Ferguson was a lot more understanding about the situation.

“I played on ITV against Southampton. Sir Alex Ferguson gave me my debut for Man United down at the Dell,” he added.

“In Ireland, it was the first time I think live football had been on from England, so all my friends and family were watching. I got told to watch out for Mark Dennis in midfield and that he was ‘nasty’.

“I went in for a tackle and Dennis came off worse, I thought it would be a yellow card, back in the day you’d get a caution. Then the ref pulled out the red card after 85 seconds.

“I went back to the dressing room knowing everybody had been watching at home. It brings you to a dark place and you wonder how things will go for you at a club like Man United. Fergie actually thought I’d insulted the ref.

“He watched the video back with me on the team bus. But he didn’t fine me because he knew it was the wrong decision.

“All managers have good sides and bad sides. You have to show some type of ruthlessness to be a manager.

“But Fergie cared about his players first. He was like [Kevin] Keegan and would always back his players.”