Joe miller reveals what Sir Alex Ferguson said to him the day he joined Celtic over Man Utd after my chairman broke agreement…
Hamish MacRae
3 – 4 minutes
He had a highly successful Celtic career but Ferguson raged over not being able to reunite with him in Manchester
Published: 12:29, 10 Apr 2025
Updated: 12:34, 10 Apr 2025
SIR ALEX FERGUSON was used to getting what he wanted as Manchester United manager.
But one transfer target that slipped through his fingers has revealed it sent him into a rage.
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Alex Ferguson was angered by a Manchester United transfer target which slipped through his fingersCredit: Splash
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As well as being a Man United legend, Ferguson had a highly successful spell managing AberdeenCredit: PA
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One of his Dons players, Joe Miller, turned down the chance to reunite in Manchester and instead went to CelticCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Before beginning his legendary stint as Manchester United boss in 1986, the Scot spent eight years at the helm of Aberdeen, winning three league titles, four Scottish Cups, the League Cup, the European Cup Winners’ Cup and the European Super Cup.
The iconic boss also developed a reputation for successfully bringing young players into the first team.
One such case was Joe Miller, who had signed for the Dons’ academy from Celtic Boys Club and quickly broke into the first team.
When Ferguson moved to United, he wanted to bring Miller down south a year later, having put in place a gentlemen’s agreement at Aberdeen that he would have the first option to buy the forward.
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But Miller was offered a dream return to Celtic at the last minute and United were priced out of the move, with Miller going on to win the double in the Hoops’ Centenary season and deny Rangers the treble in 1989 with a winner in the Scottish Cup final.
And Miller has told the Let Me Be Frank podcast that Ferguson wasn’t best pleased with his choice, or the fact the deal hadn’t stood.
Asked whether Fergie was unhappy, Miller said: “At that time, yeah, because I think he had an agreement with Dick Donald, the old chairman of Aberdeen.
“I think he was promised first refusal on me if I ever became available, and I was looking to move at the end of the season.
“I didn’t see myself moving to Celtic.
“Celtic came in at the very last minute, on the day that I signed, and I never saw another Scottish club coming in for me.
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“There was interest from abroad, there was interest from Liverpool and Man United and they were making it known in the papers every week.
“I was just sitting there, playing my football every week, and then after I signed, Sir Alex was saying ‘the shackles were off’ and he was coming in for the Aberdeen players.
“He was coming in for Alex [McLeish] and Jim Leighton as a result of me moving.
“I think he had an agreement with Dick Donald that he would have first refusal on me and Dick never honoured that.”
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