Rio Ferdinand reveals confrontation with hooded fans eight years ago

Manchester United centre back Rio Ferdinand has revealed in his recent interview with Four Four Two magazine how a bunch of Manchester United hooligans came knocking on his door eight years ago. The hooligans called themselves by the name of “United boys”. He added that the group of United supporters demanded him to sign the new contract that had been offered to him.

The future of Ferdinand was in strong doubt when he was found with former Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon in a restaurant eight years back. Ferdinand, who has been a vital part of United’s success for the past ten years, said that he had went to the restaurant to meet his agent, and his meeting with Peter was a mere coincidence.

The 34-year-old quoted:

“So I go to the side door and grab a big bit of wood, jump on the side of the wall and I’m just about to scream ‘raaaah!’ when I see there’s a massive group of people, with hoodies and caps covering their faces. “I just thought, ‘I’m going to get served up in a moment, so go bananas and they’ll think you’re a nutter!’

“Then one of them said, ‘We’re the United boys, fucking sign your contract,’ and I was like, ‘What you talking about? I’ve only just started negotiating two months ago, what you worrying about?”‘

And then he added, “Basically I went to see my agent for half an hour and Kenyon was with him. Someone’s taken a picture and made out like we’re having a bloody meal together. So I’m saying to these guys, ‘If I’m going to do a deal with another club, do you think I’d be doing it in broad daylight?’

“One of the neighbours had called the police by then and they got off when they heard the sirens.”

Ferdinand also talked about the moment he would like to forget, when he was banned for eight months after failing to attend the drug test in 2003.

He said:

“People assume I must have had something to hide but I did all the tests that were asked in the end and the judge said I had proved beyond any doubt I had nothing in my system – those tests trace stuff from months back.

“So I never had any doubt in my mind, it was just irresponsible of me not to go to the test at the time and I got punished severely for it.

“Eight months of my career just gone, just like that. It was easily the lowest point of my career, especially as I knew people were trying to tarnish my name by saying I was into drugs.

“That’s the most disappointing thing for me, that people assumed I was involved in drugs or had something to hide.”

The 34-year old defender is out of contract this summer. Sir Alex Ferguson believes that the defender can play at the highest level for at least two more years. Rumours suggest that Rio will be offered an one year contract to stay at the Theatre of Dreams. Though the defender plays an important role in the United’s defence, Ferguson has Jones, Wootton, and Smalling ready to fill the void left by the veteran.