Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce has revealed how close Newcastle United came to landing Tottenham star Luka Modric.

Allardyce hasn't looked back since being shown the door by Newcastle United last season.

He told the Sunday Mirror: "I had got the staff in place and we were ready to rock and roll.

"What we needed was bigger and better players - like a Modric. Modric was in our training ground, having a look around. He was top of our list.

"But then somebody told Mike I wasn't the man. They told him Harry [Redknapp] was - and I got booted out. Then Harry changed his mind.

"I have no problem at all because Mike Ashley settled my contract immediately.

"It was Freddy Shepherd who had taken me on, and I would have been bitter and twisted if he had sacked me, but it does get difficult after there's been a takeover."