Walsall signing Febian Brandy admits he made the move after Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson put the frighteners on him.

Brandy began his career at Manchester United but was released in July 2010 since which he has struggled to find his way, until a phone call from Ferguson shook him into life.

"Sir Alex rang me quite recently and had a go at me because I hadn't found myself a club," explained Brandy to the Express & Star.

"Obviously when I was at United he saw me as one of his players because I had been at the club for so long and he'd seen me come through the ranks. I was at United until the age of eight and left when I was in my early twenties so around about 12 years. He must have seen something in me to keep me there until then.

"He gave me a bit of a kick up the backside and told me to get myself a new agent as well because he felt I should have found myself a club by now.

"It was a bit of a shock to get a phonecall from him, although he was someone who was always capable of doing that.

"But for him to give me a call and tell me that really made me stop and think about things and realise that I had to get back on track."