Retiring former England star Darren Anderton admits he regrets turning down the chance to join Manchester United.

He revealed: "I don't have many regrets. But, with hindsight, when Manchester United came along in 1995 maybe I should have gone.

"I had a clause in my contract at Tottenham saying I could leave if another club offered so much, which United did. I spoke with Alex Ferguson and he wanted me to go there. But the following day I went to see Spurs chairman Alan Sugar and he wouldn't let me leave his house until I had signed a new deal.

"He'd already lost Jurgen Klinsmann, Nicky Barmby and Gica Popescu that year and probably thought it would kill him if another player left. When I went to meet him, he had Spurs manager Gerry Francis there along with my trusted adviser Leon Angel. He even had his chef present to cook me a nice meal.

"Sugar looked after me, to be fair, and I signed the deal. But perhaps I should have gone. After that I picked up injuries and United went on to win the title.

"Had I left, I would have had a Premier League medal to my name.

"But my decision to stay at Spurs opened the door for Becks and the rest, as they say, is history.

"It's where it all started for Becks - and I hope he remembers that! I like to think I was responsible for giving his career a helping hand."