Keith Gillespie has revealed how Sir Alex Ferguson acted as his agent to win him a pay-rise from Newcastle United.

Gillespie was 19 when he was used as a makeweight in United's move for Toon forward Andy Cole in 1995.

And the former Northern Ireland international has recalled how Ferguson fought him to increase his wages from £230 to £1,200 a week.

"We got to the hotel [in Sheffield], got on the hotel phone and rang home," Gillespie said on the UTDPodcast.

"My mum answered and I explained the situation and the manager comes on and said: 'Look, is it okay if I do the deal and act as his agent?' She said she was happy enough with that. I remember the manager said to me: 'When we go in here, don't say a word'.

"We were on £230 a week and the contract was going up to £250 a week the next year, but I remember sitting at a big round table with Sir Alex, [Kevin] Keegan, Freddy Shepherd, the [Newcastle] chairman, Freddy Fletcher, the [Newcastle] chief executive, and myself, and I was sat with my head down.

"I remember Sir Alex going: 'Well, Keith's on £600 a week at the minute and we want you to double it to £1,200'. I sort of looked up and he said '£600' and gave me this look as if to say: 'don't say a word here'. And Newcastle agreed to it right away."