SIR Alex Ferguson has admitted that he did speak to his ex-assistant Brian Kidd about a possible return to Old Trafford.

But the Manchester United manager then had a change of heart.

And, in any case, it is very doubtful whether former Blackburn Rovers boss Kidd would have been prepared to accept any offers from the man he considered a friend but who criticised him so fiercely in his autobography. Kidd, as we reported last night, has refused to comment on the situation.

But he was so badly hurt by Ferguson's shock criticism of him in the book that it is difficult to envisage him ever returning to Old Trafford.

His former manager revealed that it had been a possibility when he said: "I did consider asking Brian to come back on the youth side and even went as far as to speak to him about it.

"However, since we spoke I have thought about it a lot and I am not so sure it would be a good idea.

"The job I had in mind for him was an onerous one. It would involve working with schoolkids, with an awful lot of coaching and scouting.

"It's been a long time since Brian did that sort of job for us and I decided it would not be right to ask him to come back in those circumstances."

Kidd first made his name at Old Trafford through his work with the young players but it is highly unlikely after being Ferguson's assistant and then a manager in his own right that he would go back to that level.

It could be that Ferguson was simply anticipating his response by withdrawing the offer first.

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