I was compared to George Best at Man United but Sir Alex Ferguson regretted having to sell me

Keith Gillespie was once heralded as the 'new George Best' but ended up parting ways with Manchester United having made only 14 first-team appearances.

As a promising talent in the wave that included the Class of '92, Gillespie's stint at Old Trafford saw him claim the 1994 Charity Shield as his sole piece of silverware. Falling victim to the Premier League squad regulations of the era, the Northern Irishman was offloaded to Newcastle in the 1995 transfer that brought Andy Cole to United.

While Cole was integral to United's historic 1999 Treble-winning side and accumulated five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and a Champions League medal, Gillespie racked up 148 outings for Newcastle over a three-year span before continuing his career at Blackburn.

READ MORE: Ruud van Nistelrooy breaks his silence on Manchester United exit with emotional message to fans

READ MORE: 'The timing was bad' - Manchester United coach who survived Erik ten Hag exodus breaks silence

The potential for an alternate path hung in the air when Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly had second thoughts mere months after Gillespie's departure and attempted to re-sign him. Although Ferguson undoubtedly scored a triumph in acquiring Cole, the notion that he reconsidered letting Gillespie go suggests a hint of seller's remorse.

Reflecting on his exit during an interview with club media in 2020, the then 48-year-old Gillespie unpacked the circumstances behind his departure: "I think when I did leave they had the European rule and, at that time, being from Northern Ireland I was classified as a foreigner, and you could only play two foreigners and three 'assimilated' players at the time," reports the Manchester Evening News.

"So when I did leave - it pretty