Tweet
If it wasn't for Dennis Bailey's Christian beliefs, he might be tempted to take the signed football that Manchester United have donated for a charity match involving Birmingham City All-Stars next month and keep it for himself.
After all, United owe him one.
It is 20 years since Bailey, then a striker for QPR, destroyed United on their own turf and changed the course of the title race.
New Year’s Day 1992: the day after Sir Alex Ferguson had turned 50, and the Old Trafford boss was closing in on United’s first title in a quarter of a century.
His team were top of the table, unbeaten at home and 9-2 on favourites to be crowned First Division champions ahead of Leeds in the last season before the launch of the new FA Premiership.
What happened next will give struggling QPR hope for their trip to Old Trafford on Sunday and encouragement to Manchester City that all is not lost as they try to peg back the champions and stop Ferguson winning his 13th Premier League title.
On a memorable Wednesday evening, Bailey claimed the only hat-trick of his professional career to give QPR their first — and last — away win over United as they stunned the league leaders 4-1 on live television.
Brazilian legend Ronaldo is the only other visiting player to score three at Old Trafford in the Ferguson era, for Real Madrid in 2003.
‘I’m in good company,’ says Bailey with a big smile. He still has the adidas matchball from that day. Half of it is signed by his QPR team-mates, including Ray Wilkins, Andy Sinton and Ian Holloway. The other half is blank. Bailey cringes.
‘At the end of the game Alan McDonald, who I think was skipper that day, picked up the ball and booted it into the crowd above the dug-outs,’ he recalls.
‘Someone managed to get it back and the lads told me to have it signed. I’d never scored a hat-trick before so I thought I would.
‘I went into the United dressing room, pushed the door open with a big grin on my face and said, “Can you sign my ball please?”.
‘I can remember they were all sitting down and Steve Bruce was almost directly in front of me. He had his head down and I’m standing there saying again, “Can you sign my ball please?”.
‘I didn’t get a whisper. Absolute silence. In the end I thought, “This ain’t going to happen”.
‘It was only afterwards that I was told Sir Alex Ferguson had just given the lads the hairdryer treatment. He was obviously behind the door when I opened it but I didn’t see him. It was a bit naive of me and a very bad time to be asking for the ball to be signed.’
Injury ended Bailey’s season shortly afterwards. He left Loftus Road and the top flight, after a series of loan moves, with a record of 10 goals from 38 league games.
Still looking fit at 46, the likeable south Londoner lives around the corner from his ex-wife and two young daughters in Birmingham, where he played for one of his 18 professional and non-League clubs before retiring five years ago.
These days Bailey does football coaching and community work through his personal website (www.dennislbailey.wordpress.com) and his church, the Renewal Christian Centre in Solihull.
He plays for the church team in the West Midlands Christian League Division Two as a midfielder (‘You try not to run too much otherwise you won’t make it next week’) as well as Birmingham City’s All-Stars.
‘We’ve got a game on May 13 against Newlands Bishop Farm, who care for people with learning disabilities,’ he says. ‘The only club who sent a signed football for us to auction off were Man United which I thought was fantastic. We were chuffed to bits. I know, a signed football. Ironic isn’t it. You couldn’t make it up!’
His man-of-the-match bottle of champagne lasted nearly 10 years, but Bailey has no other mementoes of that day. Mother Lillian and elder sister Angela keep the pictures and newspaper cuttings down in London, but the footage is there for all to see on YouTube.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz1rPzugk69
After all, United owe him one.
It is 20 years since Bailey, then a striker for QPR, destroyed United on their own turf and changed the course of the title race.
New Year’s Day 1992: the day after Sir Alex Ferguson had turned 50, and the Old Trafford boss was closing in on United’s first title in a quarter of a century.
His team were top of the table, unbeaten at home and 9-2 on favourites to be crowned First Division champions ahead of Leeds in the last season before the launch of the new FA Premiership.
What happened next will give struggling QPR hope for their trip to Old Trafford on Sunday and encouragement to Manchester City that all is not lost as they try to peg back the champions and stop Ferguson winning his 13th Premier League title.
On a memorable Wednesday evening, Bailey claimed the only hat-trick of his professional career to give QPR their first — and last — away win over United as they stunned the league leaders 4-1 on live television.
Brazilian legend Ronaldo is the only other visiting player to score three at Old Trafford in the Ferguson era, for Real Madrid in 2003.
‘I’m in good company,’ says Bailey with a big smile. He still has the adidas matchball from that day. Half of it is signed by his QPR team-mates, including Ray Wilkins, Andy Sinton and Ian Holloway. The other half is blank. Bailey cringes.
‘At the end of the game Alan McDonald, who I think was skipper that day, picked up the ball and booted it into the crowd above the dug-outs,’ he recalls.
‘Someone managed to get it back and the lads told me to have it signed. I’d never scored a hat-trick before so I thought I would.
‘I went into the United dressing room, pushed the door open with a big grin on my face and said, “Can you sign my ball please?”.
‘I can remember they were all sitting down and Steve Bruce was almost directly in front of me. He had his head down and I’m standing there saying again, “Can you sign my ball please?”.
‘I didn’t get a whisper. Absolute silence. In the end I thought, “This ain’t going to happen”.
‘It was only afterwards that I was told Sir Alex Ferguson had just given the lads the hairdryer treatment. He was obviously behind the door when I opened it but I didn’t see him. It was a bit naive of me and a very bad time to be asking for the ball to be signed.’
Injury ended Bailey’s season shortly afterwards. He left Loftus Road and the top flight, after a series of loan moves, with a record of 10 goals from 38 league games.
Still looking fit at 46, the likeable south Londoner lives around the corner from his ex-wife and two young daughters in Birmingham, where he played for one of his 18 professional and non-League clubs before retiring five years ago.
These days Bailey does football coaching and community work through his personal website (www.dennislbailey.wordpress.com) and his church, the Renewal Christian Centre in Solihull.
He plays for the church team in the West Midlands Christian League Division Two as a midfielder (‘You try not to run too much otherwise you won’t make it next week’) as well as Birmingham City’s All-Stars.
‘We’ve got a game on May 13 against Newlands Bishop Farm, who care for people with learning disabilities,’ he says. ‘The only club who sent a signed football for us to auction off were Man United which I thought was fantastic. We were chuffed to bits. I know, a signed football. Ironic isn’t it. You couldn’t make it up!’
His man-of-the-match bottle of champagne lasted nearly 10 years, but Bailey has no other mementoes of that day. Mother Lillian and elder sister Angela keep the pictures and newspaper cuttings down in London, but the footage is there for all to see on YouTube.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz1rPzugk69