ALEX Ferguson has re-opened old wounds in the long-running war of words between Manchester United and the Premiership champions.

In a controversial new video the Manchester United manager reveals for the first time the background behind his attempts to sign Blackburn Rovers ace Alan Shearer in 1992.

Shearer eventually joined Rovers in a £3.3 million deal from Southampton. He has always continually denied claims that Ferguson tried to tempt him to join the Reds before linking up with Kenny Dalglish at Ewood Park.

But according tabloid reports, in the video Ferguson says: "I was disappointed in my conversation with him (Shearer). He surprised me.

"It seemed that money was the most important thing to him. It doesn't matter now. He's made the decision to go to Blackburn. There wasn't anything I could do at that point, to be honest."

Ferguson's comments will be bound to infuriate Shearer and Rovers officials in a video which does not pull any punches.

Neither Shearer nor the club would comment on the video today, but privately they are bound to be fuming over Ferguson's outburst. Shearer has always maintained that United never spoke to him when he was at Southampton.

Ferguson's attack is the latest chapter in the conflict between the two clubs since Rovers began to challenge the United dynasty - backed by Jack Walker's millions.

Shearer's goals cost United their Premiership crown last season and the video underlines the bitterness between the two North-West rivals.

Ferguson also speaks candidly about the championship run-in last season when he compared Rovers to the race horse Devon Loch, the Grand National horse which jumped an imaginary fence at Aintree and collapsed before the finishing line.

Ferguson says: "Blackburn started to make mistakes and I started to enjoy it. I found it quite funny really.

"I quite enjoyed that they were getting nervous. I was going on about Devon Loch, just stoking it up really. I found it all quite hilarious."

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