Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt has insisted he has no regrets over his departure from Old Trafford, despite potentially missing out on a more regular spot in the side. Butt left United during the summer transfer window of 2004, having handed in a transfer request six months previously. The former England international had grown frustrated by his lack of opportunities, having found himself behind Paul Scholes and Roy Keane in the pecking order.
Nicky Butt said: “(I have) no regrets. I didn’t know Roy was going to leave. I chatted to Steve McClaren and he said, ‘If they play a three and you’re not one of them, then you have a real problem’. That stuck with me and he was right – we did start playing a three in Europe. I went to speak to the manager, who was great with me. He said, ‘It’s not going to look good, this: you don’t really want to leave and we don’t want you to go. But, if you’re adamant about going, then we’ll make it work for us both’. It took about six months for me to get the right club. City, Tottenham and Arsenal all asked me, but I just wasn’t interested. I was interested in joining Newcastle because I’d played there for England Under-19s and loved the atmosphere. It wasn’t too far from Manchester, there was no real hatred between the fans, Sir Bobby (Robson) was a god and the first team was very good. They should have qualified for the Champions League, but it wasn’t to be. I had a tough start. I was injured when I first signed – I just didn’t tell the club that. But I was Newcastle’s captain for two years. It wasn’t too bad.”
