Newcastle United, the leaders of the championship and favorite to get promoted to the premier league had upped their bid for Queen’s Park Rangers’ striker Les Ferdinand. Magpies boss Kevin Keegan made a £3.8 million offer a week prior while Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool had also shown interest.
Ferdinand’s future at Loftus Road seemed to rest on a battle of wills between Gerry Francis and chairman Richard Thompson. The player had already said that he was happy in West London and wouldn’t push for a move away.
