Tony Blair asked Alex Ferguson's advice on Gordon Brown

Of all the conversations revealed in Tony Blair's memoir none is perhaps as tantalising as the one with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. In a scene that might have come straight out of a Stephen Frears film, Blair tells how he met Ferguson during a difficult period with Gordon Brown. What would you do if your best player won't do what you want him to and just does his own thing? Blair asked. Chuck him out of the team, Ferguson says. But what if he's still in the dressing room? Blair reflects. In his interview with the Guardian, Blair denied ever discussing cabinet reshuffles with Ferguson – "but he was always very good value on leadership".