As a man whose knowledge of players in all quarters of the globe is always said to be encyclopaedic, there was something about Sir Alex Ferguson’s supposed first encounter with Liam Miller that didn’t quite ring true.
The date was November 5, 2003. As befitted the night in question, Celtic sparkled in their Champions League group match with Anderlecht.
The result, a resounding 3-1 win, was illuminated by the young Irishman fizzing a sumptuous left-foot strike past Daniel Zitka after taking John Hartson’s cushioned header in his stride.
The game did little to enhance the reputation of Vincent Kompany, the 17-year-old central defender Ferguson was primarily in town to cast his eye over.