Manchester United legend Ruud van Nistlerooy saw his Red Devils career come crashing down following a disagreement with a young Cristiano Ronaldo, in which comments were exchanged regarding the player's father.
The prolific Dutch striker was a huge favourite at Old Trafford, but was shown the door shortly after an altercation with Ronaldo which left manager Sir Alex Ferguson with no option but to move him on.
Revelations about Van Nistlerooy's departure have emerged in the recently published diaries of former Labour communications chief Alastair Campbell, a close friend of Ferguson.
As revealed in the Times, Campbell notes how Van Nistlerooy had become difficult to manage and came across as rather self-centred, leaving Ferguson unsure with what to do with the player.