EXCLUSIVE
I cried when Liverpool ‘rested’ me for FA Cup final, Manchester United hero Eric Cantona would’ve been in my pocket
Neil Ruddock insists he would've inspired Liverpool to FA Cup glory in 1996 if he played - as he would have pocketed match-winner Eric Cantona.
The 55-year-old has joked he was 'rested' and not 'dropped' for the final, which saw Manchester United win 1-0 thanks to a late strike from the Frenchman.
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Ruddock had been a key player for the Reds in the build-up to the final, but was left out of the squad by then-boss Roy Evans.
And the ex-Tottenham and West Ham centre-back has revealed he was reduced to tears when speaking on the Sports Breakfast.
He said: "I did get rested for an FA Cup final, I wasn't dropped, I invented getting rested!
"I wasn't dropped, I was rested because there was a big season coming up the next season... OK, I was dropped!
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"I played the quarter-final, semi-final, I played the last eight games coming into the FA Cup final."
Asked by host Natalie Sawyer whether Evans gave him a reason, Ruddock stated: "No. I think I just walked away, I think I swore and then waked away. I didn't wait.
"He said, 'I don't know how to say this', and I just went, 'no', and walked away.
"I did cry, I was in tears because that was what you wanted to be a footballer for - the FA Cup final - at the old Wembley.
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"So that broke my heart, but he gave me a new contract about three months later, so he wasn't such a bad man! But it was devastating.
"I love Roy Evans now, I was his assistant manager at Swindon after that so we do get on, but for a couple of hours he wasn't my favourite person in the world."
Attention then turned to the Liverpool players wearing the iconic beige suits prior to kick-off, with Ruddock then insisting he'd have pocketed Cantona if he had played.
He remarked: "David James was the face of Armani at the time, so we got Armani suits.
"If we'd have won that FA Cup final, if I'd have played, we would have won if I'd have played because Cantona would have been in my pocket like he always was.
"I'd have been turning his collar down, all he would have wanted to do would be to fight me, he wouldn't have wanted to play football, he wouldn't have scored the winner.
"Phil Babb who took my place spooned one out for a corner right at the end. I'd have brought it down on my chest, kneed it and played Steve McManaman through, we'd have won 1-0.
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"And them suits would have been the best Wembley suits ever seen! So it's not my fault, it's nothing to do with me!"
Turning his attention to a former teammate, Ruddock then stated: "And the greatest thing about Eric Cantona's goal, if you see it, Robbie Jones is on the line.
"And he got out of the way because it nearly hit him. You watch it! He's even got his hand on the post, and he goes, 'whoa that almost hit me.'
"It's the last minute of the FA Cup, you catch it, do anything, it's the last minute of the FA Cup and he got out of the way. That's why his nickname was Trigger."
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