For many years the debate and rumours have raged as to WHY Cantona left Leeds in November 1992.

November 27th 1992 to be precise, a Thursday night, my Dad's birthday - I remember the evening vividly. Radio One's Newsbeat broke the news about half-six that the scumbags had signed a Frenchman.

Then the immortal line that "Ooh Ahh Cantona" would not just be heard at Elland Road now but at Old Trafford too!

Initially in the opening spiel of the report, I thought Man United had signed Jean Pierre-Papin, Eric's France team-mate who had struggled following a big money move to Milan.

But why? the debate raged for years, why would Wilkinson get rid of a player almost criminally talented for a give-away fee of £1.2m? A player who was worth the admission money alone to watch him warm-up. A player who commanded the adulation of the fans. Other than Tony Yeboah and O'Leary's Babies, have the whites' fans ever taken to somebody so quickly?

The rumours on the Gelderd End were that behind the scenes there had been adultery, a fight down a corridor, all kinds of weird and wonderful explanations were concocted over pints of Tetley's, whatever but Cantona was the catalyst that sparked a glorious period of success for our hated rivals.

However, the simple reason was Cantona and Wilkinson did not get on.

In Four-Four-Two magazine, the ever enigmatic Eric explains in his mysterious way (which the magazine point out bares an unchanny resemblance to the Fast Show's Swiss Tony) “It’s like with a woman: sometimes you can’t find love, sometimes you can, but it’s still not right, you want more, you want to give, you want to receive."

So that's put the record straight after all these years then! At least it was not some bollocks about seagulls following trawlers!

Photo: Action Images

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