Rio Ferdinand has claimed that ever since he retired he hasn’t faced ‘real hostility’ like the Leeds United away fans showed towards him at Villa Park a number of weeks ago, as he told Vibe with Five.
The former Manchester United player added that the Leeds fans ‘wanted to kill me’, but he made it clear that ‘it’s all good’ and ‘love from my end’.
Leeds recorded an action-packed and drama-filled 3-3 draw at Aston Villa during a midweek game on February 9.
The game was televised on BT Sport, with Ferdinand doing punditry work alongside Joe Cole in the West Midlands.
From where BT broadcast at Villa Park, the studio overlooks the away end and Ferdinand shared the reaction he got from the supporters.
“I went and done the Aston Villa-Leeds game at Villa Park,” said Ferdinand. “Where the box was, it was overlooking where the Leeds fans away fans were, so we all know the away fans are the nuttiest fans.
“I reckon if they could have got through the glass to get me, it would have been over. They were going bananas. They wanted to kill me.
“I was like ‘this happened how many years ago?’ I was justified in why I left. If I didn’t leave, then you probably wouldn’t be in the Premier League to this day. They were giving it a little bit. I was giving a bit with hand signals.
“These guys, I swear, I am seeing veins popping out of their neck and their forehead. Blood popping out their eyes to try and get to me. It’s all good. All love from my end – Leeds away fans are the only ones, when I went there that day, where I have felt real hostility since I retired.”
It has been 20 years since Ferdinand made that daring move from Leeds United to Man United.
The trophies he won speak for themselves, but not many expected the Yorkshire club to disappear from the top-tier of English football for so long.
Only on the weekend did both Leeds and Manchester United clash at a packed-out Elland Road for the first time in 17 years.
With Marcelo Bielsa’s side hovering above the Premier League’s relegation zone, they will be hoping that they don’t drop straight back down.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
