Ex-Manchester United, Everton, Sunderland and Celtic man reveals Sheffield Wednesday offer

Former Manchester United, Everton and Sunderland manager David Moyes has revealed he was once offered the Sheffield Wednesday job but turned it down after taking advice from Red Devils hero Sir Alex Ferguson.

Moyes is currently out of work after leaving West Ham United following the conclusion of his contract at the London Stadium. The 61-year-old started his playing career with Celtic back in 1980 and had spells with the likes of Cambridge United, Bristol City, Dunfermline Athletic and others before moving to Preston North End where he would retire. His first job in management came at Deepdale.

He won the Second Division, now League One, in 2000 to earn promotion to what is now the Championship. His managerial performances with Preston attracted interest from a host of clubs - including the Owls. He would eventually join Everton and enjoyed some success with the Goodison Park club before a disastrous spell with Manchester United that lasted less than a season as he was sacked in April 2014.

Moyes was handpicked by Ferguson to replace him at Old Trafford and revealed the legendary manager had been a constant figure he would turn to throughout his managerial career.

"The truth is, I used to go Alex quite a lot for advice - Alex and Walter Smith. Over my career I'd been getting offered loads of jobs, and I'd go to Alex and ask him what he thought,” Moyes told the Rest is Football podcast hosted by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.

"Years ago I got offered the Sheffield Wednesday job, and different jobs. And I would go to Alex and he'd say, 'you can't do that because of him, him and him. He was like a mentor."

Back in 2019, Moyes had revealed a bit more on the reason he turned the Owls down, as he was a man in demand before joining Everton in 2002. He said: "I met Southampton and I met Nottingham Forest. There were other (clubs) at the time that were interested.

“I met Sheffield Wednesday and thought, ‘should I, shouldn’t I?’. I remember I phoned Sir Alex (Ferguson) and asked if I could see him. Sir Alex was so knowledgeable. He went through all the players and said to me ‘no David, I don’t think it’s that good a job’.”

Moyes wold go on to manage Real Sociedad, Sunderland and West Ham following his sacking by Manchester United. He is currently on the hunt for his next job after leaving the Hammers, in what was his second spell with the club. He won the Europa Conference League in 2023 but has already been replaced by former Rayo Vallecano, Porto, Real Madrid and Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui.

"I want to keep really involved in football. I really love football," said Moyes last month when discussing his departure from West Ham. "It's the right decision for both parties, for myself and the club and we'll go our separate ways having had a really good four-and-a-half years. Do I want to stay in management? 'Yes' would be the answer to that."