Former Manchester United player and European Cup winner Paddy Crerand has in recent times served as an analyst on MUTV, a job which isn't a million miles away from a director of propaganda.
In May 2013, he derided the notion that Alex Ferguson's retirement was imminent. This experience did not unduly damage his confidence and he was back this week ridiculing the idea that Louis Van Gaal was about to be sacked citing an extremely persuasive hug that Ed Woodward had wrapped his manager in following the FA Cup Final.
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It transpires that Paddy has been pouring cold water on the reports of excitable media men for a lot longer than people realise.
Paddy on reports that David Lloyd George has reached an agreement with the Irish plenipotentiaries.
There's no way in hell that Michael Collins will ever sign that Treaty. There's absolutely not a chance. He went to war for the 32 counties. Can you see that man agreeing to swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen? He won't be able to stomach that. He hasn't even consulted with De Valera for a start. Do you think he'd go ahead and sign that piece of paper without reporting back home first?
Paddy Crerand speaking to the Freeman's Journal on 6 December 1921
Paddy reacts to reports that the Titanic has sunk beneath the waves of the North Atlantic.
I was talking to J. Bruce Ismay only a few days ago and he told me there's no way that the ship can sink. Unsinkable, he said. And that's from the horses mouth. There's no way a wee iceberg can sink that ship. That ship is going to arrive safely in America. Honestly, I don't know where you guys dream up this stuff.
Paddy Crerand speaking to the Times on 15 April 1912
Paddy appears on radio with Bob Woodward after reports of Richard Nixon's involvement in Watergate
Why won't you give us the name of the guy who is feeding you this crap? Deepthroat nonsense, put a proper name on this guy! All this rubbish about not being able to get any more stories if you name him. What rubbish!
Richard Nixon swore to me a few hours ago that he was not a crook. He has won everything there is to win in American presidential politics, except Massachusetts. At the most recent election, he won 49 states out of 50, why would he need to get guys to break into the Democratic headquarters?
It's such nonsense but people read this and believe it, and let me tell you another thing, there's not a chance in hell Richard Nixon will give up the Presidency. You don't know that man like I do if you think he'll do that.
Paddy Crerand berating Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein on NPR on 8 August 1974
Paddy on the Irish bailout
How many times does Brian Lenihan have to tell you guys that the Irish state is funded up to the middle of next year? It's 94 years since the Easter Rising, do you think the proud Irish state is going to go cap in hand to Brussels and the IMF? If you think that, you guys really are living on a different planet.
Dermot Ahern and Noel Dempsey have told me pointedly that Ireland has not applied for a bailout and Ireland will not be looking for a bailout.
You guys are jumping the gun, people reading all this stuff into the fact that this guy Ajai Chopra is in Dublin. He's probably just in consulting with the minister. It's just a chinwag.
Paddy Crerand appearing on Tonight with Vincent Browne on 18 November 2010
Paddy on the news that Roy Keane has attacked his own teammates on 'Play the Pundit'
Let me tell you this, you're not close to the club. I am. And I can tell you that Roy Keane holds Darren Fletcher and Rio Ferdinand in the highest of esteem. I heard myself Roy raving about that twenty minutes Rio played against Spurs.
And there's no way would he undermine his teammates' confidence at a sensitive time after a 4-1 loss to Middlesbrough.
I don't know why that episode of 'Play the Pundit' was pulled. I presume there was some issue in production or in editing. It's likely there was some issue with the camerawork.
And Sir Alex Ferguson has definitely not censored MUTV. He just wouldn't do that. He values the editorial independence of MUTV.
Paddy Crerand speaking to MUTV on the night 'Play the Pundit' was to be transmitted
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