FORTY-EIGHT HOURS before his former Manchester United teammates were due to contest today's Charity Shield with Arsenal Gary Pallister sat in a quiet corner of the players' canteen at Middlesbrough's training ground watching incessant rain beat relentlessly against the windows.
Although he would have much preferred to be elsewhere, that place was definitely not the home counties hotel United use as a base before Wembley dates. The one-time England centre-half had been forced to forgo Middlesbrough's weekend trip to Holland when physiotherapists decreed that his calf injury required extra treatment. Instead, he was galvanising himself for the impending experience of going swimming with a similarly injured Paul Gascoigne.
"If it means I'm fit for our first game against Leeds next week it'll be worth it," smiled Pallister, 33, while an impatient, hyperactive Gazza hovered across the canteen. But, as 1998 dawned, he could never have envisaged sharing a spot of hydrotherapy with Gascoigne, let alone leaving Old Trafford for £2.5m after nine years' sterling service. "I was a little surprised to learn that United were prepared to sell me," he admitted. "I didn't expect it after last season when I thought things went well.
"Once I'd accepted the situation, though, there was no point hanging about. It looked as if the time was right to move on and I was so glad it was Boro who had come in for me. If I had to leave Manchester, going back to Boro was the perfect scenario.
"I enjoyed a lot of success at Old Trafford and have many nice memories. I felt I had a few good years left in me there but maybe it's true that it's better to leave while times are good rather than outstay your welcome. "
"I've spoken to Alex Ferguson since leaving and wished them all the best. I honestly hope his Euro dream comes true; I'd really like to see them go on and win the European Cup and I think they've got a good chance."
If only Willie Maddren could contemplate an equally optimistic prognosis. On Charity Shield weekend Pallister necessarily has charity very much on his mind and is actively involved in funding raising for research into motor neurone disease, the muscle wasting illness which is killing his old Middlesbrough manager and long-time mentor.
Displaying immense courage in the face of adversity Maddren, one of the best defenders of his generation, has raised thousands of pounds towards research into the disease and recently published his autobiography Extra Time, with all proceeds going to an MND charity fund.
One of the principal themes of Extra Time - a compelling account not just of coping with terminal illness but the vicissitudes of life as both a 1970s professional footballer and 1980s manager - is Maddren's enduring relationship with Pallister.
Having taken the 20-year-old defender off the dole and out of Billingham Town's defence in exchange for £50 a week, Maddren set about turning a player dubbed Bambi on Ice into a potential international. "I got really lucky when Willie saw my potential and then brought it out with extra coaching," said the protégé.
After Maddren was sacked the pair maintained their friendship, Pallister regularly calling into his mentor's Teesside sports shop, even after joining Manchester United: "I've been so lucky to have someone like Willie behind me and, reading his book, I've come to realise that he saw a lot of himself in me."
Now the personable, articulate Pallister is displaying his gratitude by attending a series of MND fund-raising events and knows that nothing would delight Maddren more than: "Me helping Middlesbrough win their first trophy. That's my goal this season. Before I first became a player here, I stood on the terraces at Ayresome Park, so I share the fans' frustration at Boro never winning anything."
Many critics suspect Arsenal might not have completed their Double had Roy Keane been fit to marshal United's midfield. Instead Keane self-destructed, proving the veracity of the adage about those who live by the sword tending to die by it, when lunging recklessly at Alfie Haaland early in the season at Leeds. "Roy would be the first to agree that it was a daft challenge," said Pallister. "Nobody could believe that he'd done his cruciate ligaments. He was a big miss.
"I think it's significant that the catalyst of Arsenal's success was their central midfield pairing of Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit. One minute they'd be protecting their defence and the next they'd be on the edge of the other team's box. That's what Roy does.
"It's also fair to say that David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs are all forward orientated and there were times last season when Nicky Butt really needed someone like Roy alongside him."
Presumably hoping to imbue Keane with an increased sense of responsibility, Ferguson has asked Peter Schmeichel to suurrender English football's most coveted armband, thereby reinstating the Irishman as captain. While the debate as to whether Beckham is best deployed wide on the right or in a more central role rages on, Pallister feels that Jesper Blomqvist's introduction will afford Giggs licence to leave the left flank and wreak havoc from the middle of the pitch.
"A lot of people forget that Ryan is still only 24 but we really saw him mature last season. There is nobody better than Ryan when he gets the ball from deep and runs at people. That is when he is most dangerous - when he drops his shoulder and simply goes past defenders - and with Jesper Blomqvist around he won't be restricted to the left."
Giggs's crosses are still likely to be very much part of the United repertoire, however, the only question being who will play centre-forward?
"We all know Alex Ferguson wants Dwight Yorke," said Pallister. "But I'm a bit surprised Patrick Kluivert didn't even talk to United. I think he's made a big mistake. Maybe he didn't understand just what a big club they are."
United are certainly large enough to be assiduously courted by the embryonic new European super league, something Pallister is resigned to but dismayed by. "I think it's inevitable but I also think it's going to destroy the English game," he said.
"We'll find that the teams involved won't give their full attention to the Premiership and that if we're not very careful we're going to destroy something that we really don't want to lose."
The rain beating against that window suddenly assumed an ominous tattoo.
