Sir Alex Ferguson on Karel Poborsky's hair: 'He looked like he played for Led Zeppelin rather than Manchester United'

Poborsky's shaggy locks were just not sensible enough for Fergie

Karel Poborsky in action for United in 1997 (GETTY IMAGES)

Sir Alex Ferguson was well known for wanting his players to have short and sensible hairstyles (David Beckham never played under him with a mohawk), so it was no surprise that he made Karel Poborsky trim his shaggy locks when he signed for Manchester United from Slavia Prague back in 1996.

In his new book, 'Leading', Ferguson reveals that he could not fathom why a player would have long hair.

"I never understood why players would want to have long hair. Anything, even a few extra locks of hair, just didn't seem sensible.

"I had my first issue with a player on this topic when Karel Poborsky came to Manchester United from Slavia Prague in 1996, looking as though as he was going to play for Led Zeppelin rather than United.

"I did manage to persuade him to trim his locks but even so, they were always too long for my tastes."

David Beckham revealed earlier this year that Ferguson once made him cut off his mohawk before the 2000 Charity Shield, in the Wembley Stadium toilets hours before kick-off.

David Beckham and his mohawk (GETTY IMAGES)

"I was in the dressing room with an hour to go before kick off when Sir Alex Ferguson saw it and made me shave it off," Beckham said in an interview which was broadcast on the Graham Norton Show on BBC 1.

"I said no at first and then I saw his face change very quickly so I went and shaved it off in the toilet. He was very strict."