I WAS TREATED LIKE A CRIMINAL - STAM
The big Dutchman claims that following his transfer to Lazio, United captain Roy Keane has called him in order to express his support, agreeing that the United boss "sold him like a cow."
Stam has also revealed his beliefs that Ferguson sold him for non-football reasons, and that he was booted out of Manchester because the Scot wanted to limit the damage that was caused when he revealed details of dressing-room dust-ups.
"He fired me because he had problems about his own reputation," he said.
"He shouted at me: 'What must people think when they read in your book that I told players to dive and that I flatten tables in the dressing room?
"I didn't understand his argument at all because I only told the truth. And remember, Ferguson had his own book and wrote similar stories about Gordon Strachan and Brian Kidd.
"I played in every game and there were never any complaints," he continued.
"I was twice voted the best defender in Europe, and Ferguson even put me in United's team of the century.
"But then, suddenly, I wasn't considered good enough. It was criminal. It was like a robbery."
He then went on to reveal details about conversations that he had held with United team-mates - notably Keane.
"I had a conversation with Roy about it and he agreed with me, saying 'Jaap, they sold you like a cow'.
"The fact is that Ferguson sold me behind my back. I didn't know anything about it. Everyone says the power is with the players, but that is just not true. As a player you are nothing more than a piece of meat. We're nothing more than cattle.
"Some of the players have called me but nobody from the management or the board of directors has. And that's how I know that even a big club like Manchester United can be very small in its attitude."
