I’m disappointed in you’: Ryan Giggs’s estranged father breaks 20 year silence on son’s affair (despite walking out on his own family)

By Richard Hartley-parkinson


Ryan Giggs pictured as a boy with his father, Danny Wilson, who said he was disappointed in his son


Despite walking out on his own family 20 years ago, Ryan Giggs's father broke his silence to say how disappointed he is with his son over his affair with Imogen Thomas.

Danny Wilson, 55, spoke out about the relationship - the first time he has spoken publicly about his son after refusing to do so to protect his Manchester united career.

Mr Wilson said: 'Ryan is looked upon as clean living, almost beyond reproach. Now he's shown to have human frailties the same as the rest of us.


'I didn't think Ryan was like that,' he told the Sun. 'He is an iconic footballer who has achieved fantastic things. I had him on a pedestal. I'm immensely proud.

'But I am deeply disappointed at what Ryan has done, particularly as he has a young family. I'm sad for the effect it's going to have on them. His mother will be devastated.'

Following a difficult start to life, Giggs's fortunes were turned around thanks to the support and leadership of his manager, Sir Alex Ferguson

Speaking about his son's affair broke a 20 year silence in which Mr Wilson has never spoken about Giggs


When Mr Wilson, an ex-rugby league star, walked out on his family, Giggs disowned him and adopted his mother's surname.

Although he insists the split was not because of another woman, Mr Wilson was regarded as a womaniser whose career was curtailed by heavy drinking and crime, including a six-month jail stretch for attacking a police officer.

Thankfully for Giggs, Sir Alex became a father figure in his life and gave him direction. He even sees his father, but admits that things will never be the same again.

Mr Wilson, whose parents are from Sierra Leone and is now a security guard, said Giggs should have 'manned up', admitted the affair and apologised for it right from the start.

He also thinks the decision to take out an injunction was a bad one and he was badly advised.

If he had come clean from the beginning, Mr Wilson said, 'no one would be talking about it now. He's made it ten times worse.

'I'd be surprised if Sir Alex Ferguson told him to take out the injunction - it was probably other people around Ryan.'

Speaking two years ago about his relationship with his father, Giggs said: 'Everyone's childhood shapes who they are and what they do, and it was two sides of the story with my dad.

'I didn't like the relationship he had with my mum but there was another side where I looked up to him. My dad was my first hero.

'I think my parent's split may have contributed to that inner steel where I can block things out.

'When I was playing football, I never thought about the arguments between my mum and dad. I get on with my dad but I’m not going to let myself get close to him again because it would hurt my mum and people who mean a lot to me.’

Stacey Giggs was photographed arriving at Old Trafford for a family day at the weekend but yesterday she was seen without her wedding ring


source:dailymailSource URL: https://free1image.blogspot.com/search/label/Ryan%20Giggs
Visit free image for daily updated images of art collection

'I called it off a million times... but then I thought he wanted to marry me': Imogen Thomas reveals 'love affair' with Giggs

By Richard Hartley-parkinson


-Imogen claims: 'He knew it was wrong but he kept pursuing me'
-Family says they fear she may commit suicide
-The couple met for secret love trysts in hotels before big matches

What a striker: Imogen Thomas, posing in a Manchester United top, said she tried to end the affair 'a million times' but thought Ryan Giggs wanted to marry her


Reality TV star Imogen Thomas claims she tried to break up with Ryan Giggs several times throughout their six-month affair.

She even thought the footballer would leave his wife Stacey and actually wanted to marry her because he refused to let the affair end and kept coming back.

Miss Thomas, 28, met Giggs - who is now being named thanks to Lib Dem MP John Hemming using parliamentary privilege to identify him on Monday - in hotels throughout their relationship.

Ryan Giggs pictured today on his way to training. Miss Thomas claims he kept pursuing her after their first liaison in a hotel


They even met up in hotels on nights before two crucial matches.

Miss Thomas spoke recently about the pressure she is being put under, saying she has turned to 'three big glasses of wine a night' to cope with it all.

She said that she has not been sleeping well because of an injunction taken out against her and has lost a lot of weight.

Giggs gave the thumbs up to fans last night as he jogged into Old Trafford for Gary Neville's testimonial match

United we stand: Giggs recreates the 'Class of 92' photograph ahead of the game


Talking about her affair with 37-year-old Giggs she said: 'I called it off a million times but he kept coming back. He knew it was wrong as well, he said as much, but he was pursuing me.'

Her family has echoed warnings over her state of mind made by publicist Max Clifford. Her sister Alana went as far as saying that she was frightened her sister might commit suicide.

Miss Thomas, a former Big Brother star, claimed she never intended to sell her story and denies allegations that she was trying to sue Giggs for £100,000.

A friend said: 'Imogen was 100 per cent certain he would leave Stacey and the kids and move in with her. It wasn't a relationship built totally on sex. She thought it went much deeper. She was in love but now she has been left high and dry.'

Their affair began, perhaps inevitably, at a London club one night last September. According to Miss Thomas, Giggs did not initially know who she was.

'We hit it off straight away because we had so much in common,’ she told a Sunday tabloid a little over a month ago.

Miss Thomas's recollection suggests that the Manchester United footballer knew what he was doing and had a clear mind.

'He was quiet and seemed quite sober,' she said. 'Back at the hotel bar we were just chatting about life but I could tell he was interested in me.

'We kissed and I ended up staying the night with him. I knew he was married but I was caught up in the moment and I never thought it was going to go anywhere.'

She claims she tried to end the affair there and then, but he insisted that she give him her number and the following day he called to check she had arrived home safely and subsequently pursued her with a stream of flirty texts.

What followed has filled column inches and called into question the UK's privacy laws which, in the days of Facebook and Twitter, appear outdated.

Last night Giggs made his first public appearance following the revelations about his private life, playing the opening 30 minutes of a testimonial match for Gary Neville.

His wife - who 24 hours earlier was pitch-side cheering him on during family celebrations at Old Trafford - was photographed leaving the couple's £6m home near Manchester without her wedding ring.


source:dailymailSource URL: https://free1image.blogspot.com/search/label/Ryan%20Giggs
Visit free image for daily updated images of art collection

Party's over, Ryan: Giggs leads title celebrations with his family... 24 hours later his extra-marital affair is exposed

By Daily Mail Reporter


Father's pride: Giggs enjoys his record-breaking run with his two children, Zach and Libby as Manchester United celebrated its 12th Premier League win


Less than 24 hours after celebrating the Premier League title Ryan Giggs was back in the headlines.

He was finally named as the man who had tried to cover up an illicit affair with Imogen Thomas - in what had become the internet's worst-kept secret.

After his side were presented with the Premier League trophy at Old Trafford yesterday, the 37-year-old led the onfield celebrations with his two children, Zach and Libby.

But this afternoon his reputation as a family man was rocked when he was finally outed as the high-profile player who had used the courts to keep details of his extra-marital affair a secret.


The revelation - made in Parliament by John Hemmings - will come as a relief to Miss Thomas, who broke down in tears on television over the affair.

The pair allegedly enjoyed a six-month fling, meeting in secret at a string of luxury hotels, it was claimed.

At the time the gagging order was granted, Giggs' agent described the revelations as a shock, saying: ‘This is incredible. I can’t believe it. He is such a family man.

‘I don’t know what to say, knowing the closeness of his family.’

Last month the 28-year-old former Big Brother contestant broke down as she told ITV's This Morning of her regret that she didn't have enough money to get a super-injunction to protect her name.

Struggling to control her emotions, Miss Thomas said: 'I had no intention of ever speaking about the man - I just wish that my name was protected. I didn't have £50,000 to get an injunction.

'I feel like I have been thrown to the lions and told to "deal with it".

Ryan Gigg's wife, Stacey Cooke, laughs during the family celebrations at Old Trafford. Left Imogen Thomas leaving her house in North London


'I'm coping with a lot of stress and pressure on my head at the moment, it has such a terrible experience for me. I've done wrong and I'm paying for it.'

Asked whether she had ever planned to 'sell her story' before she found out about the super-injunction which was granted earlier in April, Miss Thomas tearfully replied: 'I would never have said anything.

'I had no intention of selling my story whatsoever, no intention at all.'

Miss Thomas also had to face allegations from Giggs that she attempted to blackmail him over their affair.

She was said to be furious that he had suggested she demanded money to keep their affair quiet.

Speaking after one High Court hearing, she said: ‘I have read the judgement and I am stunned by how I’m portrayed.

United front: Ryan Giggs with his wife Stacey Cooke arrive at Manchester United's 2011 Player of the Year Awards last Wednesday


'Yet again my name and my reputation are being trashed while the man I had a relationship with is able to hide.

‘What’s more, I can’t even defend myself because I have been gagged. Where’s the fairness in that? What about my reputation?

‘If this is the way privacy injunctions are supposed to work then there’s something seriously wrong with the law.’

After breaking into the Manchester United team in the 1991/92 season Giggs became one of the most respected players in the game.

He made his debut aged 17 as a substitute against Everton, and two months later scored the winner against Manchester City at Old Trafford on his full debut.

Nineteen years on and he is considered by many to be the 'golden boy' of football and it was all smiles for him and his two children on the pitch as they celebrated his record-breaking run.

Throughout his career he has made the most Premier League appearances and is the only one to have scored in all the campaigns since it was created.

In 2007 he was awarded the OBE and it was commented then that the award would no doubt have taken into account his charity work, aiding the campaign to rid football of racism, plus his role as a Unicef representative working to eliminate the use of land mines.

In September that year he married long-time partner Stacey Cooke in a ceremony attended by close relatives and friends. The couple's children, Liberty and Zach, were part of the congregation.

Speaking after winning the Sports Personality of the Year Award in 2009 he said: 'I've been lucky enough to win a lot of things in my career, playing with great players and playing under the greatest manager who has ever lived, I've played for the greatest club, this is up there.'

Explaining how he kept up his level of performance despite his advancing years, Giggs said: 'Desire, looking after myself. I'm enjoying my football more than ever and I think that's reflected in my play.'

It remains to be seen whether his reputation - and marriage - can survive this final twist in his career.

Miss Thomas's television tears came after a High Court hearing the previous day over the injunction that protected Giggs




source:dailymailSource URL: https://free1image.blogspot.com/search/label/Ryan%20Giggs
Visit free image for daily updated images of art collection