Labour Party bosses will unveil Sir Alex Ferguson as their secret weapon in the fight to avoid a crushing by-election defeat.
The Manchester United boss is helping spearhead Labour's battle ahead of the contest in Crewe and Nantwich on Thursday, and has recorded a message of support for Labour candidate Tamsin Dunwoody, the daughter of the constituency's former MP, Gwyneth Dunwoody, who died last month.
Ferguson's endorsement will be revealed this week as he prepares for United's Champions League final in Moscow on Wednesday.
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His face will also appear on leaflets today with a message to voters to re-elect Labour in the Cheshire seat which it holds with a 7,078 majority.
PM Gordon Brown is due to join a local radio phone-in on Tuesday.
Labour privately admits Tory candidate Ed Timpson has a "significant" lead. And an ICM poll last night said 45pc of Crewe voters will back the Tories, with 37pc for Labour - which would give a Tory majority of more than 1,000 votes.
