People will tell you that when someone of power and prominence walks into a room, before you have even seen them, you feel their presence. It’s an absurd notion really. The idea that anyone has an invisible aura of authority or influence is at best descriptive indulgence, more accurately it’s physically not possible. But the first time I stood in the small press conference room at Manchester United’s Carrington training ground as a fresh-faced 21-year-old reporter (no joke, I looked about six at the time) and Sir Alex Ferguson walked into the room, I knew he was there even before I heard the brisk Govan brogue of his businesslike “Morning”. Was it an aura? Or just respect from everyone in the room – reverence, and fear? Either way, I’ve never experienced anyone else have quite the same effect. Journalists were like schoolkids: “he’s coming,” before sitting neatly in their seats, while the timing of placing dictaphones on the top table was hilarious to observe, judged astutely for another ‘good morning’ and maybe some idle chit-chat, or done stealthily if something critical or negative had appeared in their paper.
I don’t say that to disparage other journalists, far from it. It was just a sign of Ferguson’s all-consuming influence, and reporter’s respect for him – at least to his face.
In nine years working in Manchester United’s media department – and you’re not afforded quite the intimate access some fans expect – I never lost the nervous feeling, the butterflies in the pit of my stomach, before interviewing Ferguson one-on-one, which these days is a rare privilege for any journalist. The first knock on the door to his office, which overlooks the vast green of scattered football pitches at United’s hideaway headquarters (like the all-seeing eye of Sauron), felt like it took courage in itself. You may laugh at that, but I guarantee you would be the same. I’ve seen grown men crumble in his presence, reduced to gibbering wrecks under that murderous blue-eyed stare.
In that first trip to a Friday press conference, a trip I rarely liked to miss, I was stood in the now-defunct huddle of radio reporters. I’d not been introduced to the boss at that point. He made a joke and I laughed along with everyone else, but then he stopped smiling, turned to me and said sternly, “where’re you from, son?” Ridiculously nervous, I struggled to muster: “The club website.” “Ok, son.” I think it was an ‘I’m in control here’ warning for a new face. And whenever you spoke to him in an interview it was sort of like that. I sometimes thought that it didn’t much matter how good your questioning was, how clever or cute you were with the wording, you were only going to get the answer he wanted to give you. Not one word seemed misjudged, unintended or squandered. That’s a key trait. He is acutely aware of the influence of his actions and words, often used perfectly for effect.
There will be plenty written about his on-field success during the week of his 25th anniversary as Manchester United boss, but almost as remarkable are his performances off it. He’s a first-class orator, a PR guru, a psychological mastermind and a great actor. The week in which Wayne Rooney’s loyalty wavered was just about everything that I admire and about Ferguson. His performance was enough to change Rooney’s mind, reiterate his own status as top dog, but more than that it was a spine-tingling performance of his belief in what he and Manchester United stand for. It was incredible stuff.
As well as never losing my pre-interview nerves (I was never like that with players), I also never lost the jubilance after an interview with the boss, hopefully with some typical Fergie lines in the bag. After interviews, the good lines run through your mind like a post-match analysis of how well the interview went. The best thing was being given even brief access to an encyclopedic mind; not just on football, but other sports, history, film, politics, Scottishness, just about any subject could inspire an interesting response. His memory is astonishing, too. I forget matches I’ve worked at and written about in the same season. Ferguson would remember his school caretaker’s cat’s name from 60 years ago, an opposition left-winger from his days at Aberdeen, or a defender he skipped past to score a goal for Rangers – and he could talk for hours about goals he scored.
I’d never overstate the position I held, but I feel privileged to have worked in even mildly close proximity to one of football’s greats. I’m well aware I could be accused of sycophancy, blind faith, arse kissing. There’ll be a lot of it about as Ferguson reaches this milestone, and plenty of seething curses from City and Liverpool fans too, no doubt.
For all my own personal praise, for the little it is worth, I certainly wouldn’t describe Ferguson as a Saint. He can be ruthless, unyielding, bullish, pugnacious and controlling, as any critic will tell you. But they are the fiery characteristics that fuel his ferocious drive to succeed. It’s part of the package.
Then again, there’s a softer side that rarely gets seen too; the many personal letters he writes each week to help or advise people, many just ordinary fans, the functions or funerals he attends, the loyalty and respect he has for long-serving staff, for former players who’ve hit hard times. You occasionally get a glimpse of his humour, a razor-sharp wit. With no cameras or microphones in attendance he is rarely without a smile. You can tell he has lived his life in football; he’s often involved in banter with coaches and staff in the Carrington canteen. He’s loud, too. Christ, his voice carries. A colleague was interviewing him on the balcony at Carrington’s reception and he heard Darren Fletcher, then a young reserve, walking through the doors downstairs. He stopped mid-answer and bawled: “FLETCHER! FLETCHERRRR!” as though he were warning a young child crossing a street into oncoming traffic. It nearly burst the speakers. Perhaps Fletcher knew what it was his manager was so keen to talk to him about, because he promptly walked on. Perhaps he ran. Ferguson sings as well, mainly crooner classics, like Sinatra, and usually after he has finished his media duties on a Friday morning, of which you can tell he has grown tired. After 25 years I think he has become weary of the inquisition. Allowing journalists in a free media to ask questions, favorable or not, is absolutely still vital, but Ferguson increasingly uses his programme notes to communicate his undiluted message to fans, and the world.
It’s said that no one is bigger than the club. When it comes to players, that’s true. But what about when someone’s philosophy and direction defines the club in the modern age? Nothing of importance that happens at Manchester United goes without Ferguson’s knowledge or approval. He is as close to impossible to replace as any manager could be. Good luck following this act.
Personally, I think he is far from done yet. I can’t even picture the day when he will walk away. He has said that if you don’t keep the mind active at his age, it’s a downward spiral from there. That’s a solemn thought. But it shows what Manchester United means to him that he is sticking around into his 70s: it’s his life. And United fans should be thankful of that as this milestone clicks round, privileged to have enjoyed his quarter of a century at Old Trafford which has provided more success and unforgettable moments than any manager, even a brilliant one, has any right to expect. Maybe it’s that success that gives him presence, the aura people speak of. Whatever it is, he is a unique, incredible man and, moreover, the best manager British football has ever seen – for me, to borrow one of his phrases, there’s no question about that.
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What a fine article to read on a thursday morning. Thanks, Ben. I appreciate it. I have read the book behind the scenes at Manchester United, which also talks about the side of Sir Alex which isnt visible to fans.
You also liked that you pointed out that you as club website journalist dont have as much access as us, fans would think and I believe thats quite true and it should be the way it is.
Wow. Good write up Ben. Can’t blame you for sounding like an arse licker. God knows most here would probably lick way more than just arse..
@uniquetreble99, people lyk suarez shouldn’t be allowed to breed imo. But hopefully he grows the fuck up now & stops being an annoying lil rat faced moron.
Respect!!!!!!
Wow #thatisall
Is RedNut on here today? Would love to continue our conversation about our midfield. Fergie thinks is so shit and so inept of controlling games that he has to play our best striker there who also happens to be technically gifted. You know who else has the technical ability of Rooney? Wesley Sniejder, but we don’t need him do we. Just saying…..
Wonder how Moses is feeling today after that hammering by Blackpool…. Must hurt like fuck
I do not hate but I do hate Leeds
Fergie … LEGEND!!!!
Great article! Hope he will give us another 10 years!!!!!
No shit Soy sauce! hahahaha
Just messing my friend
Cheers Ben. I admit it, i love the man.
He took this club to the summit of world football. Sure, there’s been bumps in the road, but he’s produced more times than not. Any chance of staying for another 25 years boss? 
great article and countless others have said something more or less similar about the effect Fergie has on them. I can put everything about him by comparing him to one fictional character and thats Albus Dumbledore
The mere view of him chewing his gum on match day is enough to make me happy
What a fantastic article, sometimes you get bored half way reading something but this is brilliant, sir alex indeed is a legend.
KR – Stop polluting a fantastic thread about Fergie with with boring ramblings. A superb piece Ben. Have you seen fucking Sneijder this season? He has been fucking shite, infact for the last 12 months he has. Subbed after 60 odd minutes the last two games. He isnt the fucking answer.
“with your”
Fergie pls sign us CMs…
What a Brilliant article! Thanks Ben!
Sneijder? NO thanks!!
Last time I checked it was early November and I didnt realise we could sign players now.
Well Done!!!!
Thanks Ben.
Some really good insight. Thanks for the article, good read.
KR – A discussion for another time? This thread is about the great man.
Excellent piece and a joy to read. Cheers Ben.
Excellent article Ben.
With respect to no one is bigger than the club – I think fergie ethos are synonymous to the club’s. He has really become the fabric of the club. Shows his commitment, love and respect for this club.
The boss said it himself, he is thinking of the next 25 – here’s to another 25 years Fergie
Great read Ben… your words paint a thousand pictures.
There’s no question about that!
schneider is not the answer. if rooney moves to midfield, it will be a whole lot easier finding someone who can score goals than it would have been finding a midfield maestro. Rooney is pretty damn good at it and seems to like it
Fergie should be on Twitter
Terrific article, Ben, really insightful.
The only person I’ve come across with the same effect on entering a building, even before anyone knows he’s there, is Valery Gergiev, the great conductor and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, Russia. He’s a bit crazy but has a magnetic effect on people. He’s revered by his staff who are in awe of him. You somehow sense when the Maestro has come into the building as suddenly there’s a kind of electricity in the air and everyone shapes up, no-one wants to disappoint him. It’s weird to experience it, and I’m glad to read Ben’s account of the same thing happening with Fergie.
“It’s said that no one is bigger than the club. When it comes to players, that’s true. But what about when someone’s philosophy and direction defines the club in the modern age?”
The answer to your question lies in your own analysis of how events transpire here:
“Nothing of importance that happens at Manchester United goes without Ferguson’s knowledge or approval.”
Sir Alex isn’t bigger than the club because – to all intents and purposes – he *is* the club.
Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United. Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson.
An anagram!
What a refreshing article, couldn’t stop till I was done. Fergie is Manchester United and I hope he continues for the next 25 yrs.
Just got to this now. Brilliant article, no doubt. Insightful and heartfelt.
God knows I will be crying like I’ve never cried in my life when Sir Alex calls it a day. Hopefully, it is later rather than sooner, but the mere thought is enough to provide me with a lump in my throat.
I saw In Time yesterday. It is a sci-fi film where people stop aging at 25 and where time is money. You literally pay “time” and the richest people are practically immortal. The reason I bore you with this talk is that I wish that premise were true so that we could all donate spare time to make Sir Alex immortal. Oh, how I wish that could be true…
EastStandManc, “Sir Alex isn’t bigger than the club because – to all intents and purposes – he *is* the club.”
Absolutely brilliant quote.
Oh, and BTW, more than that conference, the interview to MUTV was what made me love Sir Alex. Yes, it was definitely heartfelt and he did look like he had been hurt, more than at any other time in his 25 year helm at OT. However, it also perfectly displayed all the qualities that make him simply the best there has ever been – the psychological game, the manipulation, the ability to turn people against you, the ability to reinstate his status as the top dog and so on. Rooney was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He knew he couldn’t go anywhere else till January and that was risky. He also knew that he couldn’t get the contract he wanted at United because of his idiocy and Sir Alex’s showing. In the end, he did get to earn a lot more, but it was on Sir Alex and United’s terms, and not on his terms.
I completely agree with Ben. That one week was Sir Alex Ferguson at his best. No doubt.
brilliant article, ‘like the all-seeing eye of Sauron’ love that!