So the story goes, Sir Alex Ferguson was one match away from getting the sack as United boss back in 1990. After being brought in during November to replace Ron Atkinson, who had lead United just one place above the relegation zone, Ferguson didn’t make the start he would have hoped for, losing 2-0 to Oxford United. The ride was far from smooth for Sir Alex, although by the end of the season, he guided United to a more respectable 11th, thirty points behind league winners Everton, which was still some way short of the fans’ expectations.
The following season, United clawed their way up the table to 2nd, finishing eight points behind the winners, Liverpool. Fergie had brought in McClair, Anderson and Bruce, and was looking considerably stronger as a manager in England. We racked up an impressive 81 points, which would have won us the title the season before, and Fergie was tipped as the man who’d reinstate the glory years of Sir Matt Busby.
However, the following season we slumped back down to 11th and the doubts started to creep back in. Whilst hardworking, the football was dull, and Fergie was struggling behind the scenes to bin the ever prevalent drinking culture at United. Fans’ favourites Whiteside and McGrath were sold on, with Strachan soon to follow. Fergie was a disciplinarian and, just like with the more recent examples of David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy, wasn’t afraid to get rid of any player he felt would hamper United’s progress. Pallister and Ince had been bought, but the clearout of players had a detrimental effect on the team.
By the January of the 1989-1990 season we were struggling, too close to the drop zone and the “Fergie Out” chants began. We were due to play Forest in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup on January 7th, after failing to win a game since November. This was deemed a ‘must win’ game if Fergie was going to keep his job. Mark Robins scored the only goal of the game with United winning 1-0 and progressing to the next round. We made it through to the final, after being forced in to a replay against Oldham in the semis, and faced Palace. They took an early lead, which Robson cancelled out before half time. Mark Hughes’ goal gave us the lead just past the hour mark with Ferguson coming painfully close to securing something from what had otherwise been a disappointing domestic season, finishing 13th. However, a young Ian Wright came on with twenty minutes to play, changing the game almost instantaneously, scoring two minutes after his introduction. His goal took the game to extra time, wherein he scored two minutes after the restart. United fought on and were rewarded with Mark Hughes’ second of the game on 113 minutes. Another replay. A single goal settled it five days later, Martin giving United the 1-0 win they needed to win the Cup, Fergie’s first piece of silverware with United.
The following season, Ferguson brought United up the table to 6th, which was a marked improvement, but still leaving us behind Liverpool, Leeds and City in the league. The European Cup Winners Cup and European Super Cup were added to our cabinet though, giving United fans something to cheer about at least.
United had a great run in the league the following season, topping the table in April. However, United won just one of the final five games, losing three and drawing the other. Leeds took advantage of our poor form and pipped us to the title. The vultures began to circle again, thinking that Fergie was incapable of bringing the title to Old Trafford. However, Ferguson just needed one more year, when in the 1992-1993 season he won the Premiership.
The rest, as they say, is history, with Ferguson going on to win a further eight league titles, the European Cup, and four FA Cups. The most successful season of course ended in 1999, with United winning an unprecedented Treble. No other manager in English football had ever achieved such a feat.
The inspiration for this article came upon hearing that Newcastle had sacked Sam Allardyce, after just twenty one league games in charge. I’ve been calling the geordies mugs for weeks now, hearing them call for his sacking, and wanting to instate Shearer in his place. Just like Fergie had proved himself in Scotland, Allardyce has done the same, if to a lesser extent, with the work he did at Bolton. I’m not by any means saying any Premiership manager would now be afforded the time Ferguson was when he came to United in the 80s, but surely Allardyce deserves more than a few months in charge to prove himself?
In Ferguson’s first twenty one games in charge, he had just nine wins to his name, compared to the seven of Sam Allardyce. Fergie battled for years before he was able to prove himself as worthy of his status at the club, and whilst I recognise Allardyce would never have warranted as much time as Ferguson got to show what he could do, it’s an absolute joke to boot him out so soon.
However, I won’t complain, because come 5.15 on Saturday, we will be playing this managerless Newcastle outfit. Wesley Brown will be rethinking his decision to leave us for Newcastle, whose fans have far too much say, and unfortunately for the club, say the wrong things. And whilst we’re on the topic of Newcastle, I’d just love it if we beat them!
How much time should Premiership managers be afforded these days?
Man Utd News 24/7
haha am laughing yes maybe so but man u didnt have to put up with terrible football did they, and your manager didnt win nothing for 7 years they were going to sack him, fair enough they didnt and stuck by him
you have no idea what the Newcastle supporters have had to endure this season, BSA took an underacheiving team and blew their confidence, there is no pattern or style and progress is backwards rather than forwards, we didnt want him, and its no shame he has gone.
BSA is no alex Ferguson, hes not Robson, or Keegan or Shearer either.
dont know where we go from here but its a relieef he has gone
Times have changed. Nowdays owners follow “hire & Fire” policy. So British manager sneed to wake up that today you cant follow old ways of winning the games.
In the place where I live, this is part and parcel of the game. I believe this happens because of the we-’re-bigger-that-this attitude of the fans and also the demand for imminent transformation of the team into an ever-winning unit. Newcastle fans have high expectations but it’s their problem. I’m worried about the same thing happening to United the day SAF retires.
Anyway, Rooney should score on Saturday, as always against the Magpies.
firstly, i think sacking big sam is a really bad move. i think hes a very good manager, and he proved this by attracting some very good names to a smaller club (anelka, okocha etc). i think that once he’d settled the ship at newcastle, you would have seen players coming in like you had back in the keegan days.
but my main point is that i do truely believe that it takes a couple of years for a managers plans to come together, by chopping and changing things like clubs do these days a club will not have success. This will become a problem man utd will have to face in a few years when fergie decides to call it a day. I hope that fergie can work with untied to find his successor, and that it can be as seemless as possible. To me, it looks as though united are already putting things into place to have carlos q take over when fergie retires. He’s more and more involved with the media and with big money decisions involving signings.
OK…let’s get one thing straight.. the fans didn’t sack Allardyce, Mike Ashley did. The fans might have been applying vocal pressure – like any passionate fan would do given the pitiful performances and tactics adopted recently against the likes of Wigan, Derby and Stoke – no disrespect intended. But Sam wasn’t appointed by Ashley, his appointment was down to FFS (Fat Freddy Shepherd) who, in conjunction with that other waste of space – Douglas Hall – were and are responsible for Newcastle’s recent blighted history of hiring and firing – their biggest mistake being to sack Sir Bobby after only a handful of games into the season – now that WAS a shocking decision. The appontment of Sam was greeted with a favourable reaction and rightly so given his stewardship at Bolton. However, for all he did with the club behind the scenes improving and augmmenting the backroom staff and facilities, it was the (none) performances of the team on the pitch which proved his undoing. Mike Ashley is his own man and a very successful businessman. Personally I’m neither a billionaire nor a club owner so while it is a little shocking to see Allardyce depart so soon I respectfully defer to the decision of Mr Ashley and his undoubted business accumen.
Like I say, slightly shocked but not surprised, perhaps rueful… slightly embarrassed yet defiant – the excesses of the previous administration are consigned to history where they should remain; there’s nothing we can do to alter that, and it should not be allowed to impact upon the decisions made by the current administration.
Now, let’s get this business of “we’d rather lose 5-4 or 4-3 rather than win 1-0″ out of the way… whoever said that – if they ever did – was a moron, period. Most Newcastle fans would be satisfied – not happy, but satisfied if the team played well but lost. The fact of the matter is that if you play well you will more often than not get something out of the game. What is totally unacceptable to me and I expect a great many football fans – no matter who you support – is to adopt insipid tactics resulting in few if any scoring chances. Do we want the Keegan-era back? No. Do we want to score four and concede five? No. Do we want to play well and lose? No… but we’ll accept they’ve at least bloody well had-a-go and perhaps have been unlucky – honest endeavour – we’ll applaude that any day of the week.
its interesting to read that as Newcastle supporters you, mark and paoulo, are so content to be manager free now. You don’t have a replacement.. and should you find one before season ends, it most surely won’t be anyone who’s been managing the premiership anytime recently. Is that really a better option than keeping Big Sam on til the end of the season? I can’t see how it could be. I guess we’ll see shortly, eh
Newcastle fans need to start “looking on the bright side of life” as the CWC/League Cup chant of the early ’90s went. Far too quick to turn on their manager, and whilst someone above said that Ashton sacked him, had the Newcastle fans shown some patience and understanding, he probably wouldn’t have.
Unless you have Chelski billions and have Mourhino as manager, there is no instance success. By my reckoning, every manager should be given 5 seasons to build a team – unless of course you get relegated or something. Newcastle were comfortably midtable and he should have had lots more time to build a team.
This should give you an indicator -
7 out of the bottom 10 teams have had a change of managers this year.
Only 1 in the top 10 – Mouriho – has had their managers changed.
It is a sign of times that club owners are desperate for results w/o planning for the long term future of the club.
Whilst I rue the fact that another premiership manager has gone, it seems BSA had it coming for him. His brand of football was never going to win over the passionate fans of Newcastle United. Contrast his fortunes with that of Ericsson who started at roughly the same time. Ericsson brought attractive football, success and a new level of optimism for his club. Even if they cant emulate the first half heroics, he has won over the fans and hence, the board. Sam on the other hand did not enjoy success, played some very unattractive football and some of his signings are downright laughable. I think it was a wise move to stop this rot right now and start afresh with a new manager. The last thing the fans wanted to see NU play like Wanderers even with all the success that Wanderers got.
I’m not really sure where it comes from, maybe it’s the Stadium or the passionate and large fanbase but what ever gave the idea Newcastle are one of the big clubs in the game? Not having a dig but just do not know why so many managers are getting booted out of Tyneside every bloody year, decent and experienced managers too. Alan Shearer lacks experience but it’s balanced with the fact that he can get a good foundation set up as no NFC fan would doubt him or no player would disrespect him.
It happens to Spurs as well until recently, I guess they are the teams hanging around the top 10 that believe they deserve better. Everton have suceeded where Newcastle can only dream of right now, Portsmouth too. By sticking by the man in charge. Everton weren’t always pleasing on the eye and Portsmouth can be all over the place but what Newcastle is really lacking is an identity, a style of football, a real star player (not Owen) and urgently need a kick up the arse.
I do also wonder why teams sack their managers before the Manchester United game? Whether it’ll be better for us come Saturday who knows, Curbishly beat us in his first game for WH and Chelsea looked shell shocked when they came to OT.
Some people think SAF should have retired years ago, I dread it happening and I think he does too.
nice way to end it.. I’d just love it if we beat them.