I was recently asked to write a couple of paragraphs about what Sir Alex Ferguson meant to me. How on earth do you put in to words what a difference this man has made to us? My life is considerably better and I have been unquestionably happier than I would have otherwise been because Ferguson became the manager of Manchester United in 1986.
Liverpool lauded those sixteen titles and four European Cups over us and who could blame them? We called them our rivals but we could only boast seven title wins and one European Cup, which was won before many of us were even born. It was painful.
After a great time up in Scotland, breaking the Rangers/Celtic dominance to lead Aberdeen to the title, Ferguson’s early years were a struggle. He took the job on a few months in to the 86-87 season with United languishing in the relegation zone. Three seasons went by and we’d won nothing, however, once he got to winning ways, it was hard to stand in his way.
Whilst matching or overtaking our rivals was never really a serious consideration towards the beginning of his reign, Ferguson was keeping us happy enough with improved football and some much craved silverware. When Bryan Robson lifted that FA Cup in 1990 none of us would have believed that over the next 21 years, we would never go longer than one season at a time without winning something.
The next season it was the Cup Winners Cup, beating Spanish champions Barcelona 2-1 thanks to two goals from Mark Hughes. The following season we beat European Champions Red Star Belgrade to win the Super Cup, before winning the League Cup at the end of that season. Four trophies in three years? It had taken us 18 years to win four trophies before Fergie’s first in 1990. We weren’t expecting or looking to dominate English football for two decades or more, we were just happy with having a cup final to go to and a trophy to celebrate.
It was magic when that first title under Ferguson came in 1993. I loved that team and I loved that season. After blowing it in the final months the season before, it was incredible when the realisation hit that this year we were actually going to do it. We were actually going to win the league.
On April 10th we played Sheffield Wednesday at home and our opponents were awarded a penalty with over an hour played and took the lead. Captain Steve Bruce equalised with just four minutes left to play but a draw meant we would still be behind Aston Villa in the table with just five games left. The referee was injured earlier in the game and had to be replaced by the linesman, which lead to a lengthy delay and 6 minutes of injury time being awarded.
United are famed for their late goals under Sir Alex, that winning mentality and hunger which means we don’t stop going for the win until the final whistle in blown, and this day was just the start of that. Deep in to injury time Bruce popped up with his second goal of the game and United won 2-1. We went one point clear at the top and unlike the season before, this team wasn’t going to crumble. We won our remaining five matches and were ten points clear on the final day. Champions again at last.
That season was when it started getting serious. It was long before we started taking Sir Alex and the success he’s brought for granted. The doubles, the Treble, the world beaters, the European nights, the cup finals… we’ve been spoilt rotten because of this man and our expectations are wildly high.
You can break his success in to different sections and each deserves recognition in its own right. There was the first trophy, then the first title, then the consistency in competing for the title, then the European Cup, and then the success during the Glazer years. He’s been successful in spite of our current owners and plenty of reds would argue that’s what he owes the fans, following the part he played in us being bought by people who would drag the club in to ridiculous debt and charge the fans ridiculous prices for the privilege. It was his falling out with John Magnier, who owned 28.7% of the club with JP McManus, over that bloody horse which put United on the market in the first place and our manager did nothing to stop the Glazer takeover. That fact is brushed under the carpet by most United fans but we should remember that not everything he’s touched here has turned to gold.
Regardless, United shouldn’t have got near Chelsea in 06-07, after their back to back titles and the incredible amounts of money spent in the transfer market. Somehow Ferguson managed it though and in Mourinho’s last full season at Chelsea, we were seven points clear on the day the title was won. In my mind, that achievement ranks as highly as anything he has done with the club. We were well prepared for Chelsea’s dominance, as depressing as it was, yet thanks to Ferguson, we have won more titles than them since Roman Abramovich bailed them out and have enjoyed more success on the continent too.
It was that second European Cup win in 2008 which cemented his name in the history books amongst the greatest managers in the world of all time. Ferguson receives plenty of praise now but it is only once he has retired, and people will have the opportunity to step back and take a look at what he has created, that we will truly get a grasp of what he has achieved with our club. It is incredible and I will go as far as saying no manager will ever recreate this. I don’t just mean at United but anywhere.
His ability to bring out the best in players, to consistently give young players from the academy a chance, to protect the players during tougher times and to do all that he can to ensure the best players stay with us for as long as possible has ensured we have been there or there abouts since that first title all those years ago. To have spent 18 years in the top three is an amazing achievement. Ferguson has built title winning team after title winning team, ensuring that year after year our club has the hunger and ability to compete at the highest levels, regardless of which players wear our shirt. Incredible players have retired or moved on during his reign and each time he copes with it remarkably well, having already earmarked our next stars, whether they are already at the club or need to be bought in. He has shown an ability to sustain success like no other manager in this country before him.
One day, his statue will stand shoulder to shoulder with Sir Matt Busby in front of Old Trafford and we will be forever reminded of how fortunate we were that he came to our club.
25 years on, thank you for it all.
Man Utd News 24/7
STR – Great write up buddy.
I honestly love the man as much as I loved my late father….
Watching him now talking about tribalism in the English game….. Brilliant
Watching other manager’s tributes…..
AVB, Dalglish, Steve Kean, Pardew, Bruce, Hodgson…… and Sir Bobby
Brought goosebumps and a tear to my eye Sir Bobby said ‘We’ve had 25 years of paradise’
Brilliant piece Scott
I really hope this thread remains about Sir Alex alone and nothing else….. Lets discuss the great man…… We need to show that respect at least
Gah, think I got something in my eye :’)
True Cedars. I’ll drop in later lads! Busy atm.
25 years and counting!
Stand up if you love Fergie, stand up if you love Fergie!
Roy Hodgson ‘The words icon and legend fly about a lot these days, the only man worthy of combining both is Sir Alex’
The Greatest. Nothing more to be said. Thank God he chose United not somebody else!
Doghouse
He had offers from Spurs and Arsenal before joining us as I mentioned before….
Will always be remembered as the greatest football manager of all time… What a man
A great manager.Can we have another 25 please?.
For years I have endured rival fans having a go at the boss, calling him all sorts of names that I cannot even write….. Let it eat your hearts out, he is ours
Sir Alex – We love you
Great men are said to be one step ahead. Sir Alex must be miles ahead of everyone else.
Out of all managers across the history of football, there is no man who has a bigger winning aura around him. One would suspect that if SAF was a car mechanic he’d invent the greatest car of all.
His drive to win is unmatched, not many inspire me but every word sir alex says is music to my ears, i’m in awe of his brilliance and i feel privileged to have watched this man orchestrate manchester united and hopefully he’ll continue for more years.
Those bitter pool and city fans that won’t acknowledge his success by making up excuses can keep drowning themselves in a drink of bitter lemon, your envy only drives this club.
Brilliant, moving piece Scott!
As one of the younger generation of United fans (11 years and counting), all I’ve known is Sir Alex Ferguson, and the success that he has brought. He has defined, or expanded Sir Matt’s definitions, almost all of the qualities this club stands for. He “IS” Manchester United, for all intents and purposes (as EastStandManc posted a few threads back) Simply put, imagining anyone else in that touchline or team box is impossible.
He deserves to be placed alongside Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Warren Buffet as a pioneer in his field. Nearly every manager in the post-Fergie era has been influenced by him, either directly or indirectly. Whether it be scouting players, bringing through youth, day-to-day activities of a football club, he has redefined many aspects of management. Indeed, football management in general owes a lot to him.
He is irreplaceable. Period. Nobody can say that a future manager will not have a sustained period of success. But, one thing is for sure, nobody can provide the amount of success this man has given to our football club in the last quarter century. The mere thought of imagining him not being on the sides chewing on his gum is churning my insides out and giving me a lump in my throat.
a great piece. really enjoyed it.
*real tears* Great Article Scott. Love it. Thank You Sir Alex…from all reds in Jamaica. We love you.
Fantastic piece. One of your best Scott.
A lot of great moments. The man has reinvented the club so many times that it’s impossible to pick a top moment. Or top 20 for that matter. However, I will just say this. His title in 06-07 was an incredible feat. Not because it was against Mourinho’s Chelsea. It wasn’t their best season under him anyway due to a lot of issues (injuries, Ballack and Shevchenko disrupting his team). However, at the time Ferguson was pushing 65 and many were starting to wonder if he made the right decision by not retiring in 2002. Yeah we won the title in 03 but that was just the last hurrah of the awesome 99-01 team complimented with Ruud, Seba and Rio. I was one of those that thought his best days were behind him. Yet in the summer of 06 he sold Ruud, blended youth with experience, reverted back to 4-4-2 (unheard of at the time) and we played our best footnall in years. That’s when he cemented his legacy. When he proved that he was still the master and his mind was as sharp as ever. The European title the next season was a natural progression of that hard work.
Interesting hint at the mysterious Scott’s age.
I’d always assumed he was about my age (25 in a few weeks), but the fact that he claims to have ‘loved’ the ’93 team I guess suggests he was at least 10 at the time, to have a proper appreciation of them?
Which would put him at at least 28… hmmm
All those years, and he always jumps like a little kid each time united score.
thank you, Sir. We in Indonesia love you.
AWESOME SCOTT!!! There’s not much more i can say about this man that i have not already said. He is just THE BEST EVER.
Scott the Red – great coverage mate, plenty extra stuff to read and watch over the weekend.
Lasting for 25 years at an EPL club is an achievement in itself, but to do so with the dignity, charisma and ability of Sir Alex Ferguson is unprecedented. People bang on about Steve Jobs and Bill Gates (for example) but they both pale in comparison to our Manager as far as achievements go. The man is a phenomenon, and he looks far from finished. Long may he continue.
Great coverage RoM.
I agree, there is an intangible element to his reign over OT. One that can only be measured well after it’s conclusion, once people fully understand the significance of his achievements for our beloved club.
Amen.
I was 9 when we beat Palace in the replay.
I was 12 and sat in the Arthur Waite stand at Selhurst Park with my Dad when Hughes and Ince dressed in green and gold, made 26 years vanish in an instant.
I was 13 when when Incey squared it to Choccy in the rain at Wembley.
I was 18 when Ole flicked out a leg in Catalonia.
I was 23 when I got my season ticket for the Stretford End upper tier which i’d wanted since I was 6.
I was 27 when the racist slipped in the mud in Moscow.
I’m 31 now and writing this has almost made me cry.
I shook his hand once on Cork St in Mayfair about five years ago, he was with Cathy looking at the galleries and such- I always thought i’d love to meet him, there was so much I could say….
“Mr, Mr, Ferguson? T…th…thank you so so much… for everything….”
“Och, it’s a pleasure son, no problem”
I turned, glanced back smiling like a six year old, then promptly stacked it off the pavement.
He has made my life jump from pretty good to fucking exceptional, what else is there? We’re the most fortunate set of fans in the world.
He is the best- and that’s a fact.
Amen.
Well done Scott, a great tribute to a great man. There’s nothing more I can say that hasn’t already been said except to thank Fergie for making all of my football dreams come true. It was an honour to name my son after him.
ClaytonBlackmoresTan
Enjoy your young years buddy! hahaha
tom c – Amen indeed!
Red Neck
Evening my good friend, I was blessed with a girl and trust me if I had a boy his name would have been Alex
CedarsDevil
Hello mate,I did try to name my daughter who is the eldest as Alex but I had to give in and settle for Eric instead ha ha. When my son was born there was no question. Hope you and yours are well.
Red Neck
I am honestly feeling so emotional at the moment its beyond compare…. Watching a call in show dedicated purely to the great man…. Some terrific tributes coming in…..
So you called her Eric? or is it Erika?
I am well buddy, thanks for asking
Great eulogy
CedarsDevil
No it was just Eric Bryan. Yes mate it’s a very emotional day, fantastic to see the great man get the tributes and praise he fully deserves. I doubt well ever see Any one else quite like him. He has single handily wiped away the pain of what became of united after the Busby era. Glad to hear you are well my friend.
I’m 19 years of age, and Sir Alex is the only manager i’ve ever known at MUFC, it would be weird any different, long live SAF!
Best of health and a great life to Eric Bryan, she is the daughter of a true red and therefore a red herself!
Could not agree with you more Red Neck…. Personally I could never come up with enough words to describe the great man
CedarsDevil
I think the one of the greatest things is that Fergies story hasn’t finished yet, the story goes on. Who would bet against him achieving much much more before he decides to call it a day. Oh and Eric Bryan sends her love.
Red Neck
My princess Maya sends her love to Eric!
CedarsDevil
Maya, that’s a lovely name. Ok so I did have to concede and name my daughter Hannah in the end, but never mind. Three young reds to be educated about all things united.
SAF truly inspires me. His drive, passion and ambition are unparalleled. If I had inherited at least 1% of his qualities then I would have been something else. To come out and say that his aim was to knock L’pool off their perch when he first got the job considering we were still stuck on 7 titles compared to L’pool’s 18 and the manner in which he has erased that record and established Manchester United as a football power house along the way is truly unbelievable.
In SAF we trust and it will stay that way till he is here. Like Balaji said “Sir Alex Ferguson is Manchester United. Period.”.
25 and long may it continue
Shirts mean a lot of things to many fans but to this one and more aptly to better describe the gaffer it is one of great resistance belief and defiance
Sitting in Malaysia airport on the way home
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Absolute Legend!!!!
I dread the day he calls it quits..
I would rather the world ends,than not to see Fergie on his seat chewing that gum…
I love him so much,because he epitomises all that Manchester United stands for..
Anyone knows the fountain of youth is?
Needed ASAP…
SAF,thank you for bringing meaning to my life…I fucking love u,Sir.
Great article. I disagree, however, about blaming him in any way over the Glazer takeover. I know it’s a contentious issue. But surely SAF could have had no idea that his dispute with Magnier would lead where it did. I don’t know the facts of that dispute, so I can’t say who was right or wrong, but Ferguson certainly believed he was right and he certainly could not have predicted how it would turn out. So on the one hand, we blame him for not backing down to Magnier, while on the other hand we blame him for not standing up against the Glazer takeover, yet in both cases it’s unreasonable to expect that he should have predicted the outcome. I think it’s a bit rich, to be honest, especially since I would argue that United’s fate was sealed the minute we were listed on the stock market (and in fact, I did argue that at the time although, obviously, you will just have to take my word for that!).
Anyway, here’s a lengthy rant that I just put out on one of the mainstream media sites, in response to the ABUs there:
Those who make a big deal out of Ferguson having won the European championship “only twice in 25 years”, need to get some perspective. That timeframe is a distortion, for several reasons.
The first and most uncontestbale reason is that when Ferguson took over United, English teams were banned from European competition as a result of the Heysel tragedy. One can hardly fault Ferguson (or any club manager in England) for failing to win in Europe when all English clubs were banned. At the very least, those first four years should be ignored, when talking about Ferguson’s European record.
Even after the ban was lifted, it is widely recognized that its impact on English football was more lasting. Understandably, during the ban, quite a number of top players left England to play in Europe. When the ban was lifted in 90/91, it took some time to recover lost ground. An example of how much time can be gained from looking at the record of English clubs in the main competition, the European Cup/Champions League, before and since the ban.
Before the ban: In the nine years before the ban, three different English clubs won the European cup a total of seven times, plus one additional (runner-up) appearance.
During the ban: 21 different English clubs were prevented from playing in Europe, and of course, many top players left English clubs for European ones.
After the ban was lifted in 90/91: it would be another five years until an English club once again made the final group stage (or, in the revised format, the knockout stage) of the European Cup/Champions League, and nine years altogether before an English club once again reached the final (which was Ferguson’s United). In practice, the ban set English football back more than 10-14 years in Europe, which coincided with the start of Ferguson’s work at Old Trafford.
It is much to Ferguson’s credit that he was even prepared to take the job on, knowing that United were excluded from European football. (We tend to forget that the ban was open-ended, so he had no way to know when it would be lifted.) Having already tasted success in Europe with Aberdeen, a lesser man might well have told United, “Come back when you’re readmitted to Europe.” Yet not only did he take the job on, but when English clubs were finally readmitted in 90/91, it was United who led the way by winning the Cup Winners Cup that same year, and United who ultimately would be the first post-Heysel club to bring the European Cup back to England, in 1999.
Detractors should also remember that the club Ferguson inherited was not the Manchester United of today. It had not won the English league for 20 years. On the day he took over, it was 21st (our of 22) in the old First Division. The club needed to be rebuilt, Ferguson did rebuild it, and of course this didn’t happen overnight. It is all too easy to sneer at Ferguson for having won “only two European cups in 25 years”, while conveniently ignoring the problems that beset both English football, and Manchester United, in the first 10-14 of those 25 years — problems which would have crushed a lesser man, but which he overcame. (Not to mention also ignoring the facts that two European cups is actually a rare achievement, that only one manager has won it 3 times, and only one other has equalled Ferguson’s record of four European Cup finals.)
Time and again, Ferguson has proved his ability to build new teams and push them to the highest peaks. Yet, amazingly, the fact that he has been doing this for so long is somehow turned into a mark against him by detractors, instead of an achievement in itself.
You can’t replace, the irreplaceable. Sir Alex Ferguson. From Govan to Manchester. We’ll never die! 19
19
MG hope all is well, say high to Dave.
StatesideAussie – Top post mate You exposed many myths there, that the media love to peddle. Two European cups in 25 years is BS. For a start, English clubs were banned from Europe when the boss first came to England lol. Second, you had to win your league in them days, to enter the European cup. The media will never change imo. Always try and knock out achievements. Cunts!
Willie … absolutely, mate (and thanks for reading what was a very long post — it required a lot of research to get my facts straight!). It drives me potty, some of the pig-swill that’s being bandied around. How do cunts even justify putting the word “only” in front of the phrase “two European cups”? Arseholes, the lot of them. Small-minded nobodies who snipe and sneer at a greatness they themselves don’t even have the intelligence or class to fucking understand or appreciate. Cunts!
Nice one Stateside, I knew PL was banned, now I know how long it lasted!!!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/2/newsid_2494000/2494963.stm
Zibbie – Here’s an article about English clubs being banned from Europe. The reason, as I’m sure you’ll know by now….was Liverpool fans rioting at Heysel. They were playing Juventus in the European cup final A wall collapsed, killing many Juventus supporters. 39, I think died? Dark day.
Cheers, Zibbie. Although the ban itself lasted five years, from 85/86 to 90/91, I would argue it effectively knocked English clubs out for 14 years, until we won it 1999. The English record prior to the ban was superb, and the English record since 99 has also been excellent (4 different English clubs have made a total of 8 appearances in the last 13 CL finals, winning three times and being runner-up five times). What happened between 85 and 99 is directly attributable to the ban and its aftermath, imo.
Willie, thanks. I learn more all the time.
What a club.
What a gaffer.
What a team.
Stateside, great perspective. Thanks.
If the FFP rules work, and stop Shity paying 2 to 3x’s the going rate for stadium naming rights and shit like that.
Man Utd with 100,000,000.00 a year rolling in should be set for the future. Man Utd and BM should be top dogs.
Some Man Utd fan needs to start a business name Old Trafford. Become a huge company and by the stadium naming rights for Old Trafford not changing the name. Just add Inc. to the name.
I know it sucks but some day the 20,000,000.00 pounds a year for naming rights would come in handy.
StatesideAussie – Yeah, it set back English clubs big time in Europe. As you say, English clubs were dominate at the time. It affected Everton the most. They won the league in the mid 80s, but couldn’t represent England in Europe. Everton had a great side then, so who knows what they would’ve achieved on that stage?
Wow Willie, so the Pool fucked Everton over!
@Stateside- Absolutely top post mate, can’t underestimate the effect of that ban.
Good tribute from Scott, but the part about the Glazers has pissed me right off.
“…plenty of reds would argue that’s what he owes the fans, following the part he played in us being bought by people who would drag the club in to ridiculous debt and charge the fans ridiculous prices for the privilege. It was his falling out with John Magnier, who owned 28.7% of the club with JP McManus, over that bloody horse which put United on the market in the first place and our manager did nothing to stop the Glazer takeover. That fact is brushed under the carpet by most United fans but we should remember that not everything he’s touched here has turned to gold.”
Do me a bleeding favour! What, its his fault that Magnier was petty enough to let a separate, non United related dispute interfere with the club? And “did nothing to stop the Glazer takeover”. What the hell is he actually supposed to do?! Buy out all the shares himself, or assassinate Malcolm Glazer? Oh, unless you wanted him to make a stand and walk out?
Good article but that bit has got right up my nose.
Willie/Zibbie … yeah, we’ll never know how good that Everton team might have been. They won the league in 85, and also won the Euro Cup Winner’s Cup the same year, right before the ban. In fact, in 85 they came close to a treble, since they also appeared in the FA Cup Final and lost … to us! But once the ban kicked in the following year, they broke up, lost their manager and many of their best players. So we’ll never know how good they might have been … and neither will they! Break out the world’s smallest viiolin!
StatesideAussie
Really good post mate.
@stateaussie:
Top post mate!
@STR:
great article! But have to disagre about Magniers & Glazers..
Damn typo!
*”disagree”
That Everton side was superb. I used to like watching them. Southall, Bailey, Ratcliffe, Mountfield, Stevens, Steven, Reid, Sharp, Sheedy and so on.
nm – True mate. They got the dogs of war tag….but could knock the ball about. Liverpool scuppered any chances they had of having an impact on the European stage.
I find it quite amazing that i am 24 years ol, nearly 25 and all the time i have been alive fergie has been our manager. The guy is amazing, i think he’ll still be around for another 5 years too.
For us supporters who remembered the thrilling sixties team (also frustrating,they lost 10 cup semi-finals between 1962 -1970) and heard about and read about the Babes and their potential
and saw us often change managers in an attempt to win JUST one league Alec Ferguson has been a an unbelievable manager. We knew in our hearts we were a top club but it seemed we would never get there as the pressure and Liverpool’s grinding consistency kept us as the bridesmaid.
Even when Liverpool faltered clubs like Derby, Notts. Forest, Villa, Everton stepped into the breech but not United. When we lost the league to Leeds in 1992 I felt we were never going to do it again in my lifetime. After that great night against Blackburn in 1993 and later on watching it(pissed!) on MOTD when Ryan Giggs scored that fantastic equalizer the cameras homed in on Fergie and the pride he exuded as supporters shook him and patted him I knew then here was a man who really loved our club and was a worthy successor to the great Sir Matt. What I or any other United supporter never dreamt of was the incredible success he would bring to United in the coming years. Not only success but with brilliant football and great players and teams.
Much to the consternation of Liverpool supporters and others he has kep us winning ,if you ever read an article that’s complimentary to him on a newspaper or football website you just have to scroll down to see the irrational bile written denigrating his phenomenal success.
When Sir Matt stepped down I shed a tear, I just don’t know what I will do when Sir Alec goes, maybe weep buckets.
Thank You Sir Alex for for so many great memories ,we will always treasure them
Beautiful!
“One day, his statue will stand shoulder to shoulder with Sir Matt Busby”
I loved that sentence
I remember as a child how my father was derided by liverpool fans their – to be fair- Period of great success. Being scousers , big mouthed And big headed. Nothings changed except they have little to boast about. Any club supporter who, hand on heart would not have wished SAF to manage their club is one of two things. A liar or deluded.
I know how much the scouse must hurt hearing the plaudits – though understated in the media- SAF is receiving from all. Well, almost all.
‘ GREATEST EVER MANAGER IN ENGLISH FOOTBALL’
Arsenal fan here in peace. I have to say that SAF has been an amazing manager for you over the last 25 years. What he’s achieved is immense and the day he finally retires will be a sad day for football. Sure, he’s caused us more than our fair share of heartache over the years, but, like you say, any football fan, regardless of who you support, would have loved to have him at the helm of their club.
Great man, Great moments, Great memories. Long live Sir Alex
Baldy … can’t say fairer than that. It’s probably not a popular view on here, but I’ve got a lot of respect for your bloke Wenger too. He annoys the crap out of me in many ways, but then again, I think that means he’s doing his job! Cheers!
Baldy….. Thank you for your comments . Banter aside you come from a great club too. Here’s hoping you batter the scouse on your next meet .
well done STR…..he truly is the greatest of all time…glory glory
I am willing to offer myself as a sacrificial bait if it means prolonging Fergie’s career. Long may he live and drive us to success.
Excellent article as always, Scott. Cheers.
Great article Scott. But the para about the Glazers really pissed me off! It was really going great till then and you had to write that bit didn’t you?
Especially – “…and plenty of reds would argue that’s what he *owes* the fans, …”
I think he owes us nothing. We OWE him! If it wasn’t for him, who knows if we would have won another league. We might have been dwelling in the relegation zones battling it out with Blackpool and the likes or we might have ended up in one of the lower leagues. The man has brought unprecedented success for 2 decades to Man United. From 7 league titles, we now have 19 overtaking Liverpool and I think by the end of the season, we will have 20.
He transformed United in to the club it is today. I read a lot of wonderful articles today that gave me insight into how much he has done for this great club. He removed the drinking culture, completely revamped our youth policy. Made us the most successful English Club. And to say that he owes us anything is … well, smartalex would have come up with a decent word to put in there.
In one of the articles I read, I read of how he was planning to make sure United stayed successful for another 25 years at least. How he was trying to improve our youth academy so that we would have players like the Class of ’92 more often. Ever since I started supporting United, Ferguson has always been there. I have never seen another man at the helm of United and the day he leaves, it will be weird for sure. Everyone says how the players, managers don’t matter! That the Club is above all. But, if there is one person I consider to be as important as United, it would be Sir Alex. I don’t think anyone has done as much for Man United as Sir Alex has.
In my book, he is the greatest of all time. He deserves a statue in front of Old Trafford – the biggest and grandest one! The man who epitomizes United. Whatever we do, will not be enough to pay our debt to this great human being. The day of his retirement feels so close now. It feels like waiting for an impending doom like the apocalypse. But, I am sure when he steps down, he would have made sure that United never have to go the way it went after Sir Matt stepped down.
Stateside, your post was top as always.
Balaji, I wouldn’t put Bill Gates in the same league as Sir Alex. But Steve Jobs, yes! The man who revolutionized personal computing, not once, but twice! I remember the old Apple “To the crazy ones” Ad.
Special mention to Cedars, Willie, Clayton, Sparkz. Oh…and Baldy too.
@RMW, Top post. Me a Microsoft-nut, so you can understand where I come from.
Now that you say it, I have a feeling some United fans might be happier with the world ending on December 26, 2012 rather than having to witness the day Sir Alex Ferguson calls it a day.
@Balaji
Haha. I don’t have favorites. I never really understood what’s so great about a Mac and always thought it was overpriced, till I used one
. Anyways, Gates is great in other ways. When it came to finance, he was the man! His licensing deals are the reason Microsoft are so powerful now. But based on vision and charisma, I would say Steve Jobs. Hmm…I will have to correct my earlier statement – Sir Alex is Gates + Jobs really 