Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson is the most successful manager in British football history, and is arguably the greatest Scottish manager of all time. During his 22 years at Manchester United he has won more than 30 trophies and his thirst for success shows no let up.

During his playing career, Ferguson had spells with Queen’s Park, St. Johnstone, Dunfermline, Rangers, Falkirk and Ayr United. While Sir Alexs’ playing career was far short of legendary, he was to make a name for himself as a manager, achieving legendary status in the process.

After spending some time away from the game, Ferguson moved into coaching, taking the reigns of East Stirlingshire. He followed that up with stints at St. Mirren and Aberdeen, before moving to Old Trafford after Ron Atkinson was sacked as manager of Manchester United.

No one could envisage Ferguson staying with Manchester United for 22 years let alone the amount of silverware he has won with the Old Trafford side.

Beginnings

Ferguson’s trophy-laden time at Old Trafford is a million miles away from his working class upbringings in Govan, where he became an apprentice toolmaker in the shipyards. Despite his success, he has never forgotten his roots and the values he learned on the Clydeside.

He started playing football at senior level with Queen’s Park, before moving on to play for St. Johnstone, Dunfermline and his boyhood heroes Rangers. He left Ibrox to join Falkirk and Ayr United. In his 14 year playing career as a striker, he was never once called up for Scotland at national level and was more a hard-working player than a gifted one.

After ending his playing career, he took the reigns at East Stirling. He was only in the job for four months, before he made the move to Paisley to manage St. Mirren. He brought success to Love Street, with promotion to the top division in 1997. He increased attendances at the club during his stint at the Buddies also. But despite resurrecting St. Mirren, he was sacked after a dispute over bonus payments to his players, although another story claims that Chairman at the time, Willie Todd sacked Ferguson for a breach of contract, after he found out that he was going to become manager  of Aberdeen, and that it was destabilising the club, because he wanted to leave.

Sir Alex moved to Aberdeen, a club who had not won a Scottish championship for over 20 years and during his time at Pittodrie, Ferguson won three League titles, four Scottish Cups, one League cup and the European Cup Winners Cup, beating the mighty Real Madrid in 1983.

Three years later he was coaxed to Manchester United, a team full of dispirited underachievers who had failed to break Liverpool’s domination. Ferguson immediately set about the task of beating relegation and without delving into the transfer market, he guided United to an 11th placed finish that season. The following season, Manchester United came second but once again Liverpool lifted the title.

Flood Gates Open

In Season 1989/90, Manchester United finally won some silverware under Ferguson. In an FA Cup final replay against Crystal Palace, Lee Martin scored the only goal of the game to open the flood gates of success at Old Trafford.

The following season, Manchester United won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in Rotterdam, beating Barcelona 2-1 thanks to a brace from mark Hughes. In 1991/92, the League cup was added to the Old Trafford trophy room, but the league title remained elusive.

In 1992/93, inspired by the £1 million signing of Eric Cantona from Leeds United, the Red Devils ended the long wait to lift the League championship, as they pipped Aston Villa in the final weeks of the season, and ended the domination of Liverpool as the force in English football.

The double followed the next season, he won the double again – and with kids – in 1995/96 and he added another league title in 1997. Liverpool’s dominance was well and truly over.

Greatest Achievement

Sir Alex’s greatest moment came in season 1998/99. No side before or since has achieved the treble of Premiership title, FA Cup and European Cup. But on an unforgettable night in Barcelona, Ferguson made one last throw of the dice bringing on substitutes Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer late on as United were losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich. That decision was stuff of legends and immortalised Alex Ferguson as a football god. The pair scored late injury time goals to win the Champions League and complete a historic treble.

Following that success he was knighted and it was even suggested that he would retire from the game. But the impending retirement never materialised and he continued to win silverware at Old Trafford. Another title was secured in 1999/2000 and he made it three in a row in 2000/01. His eighth Premiership title was delivered in 2002/03, and he won his fourth FA Cup the following season against Millwall in Cardiff.

Rebuilding

The Reds were now in a period of rebuilding, with the first batch of players put together from season 1995/96 breaking up, Ferguson dived into the transfer market to secure the signatures of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, which sparked a new era of success.

Ferguson won the Carling Cup in 2005/06 and his ninth Premier League title in 2006/07. The Reds claimed more glory in 2007/08, when they successfully defended their Premier League title and secured a second Champions League trophy for Sir Alex Ferguson. That was followed up with winning the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan in December 2008, and they then claimed the Carling Cup in March 2009, beating Spurs on penalties in the final.

And on the 16th May 2009, United achieved what was seen as an impossible mission back in 1986, as Ferguson equalled Liverpool’s record of 18 league championships. United beat Liverpool to the 2008/09 title, as Ferguson secured his 11th title in 17 seasons at Old Trafford.

Sir Fuwious

Ferguson has a fierce competitive spirit and a temperament to match. The ‘Ferguson hairdryer’ is infamous, when he blasts players in a face to face tongue lashing.  Despite this he has the ability to measure the qualities of players he has brought though. Knowing when to blood them and knowing when the sell them.

One recurring theme of Ferguson’s reign at Manchester United has been his view that no player is bigger than the club. He has consistently taken a ‘my way or the highway’ approach in his dealings with players and this management tactic has often seen te departures of many notable players. Over the years players such as Gordon Strachan, Paul McGrath, Paul Ince, Jaap Stam, Dwight Yorke, David Beckham, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Gabriel Heinze have left the club after varying degrees of conflict with Ferguson. It is also suggested that one of the most inspirational players in the club’s history, Roy Keane was a victim of Ferguson’s wrath following damning criticism of his team mates on the club’s television channel, MUTV. This disciplinary line that he takes with such highly paid, high-profile players has been mentioned as a reason for the ongoing success of Manchester United.

Servant to the Club

He has been at Old Trafford now for around 24 years and his the second longest-serving manager in the club’s history after Sir Matt Busby, and he is the longest-serving manager in the Premier League.

During Ferguson’s tenureship, United have won more honours than they did in all the years combined prior to his appointment.

Scotland

Ferguson briefly managed Scotland in a temporary capacity after the death of Scottish football legend and mentor, Jock Stein.

Ferguson was part of the coaching staff with the Scotland national side during the qualifiers for the 1986 World Cup. However on the 10th September 1985, manager Jock Stein collapsed and died after watching his side qualify for a play-off place to face Australia.

With Scotland in mourning, Ferguson agreed to take charge of the national side against the Aussies and secured qualification to the World Cup.

It was a poor tournament for Scotland, losing the opening game against Denmark 1-0 followed by a 2-1 defeat to West Germany.  A goalless draw against Uruguay in the final group game meant that Scotland would, once again, fall at the first hurdle. It was maybe too early for Ferguson to take the reigns of the national side,but at a time of crisis, he had the guts to step forward and take charge. In all he managed ten Scotland games and had a record of three wins, four draws and three defeats. During his time as Scotland manager he remained in charge of Aberdeen, but rejected the chance to manage Scotland on a permanent basis, and instead accepted a job offer from Manchester United. He was succeeded as Scotland manager by Andy Roxburgh.

Will he return?

With his continued success as manager of Manchester United, and his best years behind him in terms of age, would he ever envisage managing Scotland once again?

Given the lack of success for the national side and the failure to qualify for a major championship since France 1998, even one year under the stewardship of Sir Alex Ferguson, could set in motion a revival of fortune for Scotland. Although with the failures extending from the board room at the SFA down to the playing staff on the field of play, it is a tough ask for any man to solve, and the only personality and ego to do so would be Sir Alex Ferguson.

Would you want Sir Alex Ferguson to manage Scotland in the near future? Send your comments to letters@scotzine.com.

According to United legend, Bobby Charlton, Ferguson has surpassed that other United legend and fellow Scot, Sir Matt Busby.

“You can be absolutely certain that one day there will be a permanent reminder at Old Trafford of what Alex has done for this club – in fact he should get six statues.”

“I think he is the greatest manager of all time – and not just because of what he has done at United. When he came here he said he wanted to knock Liverpool off their perch. We have now equalled their record of 18 championships…. it’s that ambition that keeps Alex going. But he did exactly the same to Rangers and Celtic when he was in Scotland with Aberdeen. ”

Honours (Managerial):

St. Mirren (1974-1978)
Scottish First Division: 1976-77

Aberdeen (1978-1986)
Scottish Premier Division: 1979-80, 1983-84, 1984-85
Scottish Cup: 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1985-86
Scottish League Cup: 1985-86
UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup: 1982-83
UEFA Super Cup: 1983

Manchester United (1986-present)
Premier League: 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09
FA Cup: 1989-90, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1998-99, 2003-04
League Cup: 1991-92, 2005-06, 2008-09
FA Charity/Community Shield: 1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008
UEFA Champions League: 1998-99, 2007-08
UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup: 1990-91
UEFA Super Cup: 1991
Intercontinental Cup: 1999
FIFA Club World Cup: 2008

First published in Issue 1.7 of The 12th Man Scottish Football fanzine