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English Football Legends Series

Alex Ferguson

Clubs Managed:
East Stirlingshire, St Mirren, Aberdeen, Manchester United

Honours:
Premier League, 11
FA Cup, 5
League Cup, 4
UEFA Champions League, 2
Cup Winners Cup, 2
Scottish Premier League, 3
Scottish Cup, 4
Scottish League Cup, 1
Scottish First Division, 1

Playing Career

Ferguson began his football career as a 16-year-old striker with Queens Park.

He moved to St. Johnstone in 1960, but was unable to command a regular place and was on the move again in 1964, signing for Dunfermline.

The following season Dunfermline reached the Scottish Cup Final, and were strong challengers for the league title, but finished as runners-up in both.

In 1965/66, Ferguson notched up 45 goals in 51 appearances for Dunfermline, and was top scorer in the Scottish League with 31 goals.

This earned him a move to his boyhood idols Rangers for a fee of 65,000 pounds - then a record between two Scottish clubs.

Ferguson spent two seasons at Ibrox, leaving after defeat in the 1969 Scottish Cup Final, when he was blamed for one of the goals as Celtic thrashed Rangers 4-0.

The following season, there was a bid from Nottingham Forest, but with his wife not keen on a move to England, he joined Falkirk instead.

At Falkirk he was player-coach for a time, but when new manager John Prentice removed his coaching responsibilities, Ferguson requesting a transfer.

He moved to Ayr United, where he ended his playing career in 1974.

Management Career

East Stirlingshire

In June 1974, Alex Ferguson was appointed manager of East Stirlingshire, a part-time role, that paid 40 pounds a week.

Ferguson quickly gained a reputation as a disciplinarian, and his tactical decisions saw the club's results improve dramatically.

St. Mirren

A year later he accepted a position at St. Mirren, where he effected a remarkable transformation - taking the club from Second Division strugglers to First Division champions during his 4 year tenure.

St. Mirren, though, were the only team to sack Ferguson during his career, apparently for making unauthorised payments to players.

Aberdeen

Ferguson next port of call was Aberdeen, one of Scotland's bigger clubs, but without a league title since 1955.

In his first season Aberdeen reached and the final of the League Cup, and finished fourth in the league.

The following season they lost the League Cup final again, but won the league championship - the first time in fifteen years that it had not been won by either Rangers or Celtic.

Aberdeen won the Scottish Cup in 1982, qualifying them for the next season's European Cup Winners' Cup, where they knocked out Bayern Munich on route to the final.

In the final itself, they overcame Spanish giants Real Madrid, to become only the third Scottish team to win a European trophy.

The next season they retained the Scottish Cup and in 1983/84 they did the Scottish League and Cup Double, earning Ferguson an OBE in the 1984 honours list.

He was offered the managers' jobs at Rangers, Arsenal and Tottenham during the season, but stayed loyal as Aberdeen retained their league title.

In 1985/86, they won both domestic cups, but that April Ferguson advised the board that he intended leaving at the end of the season.

Ferguson stepped in to manage the Scottish national team for the 1986 World Cup, following the sudden death of manager Jock Stein.

After the tournament there were again offers from Tottenham and Arsenal, but again he declined.

However, when Manchester United came calling he'd finally found the challenge he was looking for. He signed on at Old Trafford on 6 November 1986.

Manchester United

"My greatest challenge is not what's happening at the moment, my greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their f*****g perch. And you can print that."
Alex Ferguson on his appointment as Manchester United Manager

Alex Ferguson took over with United in 21st place in the table, and his first game in charge, a 2-0 defeat to lowly Oxford United, did little to instil confidence.

However, results steadily improved as the season went on, and despite recording only one away win during the campaign - at Anfield of all places - United eventually finished 11th.

In 1987/88, Ferguson made a number of signings, including Steve Bruce, Viv Anderson, Brian McClair and Jim Leighton, and the new players helped United to second place, although they were nine points behind Liverpool.

The following season they were expected to mount a title challenge, especially with the return of fans favourite Mark Hughes. However, a disappointing campaign saw them finish 11th once again.

It got even worse in 1989/90. In September, United suffered a humiliating 5-1 away defeat against neighbours Man City, and there was also a run of six defeats and two draws in eight games, prompting fans to begin calling for Ferguson's dismissal.

One banner at Old Trafford read, "Three years of excuses and it's still crap. Ta ra Fergie."

Despite their poor league form, United did make progress in the FA Cup. In the third round they were drawn against high-flying Nottingham Forest, and it was widely expected that Ferguson would be fired if they lost.

However, United won the game 1-0 thanks to a Mark Robins goal and went all the way to the final, where they beat Crystal Palace, after a replay.

This cup win is often credited with saving Ferguson's Old Trafford career.

First Premier League Title

United's league form improved in 1990/91, and they finished sixth. That season they also reached two finals, losing to Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup, but significantly, beating Barcelona in the final of the Cup Winners' Cup.

After the match, Ferguson vowed that United would win the league the following season, but it was not to be, as they were beaten to the title by Leeds.

There were however more trophies to add to Ferguson's growing United collection, the League Cup, and the European Super Cup. There was also an important addition to the squad, goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.

Ferguson spent the 1992 close season searching for a striker, losing out on Alan Shearer and David Hirst, before settling on Dion Dublin.

In 1992/93 - the inaugural Premier League season - United had a mediocre start and were sitting 10th in the table at the beginning of November.

Still not satisfied with his striking options, Ferguson contacted Leeds boss, Howard Wilkinson, about the availability of Lee Chapman. Wilkinson rejected the approach, but mentioned that he was prepared to sell Eric Cantona.

Ferguson signed the brilliant French striker for just 1.2 million pounds. It was an inspired signing. Cantona and Mark Hughes formed a formidable strike force, and fired United to a first league title in 26 years.

Another important player was added to the ranks in 1993/94 with the signing of Roy Keane from Nottingham Forest.

The First Double

United led the 1993/94 Premier League table virtually from start to finish, and also reached the final of both domestic cup competitions.

In the League Cup they lost 3-1 to Aston Villa, but they more than compensated by beating Chelsea 4-0 in the FA Cup final.

Alex Ferguson had become the first man to do the Double in both England and Scotland.

The following season was disrupted by an 8-month ban for Cantona, after he assaulted a Crystal Palace fan at Selhurst Park.

The title went to Blackburn Rovers, and United lost the FA Cup final to Everton.

There were bright spots though, prolific striker Andy Cole signed from Newcastle, and there was the emergence of youngsters Gary Neville, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes.

Fergie's Fledglings

In the summer of 1995 Ferguson allowed three of United's senior players - Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Andrei Kanchelskis - to leave the club. He also promoted a number of young players, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt to the first team squad.

When United lost their first league match 3-1 to Aston Villa, there was widespread criticism in the media, Match of the Day pundit, Alan Hansen famously proclaimed that "you won't win anything with kids".

However, United's young side then won their next five games, and continued to excel as they chased down runaway league leaders Newcastle.

A 10-point Newcastle leads at Christmas was whittled down to a single point after a 1-0 Man United victory at St James' Park on 4 March.

United went top soon after, and the pressure eventually got to Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan, prompting his famous outburst on live television ("I'd love it if we beat them! Love it!").

The Premier League title was confirmed by a final day victory against Middlesbrough, and a 1-0 FA Cup final victory over Liverpool completed a second Double - the first team in English football to achieve the feat.

1996/97 brought a fourth Premier League title in five seasons, and a surprise announcement - Eric Cantona retired from football at the end of the season.

In the off-season Ferguson brought in 31-year-old England striker Teddy Sheringham to replace Cantona, but United ended the season without a trophy.

In the league, they were runners-up to Arsenal, while there were shock exits in the FA Cup and Champions League - to Barnsley, and AS Monaco respectively.

The Treble

1998/99 would prove to be a historic season, as United recorded an unprecedented treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

In the league they edged a close title race by 1 point from Arsenal, while the FA Cup final was a routine 2-0 victory over Newcastle United.

The Champions League final was anything but routine. With 90 minutes on the clock Bayern Munich led 1-0, but two goals in the 3 minutes of injury time allowed by referee Pierluigi Collina, won it.

To Ferguson's credit, both goals were scored by substitutes, Teddy Sheringham, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

On 12 June 1999, Alex Ferguson received a knighthood in recognition of his services to football.

Title Hat-Trick

United won the 1999/2000 Premier League at a canter, finishing a record 18 points clear of Arsenal.

The following season, with the addition of French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez to the squad, they won the title again, becoming only the fourth side in history to win the English league title three seasons in succession.

There were two major signings during the 2001 close season, Ruud van Nistelrooy signed from PSV Eindhoven, would be a massive success, Juan Sebastian Veron from Lazio, an abject failure.

United's title winning run was brought to a halt by Arsenal in 2001/02. At one point United were ninth in the league, 11 points behind off the pace, but a late season rally secured a disappointing - by their standards - third place.

Defeat in the Champions League semi-final and early exits in the domestic cup competitions made this a rare, trophy-less season.

2001/02 was also to have been Ferguson's last as Manchester United manager, but in February 2002 he agreed to extend his tenure for at least another three years.

Also in 2002, he was an inaugural inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame.

In the close season Rio Ferdinand arrived from Leeds United in a British record 30 million pound transfer.

The 2002/03 campaign saw United overhaul an 8 point Arsenal lead in the last two months of the season. The run-in saw the Reds record a 10 game winning streak, while Arsenal faltered and Ferguson's 'mind-games' seemed to unnerve their manager, Arsene Wenger.

Ferguson called the 2002/03 win his most satisfying but the following season United finished third behind Arsenal and Chelsea.

New signings Eric Djemba-Djemba and Jose Kleberson were disappointing, but this was more than compensated for by the excellent form of teenage Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo.

Another important young signing arrived at the beginning of the 2004/05 season, in the form of teenage striker Wayne Rooney from Everton.

United though, were no match for Jose Mourinho's powerful Chelsea side, who won the title at a canter from Arsenal. United finished third, and an FA final defeat to Arsenal meant a they finished the season empty-handed.

Alex Ferguson's preparations for the 2005/06 season were disrupted by off-field activities. There was a dispute with major United shareholder John Magnier, over the ownership a racehorse, and the take-over of the club by American business tycoon Malcolm Glazer.

There were also important acquisitions in Edwin van der Sar and Nemanja Vidic, but club stalwart Roy Keane left the club halfway through the season.

United failed to qualify for the knock-out phase of the UEFA Champions League, and found small consolation in winning the League Cup.

In the league they were again no match for Chelsea.

Second Champions League Win

The following season, United hit the top after 10 games and stayed there for the rest of the campaign.

They also reached the FA Cup final - the first at the new Wembley - but lost 1-0 to Chelsea.

Alex Ferguson celebrated the 20th anniversary of his appointment as United manager on 6 November 2006. However, the party was spoiled by an embarrassing League Cup defeat at the hands of Southend United.

For the 2007/08 season, Ferguson strengthened his squad with the signings of England international, Owen Hargreaves, Argentina striker Carlos Tevez, plus young prospects Nani, and Anderson.

United had a poor start to the 2007/08 season and were without a win in their first three games. However, they soon hit form and began a tight race with Chelsea and Arsenal, finally securing the title with a win over Wigan.

In the FA Cup they suffered a surprise defeat to Portsmouth, and Ferguson earned a FA disrepute charge after criticizing referee's boss Keith Hackett.

In the Champions League United faced Chelsea in the first all-English final. The game ended 1-1 after extra-time, with United winning the penalty shoot-out.

Second Premier League Hat-trick

United finished their second hat-trick of titles in 2008/09 season. In the process equalling Liverpool's haul of 18 titles.

They also collected another League Cup, but in the Champions League final they were comprehensively outplayed by Barcelona, and lost 2-0.

In 2009/10, Ferguson added yet another League Cup to his trophy haul.

But there was disappointment in the Champions League as they lost their quarter-final tie with Bayern Munich on away goals.

In the Premier League an exciting title race went down to the final day, where Chelsea's 8-0 mauling of Wigan Athletic gave them the title, and rendering United's 4-0 win over Stoke City meaningless.

At the end of the season, several newspapers carried stories suggesting that Alex Ferguson would retire at the end of the 2010/11 season. He has since denied these rumours and insisted that he plans to continue for some time yet.

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