Every lover of football or soccer, depending on what part of the hemisphere you ascribe to, must have heard about the legendary Manchester United manager – Sir Alex Ferguson.
Such was the fame and respect that the Scots man commanded due to the spectacular records and legacy he achieved and left with the Manchester Club, which he handled for almost 3 decades.
Before the worldwide fame and phenomenal prestige of being the most successful Manchester United club manager ever, Alex Ferguson was actually a football player.
Records and those who existed around his playing time would attest to the fact that he began his career as a player of Queen’s Park Football Club of Scotland.
Sir Alex was a Forward and spent his entire playing career in the Scottish league, playing for clubs like St. Johnstone, Dunfermline, Rangers, Falkirk and Ayr United.
His most prolific season as a Forward was with Dunfemline in the 1965-1966 season, when he ended the season as the league’s top scorer.
He was so in love with football that towards the end of his career he began playing and coaching; and after ending his playing career he went straight into club management with the East Stirlingshire.
He quickly developed a name for himself as a coach and moved on to manage St. Mirren and Aberdeen. He was also known to have a strict style of management, which brought out the best in his players and their performance.
He achieved fame and accolades after turning Aberdeen through a stunning transformation into silverware winners. He won the league with the team, and won the European Winner’s Cup as well.
During his successful spell with Aberdeen he was linked with so many job positions in England. He turned down offers from Wolverhampton Wonderers, Tottenham Hotspurs, and Arsenal.
And despite being linked to Liverpool at a point he remained with Aberdeen. He eventually left Aberdeen for Manchester United in 1986.
He joined Man United after then manager Ron Atkinson was sacked; and thus began the incredible 26 years folktore of the Scots man in the Red side of Manchester.
He started his managerial career with Manchester United quite slowly, but went on to transform the team, into heavy hitters in European and to various winning records.
Sir Alex was Knighted in 1999 by the Queen as part of her Birthday honours. He went on to become the most successful club manager in football history and longest serving manager ever, after his 26 years with Man United.
He retired from the club at the end of the 2012-2013 season after winning the Premier league. The then Prime Minister of the U.K. David Cameron tagged him as the most remarkable man in British football history.
Till date, lovers of the game, including myself, see Sir Alex Ferguson as the greatest living football manager, for his numerous records and successes achieved in the game.
And today, the great, living legend, Sir Alex Ferguson, becomes a year older, despite the health scare he had suffered earlier in the year.
Sir Alex still attends Manchester United matches and was clearly seen in the stands during Manchester United’s 4 – 1 win against Bournemouth yesterday, under new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer; whom he had managed in the same Manchester United years ago.
Whenever I hear the name Sir Alex Ferguson, I usually believe that no other introductions as needed. Lolz.....You really have to know this great man.
HAPPY 81st BIRTHDAY, SIR ALEX CHAPMAN FERGUSON!
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