“He [Smith] was positive about it [Arsenal], saying they were a big club and that kind of thing.”
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Sir Alexander Chapman Ferguson, also known by the nickname Fergie, is a Scottish former professional football manager and player, best known for managing Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time, having won more trophies than any other manager in the history of football. Ferguson is often credited for valuing youth during his time at Manchester United, particularly in the 1990s with the "Class of '92", who contributed to making the club one of the most successful in the world.
sports · Scottish football manager (born 1941) · also Alex Ferguson, Ferguson
Born 31 December 1941 · Q44980
166 published statements · 0 followers
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“He [Smith] was positive about it [Arsenal], saying they were a big club and that kind of thing.”
“I explained this to Walter in the January but I felt I needed someone in that run-in, someone I could depend on.”
“there was a cunning streak in Strachan, I had never imagined that he could pull such a stroke on me”
“s television channel MUTV that he was prepared to sever all ties with the club, once his contract ended the following year:”
“a demonstration of the morale that was to be every bit as vital as rich skill in the five months that lay ahead of United”
In May 2026, Ferguson was taken to hospital after becoming unwell at Old Trafford before Manchester United's match against Liverpool.
Had shared a personal “playlist of his life” on BBC Breakfast to mark National Playlist Day, encouraging others to create their own therapeutic playlists
Full Fact rated the claim “Sir Alex Ferguson said the European Super League sells supporters “down the river”.” There is no evidence Sir Alex said exactly this in relation to the Super League, although he has said the Super League represents a move away from 70 years of club football history..
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
And permanent in 2026), Van Nistelrooy (interim manager in 2024) and Fletcher (interim manager in 2026)
Jason directed the 2021 documentary Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In about his father.
He made a recovery from the surgery and attended his first match at Old Trafford since then on 22 September 2018.
Ferguson underwent an emergency surgery on 5 May 2018, after having a brain haemorrhage.
Ferguson was named among the 10 most influential coaches since the foundation of UEFA in 1954
Put part of his vast collection up for auction with Christie's, with their head of wine David Elswood describing his taste as "exceptional", valued at up to £3 million
Won: Premier League with Manchester United (2012–13).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Season (2012–13).
Won award: LMA Manager of the Year (2012–13).
Ferguson continued to serve as an ambassador and director for the club
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (October 2012).
Won award: Queen's Park Lifetime Membership Award (October 2012).
Won: Premier League with Manchester United (2010–11).
Won award: LMA Manager of the Year (2010–11).
Won: FA Charity/Community Shield with Manchester United (2011).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Season (2010–11).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (August 2011).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (January 2011).
Runner-up: UEFA Champions League with Manchester United (2010–11).
Won award: LMA Special Merit Award (2011).
Ferguson spent big by signing defender Phil Jones from Blackburn and winger Ashley Young from Aston Villa for around £17 million each, and goalkeeper David de Gea from Atlético Madrid for around £19 million
Won: Football League Cup with Manchester United (2009–10).
Won: FA Charity/Community Shield with Manchester United (2010).
“Goal.com (20 October 2010).”
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (January 2009).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (September 2009).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Season (2008–09).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (April 2009).
Won: Premier League with Manchester United (2008–09).
Won: Football League Cup with Manchester United (2008–09).
Runner-up: UEFA Champions League with Manchester United (2008–09).
Won award: LMA Special Merit Award (2009).
Won award: Onze d'Or Coach of the Year (2008).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (March 2008).
Won: FA Charity/Community Shield with Manchester United (2008).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (January 2008).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Season (2007–08).
Won: FIFA Club World Cup with Manchester United (2008).
Won award: World Soccer Magazine World Manager of the Year (2008).
Won award: LMA Manager of the Year (2007–08).
Won award: UEFA Team of the Year (2008).
Won: Premier League with Manchester United (2007–08).
Won: UEFA Champions League with Manchester United (2007–08).
The Guardian published an interview with Todd (then aged 87), who had sacked Ferguson many years earlier
Won award: Dunfermline Athletic Hall of Fame (2006–07).
Won award: World Soccer Magazine World Manager of the Year (2007).
Won award: UEFA Team of the Year (2007).
Won award: Onze d'Or Coach of the Year (2007).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (February 2007).
Runner-up: FA Cup with Manchester United (2006–07).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Season (2006–07).
Won: FA Charity/Community Shield with Manchester United (2007).
Won: Premier League with Manchester United (2006–07).
Won: Football League Cup with Manchester United (2005–06).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (October 2006).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (August 2006).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (March 2006).
Michael Carrick was signed to take Roy Keane's place in the team for a fee that eventually rose to £18 million
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (February 2005).
Runner-up: FA Cup with Manchester United (2004–05).
Won: FA Cup with Manchester United (2003–04).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (April 2003).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (December 2003).
Runner-up: Football League Cup with Manchester United (2002–03).
Won: FA Charity/Community Shield with Manchester United (2003).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Season (2002–03).
Won: Premier League with Manchester United (2002–03).
Ferguson became an inaugural recipient of the FA Coaching Diploma, awarded to all coaches who had at least ten years' experience of being a manager or head coach
Ferguson launched legal action against the then major Manchester United shareholder John Magnier over stud rights for race horse Rock of Gibraltar
And the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2004
In recognition of his impact on the English game as a manager
Won: Premier League with Manchester United (2000–01).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (February 2001).
By fielding a weakened Manchester United team in a match against Derby County
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (April 2000).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Season (1999–2000).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (March 2000).
Won: Premier League with Manchester United (1999–2000).
Won award: UEFA Manager of the Year (1998–99).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (August 1999).
Won award: World Soccer Magazine World Manager of the Year (1999).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Season (1998–99).
Won: Intercontinental Cup with Manchester United (1999).
Won: FA Cup with Manchester United (1998–99).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (January 1999).
Won: Premier League with Manchester United (1998–99).
Won: UEFA Champions League with Manchester United (1998–99).
Won award: LMA Manager of the Year (1998–99).
Won award: Onze d'Or Coach of the Year (1999).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (April 1999).
“could not be trusted an inch – I would not want to expose my back to him in a hurry”
Which completed the first continental treble by an English club, and in 2008
Ferguson was named in a list of the Labour Party's biggest private financial donors
“Football... Bloody Hell - Manchester United's Treble 1998/99”
Won the English FA Community Shield with Manchester United (1997).
Won: FA Charity/Community Shield with Manchester United (1997).
Won: Premier League with Manchester United (1996–97).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Season (1996–97).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (October 1997).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (February 1997).
Won the English FA Community Shield with Manchester United (1996).
Won: Premier League with Manchester United (1995–96).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (February 1996).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Season (1995–96).
Won: FA Cup with Manchester United (1995–96).
Won: FA Charity/Community Shield with Manchester United (1996).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (March 1996).
Runner-up: FA Cup with Manchester United (1994–95).
Won the English FA Community Shield with Manchester United (1994).
Won: FA Charity/Community Shield with Manchester United (1994).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (October 1994).
Won: FA Cup with Manchester United (1993–94).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Season (1993–94).
Won: Premier League with Manchester United (1993–94).
Runner-up: Football League Cup with Manchester United (1993–94).
Won the English FA Community Shield with Manchester United (1993).
Won award: World Soccer Magazine World Manager of the Year (1993).
Won: Premier League with Manchester United (1992–93).
Won award: Premier League Manager of the Month (August 1993).
Won: FA Charity/Community Shield with Manchester United (1993).
Won award: LMA Manager of the Year (1992–93).
Won: Football League Cup with Manchester United (1991–92).
Won: European Super Cup with Manchester United (1991).
Won: European Cup Winners' Cup with Manchester United (1990–91).
Runner-up: Football League Cup with Manchester United (1990–91).
Ferguson became a wine collector after being shown a display of bottles from Château d'Yquem and Château Pétrus while in Montpellier, France
In 1991, Ferguson became a wine collector after being shown a display of bottles from Château d'Yquem and Château Pétrus while in Montpellier, France.
Won the English FA Community Shield with Manchester United (1990).
Won: FA Charity/Community Shield with Manchester United (1990).
Won: FA Cup with Manchester United (1989–90).
Won: Scottish Cup with Aberdeen (1985–86).
Won: Scottish League Cup with Aberdeen (1985–86).
Won: Scottish Premier Division with Aberdeen (1984–85).
“I had got to know Walter well by that stage and when I took over the Scotland job in 1985 when Jock Stein sadly passed away I made Walter my assistant with the national team.”
Had told Dick Donald, their chairman, that he intended to leave that summer
Won: Scottish Cup with Aberdeen (1983–84).
Won: Scottish Premier Division with Aberdeen (1983–84).
Won: European Super Cup with Aberdeen (1983).
Won: European Cup Winners' Cup with Aberdeen (1982–83).
Won: Scottish Cup with Aberdeen (1982–83).
Won: Scottish Cup with Aberdeen (1981–82).
Won: Drybrough Cup with Aberdeen (1980).
Runner-up: Scottish League Cup with Aberdeen (1979–80).
Won: Scottish Premier Division with Aberdeen (1979–80).
Runner-up: Scottish League Cup with Aberdeen (1978–79).
Won: Scottish First Division with St Mirren (1976–77).
Ferguson turned down the manager's job at Aberdeen
Discovering talent like Billy Stark, Tony Fitzpatrick, Lex Richardson, Frank McGarvey, Bobby Reid and Peter Weir while playing superb attacking football
Won: Scottish Division Two with Falkirk (1969–70).
Joined Falkirk in 1969.
They had three sons together: Mark (born 1968); and twins Darren, who was also a professional footballer and used to be manager of Doncaster Rovers, Peterborough United, and Preston North End; and Jason (born 1972), who formed a sports management company.
Joined Rangers in 1967.
Won award: Scottish Division One top scorer (1965–66).
Ferguson lives in Wilmslow, Cheshire, and was married to Cathy Holding from 1966 until her death in October 2023.
Joined Dunfermline in 1964.
Won: Scottish Division Two with St Johnstone (1962–63).
Joined St Johnstone in 1960.
Joined Queens Park in 1957.