39 Facts About Sir Alex

Sir Alex is widely regarded as one of the greatest football managers of all time and has won more trophies than any other manager in the history of football.

Sir Alex briefly managed Scotland following the death of Jock Stein, taking the team to the 1986 World Cup.

Sir Alex was knighted in the 1999 Queen's Birthday Honours list for his services to the game.

Sir Alex's father was a plater's helper in the shipbuilding industry.

Sir Alex grew up in a tenement at 667 Govan Road, which has since been demolished, where he lived with his parents and his younger brother Martin, who became a footballer.

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Sir Alex attended Broomloan Road Primary School and later Govan High School.

Sir Alex began his football career with Harmony Row Boys Club in Govan, before progressing to Drumchapel Amateurs, a youth club with a strong reputation for producing senior footballers.

Sir Alex took an apprenticeship as a toolmaker at a factory in Hillington, being appointed a union shop steward.

Sir Alex regularly requested transfers, and even considered emigrating to Canada.

Sir Alex performed well in Europe during his two seasons with the club, scoring six goals in nine appearances in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup including two against 1.

Sir Alex was blamed for a goal conceded in the 1969 Scottish Cup Final, in a match in which he was designated to mark Celtic captain, Billy McNeill, and was forced to play for the club's junior side instead of for the first team.

Sir Alex's autobiography noted that Rangers had known of his wife's religion when he joined the club.

Sir Alex was upset by how newspapers would refer to him as an "ex-Rangers player" after he had left, and rarely attended gatherings of their former players.

Sir Alex remained at Brockville for four years, gaining more league appearances than he had elsewhere; in recognition of his experience he was promoted to player-coach, but when John Prentice became manager he removed Ferguson's coaching responsibilities.

Sir Alex claimed wrongful dismissal against the club at an industrial tribunal but lost and was given no leave to appeal.

Sir Alex was counter-accused of intimidating behaviour towards his office secretary because he wanted players to get some expenses tax free.

Sir Alex did not speak to her for six weeks, confiscated her keys and communicated only through a 17-year-old assistant.

Sir Alex was still a strict disciplinarian, though, and his players nicknamed him "Furious Fergie".

Sir Alex fined one of his players, John Hewitt, for overtaking him on a public road, and kicked a tea urn at the players at half time after a poor first half.

Sir Alex was dissatisfied with the atmosphere at Aberdeen matches, and deliberately created a "siege mentality" by accusing the Scottish media of being biased towards the Glasgow clubs, to motivate the team.

Sir Alex was initially worried that many of the players, such as Norman Whiteside, Paul McGrath and Bryan Robson were drinking too much and was "depressed" by their level of fitness, but he managed to increase the players' discipline and United climbed up the table to finish the season in 11th place, having been 21st when he took over.

Sir Alex made two major signings – goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and defender Paul Parker – to bolster his side.

Sir Alex had added Soviet midfielder Andrei Kanchelskis to the right wing, giving him a more attacking alternative to older midfielders Mike Phelan and Bryan Robson.

Sir Alex first attempted to sign Alan Shearer from Southampton, but lost out to Blackburn Rovers.

Sir Alex made at least one approach for the Sheffield Wednesday striker David Hirst, but manager Trevor Francis rejected all offers and the player stayed put.

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Sir Alex received a 14-day prison sentence for the offence but the sentence was quashed on appeal and replaced by a 120-hour community service order.

Sir Alex was willing to "pay for the progress" made in the Champions League; the team finished second in their Champions League "group of death", behind Bayern Munich and ahead of Barcelona.

Sir Alex monitored the progress of Ruud van Nistelrooy, "a striker of the highest calibre".

Sir Alex met the player and his agent in Manchester to discuss formalities and was informed of Van Nistelrooy's troubled right knee.

Sir Alex replaced the defender with Laurent Blanc, a long sought-after target.

Sir Alex's family convinced him to remain in charge of United and Ferguson informed Watkins of his u-turn the following day.

Sir Alex ended the following season by winning his 12th and Manchester United's 19th league title and thus overtaking Liverpool's record of 18.

Sir Alex's book, Leading: Learning from Life and My Years at Manchester United, was published in collaboration with billionaire venture capitalist, author and former journalist Michael Moritz in August 2015.

Sir Alex criticised the Scottish Government and First Minister Alex Salmond for denying the vote to Scots living in the UK but outside Scotland.

Sir Alex objected to the self-imposed rule by the Yes Scotland campaign against accepting donations from people living outside Scotland of more than £500, which they urged the No campaign to adopt.

Sir Alex made a recovery from the surgery and attended his first match at Old Trafford since then on 22 September 2018.

Sir Alex is the Vice-President of the National Football Museum, based in Manchester, and a member of the Executive Committee of the League Managers Association.

On 5 November 2011, the Old Trafford North Stand was officially renamed the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand in honour of his 25 years as manager of Manchester United.

Sir Alex is the first manager in the history of the English league to win three consecutive league titles, which he did twice.