Sir Alex Furgeson

Prunier, William

Queen’s Park FC
Queens Park Rangers FC
Queiroz, Carlos

and Cristiano Ronaldo
joins Manchester Utd FC
and José Mourinho
and Louis Saha
and Roy Keane
and Ruud van Nistelrooy
and Anderson

racism
Raith Rovers FC
Ramsey , Aaron
Rangers FC 3
Real Madrid

and Bébé
and Carlos Queiroz at
and José Mourinho at
signs Cristiano Ronaldo
signs David Beckham
2001–02 UEFA Champions League
2003 season
2009 season
2012–13 UEFA Champions League
and Ruud van Nistelrooy
Redknapp, Harry
referees
The Referees’ Association
Reina, Pepe
Renton, Billy
Respect initiative
Rice, Pat
Richards, Micah
Richardson, Kieran
Ridsdale, Peter
Riley , Mike
Robertson, John
Robinho
Robins, Mark
Robinson, Peter
Robson, Bobby
Robson, Bry an
at Manchester Utd FC
leaves Manchester Utd FC
Middlesbrough FC
and Ry an Giggs
Rock of Gibraltar
Rockefeller
Rodger, Jim
Rodgers, Brendan
Rom a
Ronaldinho
Ronaldo, Cristiano
fans
father dies
at Manchester Utd FC
marks AF’s 25 y ears as Manchester Utd FC manager
and Ruud van Nistelrooy
scores hat-trick
signs to Real Madrid
at Sporting Lisbon
talent
2004 European Cup
2004 FA Cup final
2006 World Cup
2007–08 UEFA Champions League
2008–09 UEFA Champions League
2012–13 season
Rooney , Coleen
Rooney , Way ne:
AF suspends
best goal
celebrity endorsement
fitness
inj urie s
and referees
and Ronaldo
and Roy Keane
signs to Manchester Utd FC
swearing incident
talent
2006–07 UEFA Champions League
2008–09 UEFA Champions League
World Cup
2010–11 UEFA Champions League
2011–12 UEFA Champions League
2012–13 season
Rosetti, Roberto
Rowlands, Derek
Roxburgh, Andy
Rudge, John
Rummenigge, Karl-Heinz
Rush, Ian
Ry an, Jim
Cristiano Ronaldo
Roy Keane
Way ne Rooney

Saha, Louis

St Mirren FC
Frank McGarvey incident
loses to Raith Rovers
play ers at

Salmon, Peter
Sar, Edwin van der

and Manchester Utd FC
and Roy Keane
2008–09 UEFA Champions League
2010–11 UEFA Champions League
Savage, Robbie
Schmeichel, Peter
relationship with team-mates
retires
talent
view of Ronaldo
Scholes, Paul
and Arsène Wenger
Class of ’92
fined by AF
first XI
going to ground
interest in horses
position
re tire m e nt
Robin van Persie
shapes future of Manchester Utd FC
talent
2004 European Cup
2008–09 UEFA Champions League
2010–11 UEFA Champions League
2011–12 UEFA Champions League
2012–13 season
Scotland
Scotland Boy s Club
Scottish Football Association (SFA)
Second Board
Shankly , Bill
Sharpe, Lee
Shaw, Angus
Shaw, Bob
Shearer, Alan
Sheffield United FC
Sheringham, Teddy : at Manchester Utd FC
at Tottenham Hotspur FC
Shilton, Peter
Shotbolt, Karen
Sillett, John
Silva, David
Silva, Fábio and Rafael da
Sivebaek, John
Sky
Smalling, Chris
signs to Manchester Utd FC
2010–11 season
2011–12 UEFA Champions League
2012–13 season
Šmicer, Vladimír
Smith, Alan
Smith, Jim
Smith, John
Smith, Sir Roland
Smith, Walter
Solskjaer, Ole Gunnar
Souness, Graeme
Spearing, Jay
Spector, Jonathan
Speedie, David
Sporting Lisbon
Stam, Jaap
Staunton, Steve
Steele, Eric
Stein, Jock
Stiles, Nobby
Stone, Mike
Stretford, Paul
Sty les, Rob
Suárez, Luis
Sunderland FC
Sutton, Alan
Swales, Harry
Swansea City FC
Switzer, George

Taibi, Massimo
Tay lor, Gordon
Tay lor, Graham
Terry , John
Tévez, Carlos: at Man City FC

at Manchester Utd FC
2008–09 UEFA Champions League
Thomas, Michael
Thornley , Ben
Thornton, Bill
Torres, Fernando
Tottenham Hotspur FC
Touré, Kolo
Townsend, Phil
Turner, Graham
Ty ldesley , Clive

UEFA Champions League: 1991
1992

1993
1999 5
2001–02
2003
2003–04
2005
2006
2008
2009
2011
2011–12
2012–13
2013
United States of America: AF’s interest in
American Civil War (1861–1865)
Unsworth, David

Valdés, Victor
Valencia, Antonio

2010–11 UEFA Champions League
2011–12 season
Verón, Juan Sebastián
at Manchester Utd FC
and the press
signs to Chelsea
Vidić, Nemanja
as a centre-back
inj urie s
signs to Manchester Utd FC
2008–09 UEFA Champions League
2011 Community Shield
2011–12 UEFA Champions League
Viduka, Mark
Vieira, Patrick
Villarreal CF
Vitesse Arnhem

Walker, Dan
Walker, David 1
Walker, Jack
Wallace, Jock
Wallwork, Ronnie
Walsh, Andy
Walsh, David
Warnock, Neil
Watford FC
Watkins, Maurice
Watson, Geoff
Webb, Neil
Welbeck, Danny

2011–12 UEFA Champions League
2012–13 season
Wenger, Arsène
and AF
at Arsenal FC
and Robin van Persie
2011–12 Champions League
West Bromwich Albion FC
West Ham FC
Westwater, Jimmy
Whelan, Ronnie
Whelan, Tony
Whitehouse, Brian
Whiteside, Norman
Wigan Athletic FC
Wiley , Alan
Wilkinson, Howard
Wilshere, Jack
Wiltord, Sy lvain
Wimbledon FC
Winter, Jeff
Winterburn, Nigel
Wise, Dennis
Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves) FC
World Cup see FIFA World Cup
Wrexham FC
Wright, Ian

Xavi

Yeats, Ron
Yorke, Dwight
Young, Ashley

Zabaleta, Pablo
Zola, Gianfranco

I had no idea an Old Trafford stand would be named after me. It was a conspiracy , but one that left me very proud.

Bobby Robson had great charisma. We take turns with the media after a 1981 UEFA Cup tie between my Aberdeen and his Ipswich Town.
My big European breakthrough – Aberdeen beat Real Madrid in the 1983 European Cup Winners’ Cup.

In Gothenburg, Willie Miller lifts our European trophy . Aberdeen beat one of the biggest names in football.

I was assistant Scotland manager alongside Jock Stein. He was touched by genius and I would bombard him with questions about management.
Martin Edwards, the United Chairman, stood by me in the dark day s before my first trophy .

Did the 1990 FA Cup final replay win over Cry stal Palace save my job as United manager? I reckon I would have survived. On the left is Norman Davies, kit man and close friend, who is sadly no longer with us.

Ry an Giggs was revered by the other United play ers. Here he floats past Wimbledon’s Warren Barton in his boy ish early day s.
Paul Scholes was better than Paul Gascoigne. ‘Too small,’ I thought when I first saw him as a lad. Wrong.

The 1992 vintage: coach Eric Harrison with the golden boy s who became the heart of a great United Team, (left to right) Giggs, Butt, Beckham, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Scholes and Terry Cooke.

Eric Cantona could shape games in his own artistic image. His late goal won us the 1996 FA Cup final.
The banter alway s flowed between Steve Bruce (left) and Gary Pallister. But they were one of the greatest centre-half partnerships.

Peter Schmeichel was a mighty goalkeeper. A battering from Wimbledon’s Crazy Gang soon after his arrival failed to break him.

Never give in. Three–nil down at Spurs in 2001, we fought back to win 5–3. Here Verón has just scored our fourth goal.
David Beckham’s self-confidence never wavered. He was a fit boy and a marvellous striker of the ball.

Champions again, in May 2003. Beckham’s last match for us. David deserves great credit for reviving his career.

The Brazilian Ronaldo was given a standing ovation after his Old Trafford hat-trick for Real Madrid in 2003. United fans know what talent is.
The heart was in for a test on big European nights. Tension gnawed away at us in that 2003 Champions League tie against Real Madrid.

Rio Ferdinand was due to face a hearing for missing a drugs test when Roy Keane offered his support as they left the Old Trafford pitch.
A draconian sentence. Rio is banned for eight months. The club would not abandon him.

Roy Keane took parts of my own character on to the pitch. In his later y ears injuries made it harder for him to gallop from box to box.

Cristiano Ronaldo worked on every aspect of his game, even heading. Look at him leap in the 2004 FA Cup final win.
Reaching out to our fans. We’ve just beaten Millwall 3–0 in the 2004 FA Cup final and Mikaël Silvestre is with me.
Work hard, play hard. The dressing room after our victory over Millwall. Ronaldo looks so y oung.

Rivals to the end. Arsène Wenger and I had our fall-outs but there was more to unite than divide us.
Arsène was livid after we stopped Arsenal’s unbeaten 49-match run in October 2004.

Ruud van Nistelrooy opened the scoring as we prevented Arsenal from going 50 games unbeaten. A volcanic day .

Rafa Benítez turned our rivalry personal. I could handle that.
When José Mourinho joined Chelsea I thought: ‘New kid on the block. Confident.’ A new challenge had arrived.
My hero Denis Law and close friend Bobby Robson at a lunch to celebrate my 20th anniversary as United manager. As a play er I wanted to be Denis.

Ronaldo was a model student. Carlos Queiroz play ed an important role in his development.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was a natural finisher. I alway s saw my self in our strikers.

Fergie Time. I pointed to my watch to strike fear into opponents, who knew we often scored in the last minute.

Michael Carrick strikes in our thrilling 7–1 win over Roma at Old Trafford in 2007. A near perfect display .
The wonder boy s, Ronaldo and Rooney , in that 7–1 victory over Roma. Ronaldo scored twice and Rooney once.

Moscow, Roman Abramovich’s home town, was the stage for our 2008 Champions League win over Chelsea. Here, Ry an Giggs tucks away his penalty in sudden-death.
My record in penalty shoot-outs wasn’t good. At first I couldn’t believe we had won when Edwin van der Sar saved from Nicolas Anelka.

The retreat from Moscow. A happy one. Giggs and Ferdinand hold the 2008 Premier League and Champions League trophies on the tarmac in Manchester.

Labour can alway s count on my support and Tony Blair and Gordon Brown became friends.
The Glazers were supportive from day one. They let me get on with the job. Avram (left), Joel and Bry an joined us at Vale do Lobo in Portugal.

Racing helped me escape the pressures of management. Fellow owner Ged Mason and I celebrate What A Friend’s big win at Aintree.
Ruby Walsh tells me how he guided What A Friend to victory . I alway s enjoy the company of jockey s.
Out in front. What A Friend leads them home in The Betfred Bowl Chase.

Vidić and Ferdinand were a rock to build a team on. Nemanja has just scored against Inter Milan in the Champions League and Rio is hitching a ride.
Left-backs are like rare birds. But we had one of the best in Patrice Evra, a born winner.

The greatest goal in my time at United was this bicy cle kick by Way ne Rooney against Man City in February 2011.

We prepared meticulously for the 2011 Champions League final against Barcelona at Wembley . Plans don’t alway s work.
The best team I ever faced. The great Barcelona side of 2011.

What better man could y ou have beside y ou than Bobby Charlton? He was a loy al and wise friend to me.
It’s not an old bus stop, it’s The Cliff, our training ground until 1999. Scholes and Giggs travel back in time with me.

Ly n Laffin, my indispensable P.A., helps me with the daily mountain of admin.
Daid Gill was the best chief executive I worked with. Straight-talker; knew the game; alway s loy al.
Read all about it. Phil Townsend, our communications director, talks me through the day ’s papers.

Staff numbers increased enormously in my 26½ y ears at the club. I valued them all. Here I am with the laundry team.
Albert Morgan, kit man, friend and wisecracker, in the Old Trafford changing room, August 2011.

Edwin van der Sar was one of the great goalkeepers of the last 30 y ears. I should have signed him earlier.

David de Gea, a magnificently athletic y oung goalkeeper, who grew in stature after joining us from Spain.

The tunnel of love. Making my way to the pitch, Old Trafford, August 2011.
The one-time King of Old Trafford, Eric Cantona, returns for Paul Scholes’s testimonial in the summer of 2011.

Mick Phelan and René Meulensteen were my trusted assistants at the end. I owe all my coaches a great debt.

The indestructibles: Paul Scholes, Ry an Giggs and Gary Neville.
My 25th anniversary dinner, in November 2011. Some of our foreign play ers might have been a bit confused by the kilt.

I felt Roberto Mancini was hassling the fourth official too much in this Manchester derby and told him so. A brief skirmish, soon forgotten.
I respected Mancini’s work at City . I saw a few City managers off in my time.

The Hillsborough commemoration at Anfield in September 2012 was brilliantly handled by both clubs. Sir Bobby Charlton and Ian Rush clasp hands.

The press gave me a cake with a hairdry er on as parting gift. I was fierce in news conferences, but there were laughs too.
My successor, though I didn’t know it then. David Moy es brought Everton to our ground in February 2013.

The final ingredient. Robin van Persie’s hat-trick against Aston Villa secured our 2012–13 title win. A great buy .

I still don’t know how David Gill persuaded Cathy to unveil a statue of me. She refused to bow at its feet.
Success gave me control. With each trophy won my thoughts turned to the next one.

When the statue was unveiled I joked: ‘I’ve out-lived death.’ What an honour.

The 2012–13 Premier League trophy is waiting for us out on the pitch at Old Trafford. My work is nearly done.
Special fans, and a special day at Old Trafford in May 2013, as my time as manager draws to an end.

Cathy rarely came to games but she was alway s there for me. We pose with the Premier League trophy one last time.
Drama to the end. At West Brom, for my final game, waving to my family before a match that finished 5–5.
The next wave of Fergusons. My wonderful grandchildren were part of the farewell party .

Still going strong, friends from my Harmony Row day s reunite in Manchester, March 2013.
Would y ou take us on? Harmony Row, at our annual reunion. Football teams go on forever.

PHOTOGRAPHIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author and publisher would like to thank the following for permission to reproduce photographs:
Action Images, Roy Beardsworth/Offside, Simon Bellis/Reuters/Action Images, Jason
Cairnduff/Livepic/Action Images, Chris Coleman/Manchester United/Getty Images, Dave
Hodges/Sporting Pictures/Action Images, Ian Hodgson/Reuters/Action Images, Eddie
Keogh/Reuters/Action Images, Mark Leech/Offside, Alex Livesey/Getty Images, Clive Mason/Getty
Images, Mirrorpix, Gerry Penny/AFP/Getty Images, John Peters/Manchester United/Getty Images,
Matthew Peters/Manchester United/Getty Images, Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters/Action Images,
Popperfoto/Getty Images, Nick Potts/Press Association, John Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty Images,
Tom Purslow/Manchester United/Getty Images, Ben Radford/Getty Images, Carl
Recine/Livepic/Action Images, Reuters/Action Images, Rex Features, Martin Rickett/Press
Association, Matt Roberts/Offside, Neal Simpson/Empics Sport/Press Association, SMG/Press
Association, SNS Group, Simon Stacpoole/Offside, Darren Staples/Reuters/Action Images, Bob
Thomas/Getty Images, Glyn Thomas/Offside, John Walton/Empics Sport/Press Association, Kirsty
Wrigglesworth/Press Association.
All other photographs are courtesy of Sean Pollock.