Manchester United have been granted planning permission to erect a statue of Sir Alex Ferguson outside Old Trafford.
The nine-foot statue will go in a canopy to be built outside the North Stand – recently renamed the Sir Alex Ferguson stand.
The club announced last year they had commissioned Philip Jackson, an award-winning fellow Scot, to make the tribute.
The MEN revealed earlier this month that the plans had been submitted.
A spokeswoman for Trafford council confirmed that the statue plan has now been approved.
It will stand on a plinth and be similar to those of Sir Matt Busby and the ‘holy trinity’ of George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton at the stadium.
The council granted permission on condition that the statue is erected within three years and that samples of materials - including details of colour treatment to be used in the construction of the canopy and cladding - are submitted for approval.
An artist’s impression drawn up as part of the plan appears to show Sir Alex holding a ball under his right arm.
Mr Jackson sculpted the other two statues at Old Trafford and has been commissioned to craft tributes across the globe.
His works include statues of Mozart in London’s Belgravia and Empress Elisabeth of Austria in Geneva.
Mr Jackson, who is originally from Inverness, said that he was honoured to have been given the task.
He said: “I have met Sir Alex on a number of occasions and he is a very nice chap.
“I took a lot of pictures of him and watched a lot film. You have to get to know the subject.”
Mr Jackson, 68, added that the notoriously hard-to-please manager had already given the piece the green light.
He added: “He came down to see the clay sculpture and he seemed very pleased.”
A spokesman for United said: "We're delighted and we're sure this will add to the attractiveness of Old Trafford as a visitor attraction, as well as being as being an appropriate way to mark the manager's 25th anniversary at the club."
