Sir Alex Ferguson Tribute Thread

VanNistelrater

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Not sure I can say much that hasn't been said here. The man quite simply is Manchester United - the embodiment of it. He's been the manager all of my life, and it's truly mind bending to think of us without him.

We'll never have another like him - he has, year after year, had our football team and club defy gravity. It's not normal for teams to have 20 years of almost unbroken dominance, you know! Even Busby didn't manage that.

None of us realise how unbelievably privileged we have been to have watched our team during his reign. We'll be telling kids, grandkids and anyone who'll listen for decades before we shuffle off the earth into extinction about the things he did, and the exhilaration he brought us.

We'll have to go on without him. feck knows how. Thank you to the orchestrator of some of the happiest moments of my life!
 

ha_rooney

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It would be awesome if they took a team picture of SAF with all the players to have played under him. Not sure if they could fit everyone in though!
 

Ringo 07

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I'm 34 years old. To think that I was only 8 when this phenomenon took over....My life will feel empty and strange without Fergie but the memories will be with me everyday for the rest of my life...from that Cantona goal where he chips the keeper to the endless Beckham free kicks, Giggs goal against Arsenal to Robson and Keane and Ince terrifying opposition to Ronaldo and his wonder goals...Thank u Sir Alex and may u live for many more years in health and happiness
 

Chabon

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I'm 26. I haven't existed in a time where Manchester United and Alex Ferguson weren't synonymous. Such a world is incomprehensible to me.
 

SirFergie

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Chabon said:
I'm 26. I haven't existed in a time where Manchester United and Alex Ferguson weren't synonymous. Such a world is incomprehensible to me.
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Exactly. That's the fearful thing, him no longer being there, telling us there'll be a reaction when we get beat, putting various managers in their place throughout the season, barking orders on the touchline..scary, for fans like us who've not known any different.
 

Plechazunga

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Steev said:
His first interview at Utd from November 1986:

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:lol: he wasn't making a whole lot of sense there, but he still said it with total conviction. The players feeling sorry for Ron Atkinson will "give them a great chance"... okay.

Also, his accent hasn't changed much after 26 years in England. A bit, but not much.
 

edmundo

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I'm gutted - I still can't believe it. I wasn't born when he took over at United, I don't know Manchester United without him. Greatest manager there's ever been. Sunday will be emotional.
 

Randall Flagg

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It proved the first of numerous skirmishes with Ferguson over the 12 years I have covered United.

He once chased me out of the Old Trafford* tunnel after I had gone in search of Roy Keane when the then-United skipper had made his comeback from injury in a reserve game.

As I lurked near the dressing-room doors, Ferguson spotted me, his face a familiar shade of angry puce.

“You know you’re not f***ing allowed down here,” he bellowed, bursting through double doors.

“F*** off!”, he continued to bawl, as I made a hasty retreat down to the mouth of the tunnel.

But there is a lighter side to him, too - none more so than a few years ago, when the Mirror reported a light aircraft flying low over United’s training ground, with the intention of spying on their tactics.

When I asked Fergie about the plane, the United boss burst into laughter.

“I saw you flying it,” he laughed, using his hands to impersonate a pair of flying goggles. “I could see you up there in your Biggles hat and goggles.

“Biggles McDonnell!* Biggles of the Mirror!”

* I HAD only been covering Manchester United for a few months when I got a blast from Fergie’s hairdryer, writes David Anderson.

I had gone down to the Cliff as usual one Friday morning in January 1998, ready for my often brief interview with him.

He beckoned me outside, saying: “David, can I have a word?”

By word, he meant rant and as soon as I’d stepped outside, he launched into a foul-mouth tirade, jabbing his finger in my face.

The cause of his fury was, what I thought, an innocuous reference in a runner to Peter Schmeichel being unavailable for a game a few weeks earlier because of personal reasons.

Fergie shouted: “You see that s***e you wrote about Peter Schmeichel? Don’t you f***ing write that f***ing s***e again or you’re f***ing banned, right. Do you hear me?”

Then with me still reeling, he cleared his throat and said: “Right, what do you want to ask me?”

He then proceeded to give me an exclusive line about Roy Keane’s return from his serious knee injury in what was probably the best interview he ever did for me.

Looking back, I can see it was Fergie’s way of letting me know who was boss.

It was only a medium setting on the hairdryer and if he was really angry, he would have torn a strip off me in front of my peers rather than spare my blushes by taking me outside.

* I WAS a young reporter on a local Manchester newspaper when Fergie arrived at Old Trafford, and I got a first hand view of that famous temper, writes David Maddock.

I was on the end of plenty of them down the years.

Perhaps the finest though, was when I became a unique footnote in his United history as the only journalist thrown out of a press conference... and refusing to go.

It happened at the old Cliff training ground when I dared to contradict him over something as mundane as the number of substitutes he’d just named.

The explosion was deafening, the language industrial as I was branded a “f***ing smart-a**e” and he tried to manhandle me out of the room.

I refused to go, a stand-off ensued, and eventually - amazingly - he backed down, snarling at me, “OK, you can stay, but don’t ask any f***ing questions.”

Being young and stupid, I asked the next one, and the response was a most magnificent example of swearing - enough to make even Malcolm Tucker in the Thick of It go flinch.

One more magnificent moment stands out.

Another press conference, also at the Cliff. This time in the early 1990s.

Fergie launched into another tirade of multi-coloured abuse, only to turn around and see a severely flustered young woman from a charity organisation staring at him in horror.

He blustered and blew, tried to control himself and then, as he chewed his words back in contrite apology, he suddenly spat out:

“I’m really sorry love... but you have to speak to these f***ers in a f***ing language they f***ing understand!”

Those were the days!
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...
 

Sam

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I refused to go, a stand-off ensued, and eventually - amazingly - he backed down, snarling at me, “OK, you can stay, but don’t ask any f***ing questions.”

Being young and stupid, I asked the next one, and the response was a most magnificent example of swearing - enough to make even Malcolm Tucker in the Thick of It go flinch.
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:lol::lol:
 

gooDevil

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What on earth can you say? He's undoubtedly the greatest manager of the modern era, quite possibly the greatest ever. Not only that, he's a man of honor, passion and integrity.

Only one Alex Ferguson.
 

Platato

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There isn't so much to say that hasn't been said already. What I can say that I will admire the most is his genuine and broad depth of knowledge about football and other aspects of life. He knows so much about the game. Not just about squad development, renewal, tactics, man-management but his memory of certain football facts and his ability to remember moments most people have forgotten about is truly special. THe list goes on and on. He'll never lose in football trivia. The man just knows too much and soaks it all in. How many people do you know who know the game in and out like that? I love his appreciation for history and you hear about it every now and then but the man knows his history. I'm not just talking about football either. He's an extraordinary individual in that sense because he knows so much about the world whilst being consumed by the world of football. If you never met him before and you heard him talk about history, politics or economics, you wouldn't have the slightest clue he manages one of the top football clubs in the world. It's just the type of person he is and to me it really is incredible.

Hell, I think he could even teach philosophy such is his breadth and depth of knowledge. I would love to expand more upon it but I'm at a loss for words right now. No matter what I've said about the man, I always recognise him as a phenomenal man. I hope these tributes really dig into more than Fergie the manager. People like him rarely come around in life. His calling turned out to be football and what a journey it's been. I'm so very lucky to be a fan of this club and more so to be enjoying such a successful period in the club's history. These last 26 years have been a dream and some of it is still surreal.

I guess in some way it's fitting. He was the spearhead in ending the 26 year wait and now he retires after 26 years at the helm. Sir Alex Ferguson. What a legend. "Football, bloody hell"
 

vivaronaldo

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im 32 , and being in oz have grown up in the early years listening to bbc radio till 4 in the morning and staying up late on Mondays nights to watch an epl round up...There are simply no words of gratitude any of us can say to have given us the 26 years he did.....he has left a legacy worldwide , and touched so many millions with his tougness , tenacity , his will to win , and the ability to never ever give up....

football , bloody hell.........you can love it , and it can love you back , but it has the ability to rattle you every so often

it was a privedge to say that my one and only visit to Old Trafford thus far , was the Mnachetser Derby in 2009 , and watching him on the sideline fist pumping city fans is a sight ill never forget
 

Revan

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The best article by goal.com. In fact the only good article goal.com ever made.

So strap yourselves in as Goal.com runs through Sir Alex's career in quotes.

On other managers

"He was certainly full of it, calling me boss and big man when we had our post-match drink after the first leg, but it would help if his greetings were accompanied by a decent glass of wine. What he gave me was paint-stripper." - on then-Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.

"I think he was an angry man. He must have been disturbed for some reason. I think you have got to cut through the venom of it and hopefully he'll reflect and understand what he said was absolutely ridiculous." - Fergie responds to Rafa Benitez's "facts" outburst.

"They say he's an intelligent man, right? Speaks five languages. I've got a 15-year-old boy from the Ivory Coast who speaks five languages!" - Arsene Wenger used to be in the firing line when Arsenal were title-challengers.

On his players

"I remember the first time I saw him. He was 13 and just floated over the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind." - Ryan Giggs is still going strong but not quite with the same spark as back then.

"I used to have a saying that when a player is at his peak, he feels as though he can climb Everest in his slippers. That's what he was like." - Paul Ince was somewhat more popular before the whole 'Guvnor' business.

"If he was an inch taller he'd be the best centre-half in Britain. His father is 6ft 2in – I'd check the milkman." - Gary Neville was left to question his paternity.

"On you go. I'm no f****** talking to you. He's a f****** great player. Youse are f****** idiots"

- Fergie was fiercely supportive of the much-criticised Juan Sebastian Veron

"It can be difficult to pinpoint who would make it as a manager. For instance, nobody here thought Mark Hughes would become a manager, never in a million years, and we all thought Bryan Robson was a certainty to be a top manager." - They were right about the first one, at least.

"Sometimes you look in a field and you see a cow and you think it's a better cow than the one you've got in your own field. It's a fact. Right? And it never really works out that way." - Fergie has a go at replicating Eric Cantona's famous sardines musings when discussing Wayne Rooney's transfer request.

"It was a freakish incident. If I tried it 100 or a million times it couldn't happen again. If I could I would have carried on playing!" - The boss explains how he kicked a boot at David Beckham's head.

On foreign opposition

"That lad must have been born offside." - Another famous phrase coined at the expense of Filippo Inzaghi.

"When an Italian tells me it's pasta on the plate I check under the sauce to make sure. They are the inventors of the smokescreen." - Enough said.

"Everyone sprinted over to the referee. Typical Germans. It was only a slip, a slight tug at the boy, but they saw the opportunity and forced the referee. The ref wasn't going to do anything but they forced him to get a card out." - Bayern Munich got the treatment in 2010.


"Do you think I would enter into a contract with that mob? Absolutely no chance. I would not sell them a virus. That is a 'No' by the way. There is no agreement whatsoever between the clubs"
- So Cristiano Ronaldo won't be joining Real Madrid...

"You get used to this, Madrid's behaviour on these things. I read about [Ramon] Calderon making the great statement that slavery was abolished many, many years ago.

"Well, did they tell Franco that? Jesus Christ! Eh, give me a break!" Ferguson definitely won't be selling Ronaldo...

"When we sold Gabriel Heinze to Real Madrid we knew it was going to happen, because Ronaldo was very close to Heinze, I knew what they were doing. I don't believe they were interested in Heinze - good player though he is. The end-game was to get Ronaldo.

"What made it really obscene was that Madrid, as General Franco’s club, had a history of being able to get whoever and whatever they wanted, before democracy came to Spain." Not so happy when Ronaldo did leave

On Liverpool

"It isn't just a job to me. It's a mission. I am deadly serious about it – some people would say too serious. We will get there, velieve me. And when it happens life will change for Liverpool, dramatically."

"My greatest challenge is not what's happening at the moment, my greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their f****** perch. And you can print that"

- Fergie hit out at suggestions that he was struggling

"You must be joking. Do I look as if I'm a masochist ready to cut myself? How does relegation sound instead?" - After being asked if the Merseysiders could win the league in 2007.

"A lot of people have to leave here choking on their own vomit, biting their tongue, afraid to tell the truth." - Sir Alex was furious after a visit to Anfield in the Kenny Dalglish era.

On the new rivals

"It's City, isn't it? They are a small club, with a small mentality. All they can talk about is Manchester United, that's all they've done and they can't get away from it."


"Our rich history stands us aside - it's better than anyone. It would take City a century to get our level of history"

- Laying down the gauntlet in 2011

"Sometimes you have a noisy neighbour. You cannot do anything about that. They will always be noisy. You just have to get on with your life, put your television on and turn it up a bit louder."

On success

"It's not so much passing Liverpool. It's more important that United are the best team in the country in terms of winning titles." - After clinching the club's 19th title.

"Look at me – it's taken 10 years off me today. It's these tablets, they're great!" - He was even happier after the 20th.

"I can't believe it. I can't believe it. Football. Bloody hell"

- After United scored twice in stoppage time to win the 1999 Champions League
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CR#7

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Ive tried to stay away from all the videos and what not just because I knew how hard I would take it.. I'm 27 and haven't known United without SAF.. 20 seconds into the vid and tears swell up.. what a man... thank you SAF for giving us someone to look up to.. someone to believe in... and someone to be proud of.
 

syrian_scholes

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Okay today was awful, shed so many tears because Fergie is retiring, I'd like to say a few words in tribute to the greatest manager of all time, I don't only love Fergie because of the success he brought to the club, but also because he reminds me of another great man I love so much, my dad, both are of similar age, my dad also looks a lot like Sir Alex, both are winners, both are perfectionists, and as I see my dad as the smartest person I've ever known I find Sir Alex a man of similar smartness, both have that spark in their eyes that show greatness.

Sir Alex we all love you and you will be missed, you will never be forgotten, and it's been an honor watching united play under you Sir, and if I learned anything from your time at the club, the treble in 99 and all the titles you won, is to never give up and to always believe, your legacy at the club will never be forgotten, and from my heat I say thank you Sir Alex for everything you gave us fans and I wish you happiness in your after retirement life.
 

Lynk

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You know what? I don't think this will sink in until he's gone, probably not until I see the pre-season training in August and Fergie won't be there. How lucky it's been to have been on this journey, to witness the highs and the lows, the famous quotes, the spats, the incredible attitude that never seemed to falter. We'll never have another character like him, managers with his aggression and winning attitude are dying out. I hope we keep our dignity as a club and don't become a Madrid or a Chelsea, where the manager isn't the most important person. He was the last bearer of complete control, it could be said.
 

AttackingFlair

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Lynk said:
You know what? I don't think this will sink in until he's gone, probably not until I see the pre-season training in August and Fergie won't be there. How lucky it's been to have been on this journey, to witness the highs and the lows, the famous quotes, the spats, the incredible attitude that never seemed to falter. We'll never have another character like him, managers with his aggression and winning attitude are dying out. I hope we keep our dignity as a club and don't become a Madrid or a Chelsea, where the manager isn't the most important person. He was the last bearer of complete control, it could be said.
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Yeah that's the same for me. I won't believe it until pre-season when he's not there.
 

DevilsQueen

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I've thought about SAF the whole day yesterday. this has been an horrible year for me so far. I've lost my dad almost a month ago, I know the two things are not comparable, but I used to watch United with him and he was a huge Fergie fan (as every one of us is). So, I'll miss not only my dad, who's been the most important person in my life, but Fergie as well as he's always been part of my life since when I started following United back when I was a child. I'll have two voids to fill, one obviously bigger, but I'll Always thank my dad for making me the woman I am, and Fergie for all the memories and for everything he's done for my club. Thanx Fergie
 
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