Alex Ferguson facts for kids

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Sir Alex Ferguson
CBE
Personal information
Ferguson in 2009
Full name	Alexander Chapman Ferguson
Date of birth	(1941-12-31) 31 December 1941 (age 83)
Place of birth	Glasgow, Scotland
Playing position	Forward
Youth career
	Harmony Row Boys Club
	Drumchapel Amateurs
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1957–1960	Queen's Park	31	(15)
1960–1964	St Johnstone	37	(19)
1964–1967	Dunfermline Athletic	89	(66)
1967–1969	Rangers	41	(25)
1969–1973	Falkirk	95	(37)
1973–1974	Ayr United	24	(9)
Total		317	(171)
National team
1960	Scotland Amateurs	1	(1)
1967	Scotland	4	(3)
1967	Scottish Football League XI	2	(1)
Teams managed
1974	East Stirlingshire
1974–1978	St Mirren
1978–1986	Aberdeen
1985–1986	Scotland
1986–2013	Manchester United
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Sir Alexander Chapman Ferguson (born 31 December 1941) is a famous Scottish former football manager and player. He is best known for leading Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. Many people think he is one of the greatest managers ever. He has won more trophies than any other manager in football history, with a total of 49! Ferguson is also known for believing in young players, especially in the 1990s. This group, called the "Class of '92", helped make Manchester United one of the most successful clubs in the world.

Before becoming a manager, Ferguson played as a forward for several Scottish clubs, including Dunfermline Athletic and Rangers. He was the top goalscorer in the Scottish league in the 1965–66 season while playing for Dunfermline. After his playing career, he started managing teams. His first clubs were East Stirlingshire and St Mirren.

Ferguson then had a very successful time managing Aberdeen. He won three Scottish league titles, four Scottish Cups, and two European trophies: the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Super Cup in 1983. He also briefly managed the Scotland national team at the 1986 World Cup.

In November 1986, Ferguson became the manager of Manchester United. Over 26 years, he won 38 trophies with the club. These included an amazing 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles. He was made a knight in 1999 for his great contributions to football. Ferguson is Manchester United's longest-serving manager. He retired at the end of the 2012–13 season, after winning the Premier League title in his final year.

Early Life and First Steps in Football

Alexander Chapman Ferguson was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 31 December 1941. His father worked in shipbuilding. He grew up in a tenement building with his parents and younger brother, Martin. Martin also became a footballer.

Alex went to Broomloan Road Primary School and later Govan High School. He started his football journey at Harmony Row Boys Club. Then he moved to Drumchapel Amateurs, a youth club famous for developing good players. He also trained as a toolmaker at a factory.

Playing Career

Club Football

Ferguson started his playing career as an amateur with Queen's Park at age 16. He played as a striker. Even though he scored 20 goals in 31 games, he didn't always play.

In 1960, he joined St Johnstone. He was a part-time player, working in a shipyard during the day and training at night. He scored goals regularly but still struggled to get a consistent spot. One memorable game was when he scored a hat-trick against Rangers in a surprise 3–2 win.

Dunfermline signed him in 1964, and he became a full-time professional. In the 1965–66 season, Ferguson scored 45 goals in 51 games for Dunfermline. He was the top goalscorer in the Scottish league with 31 goals.

He then joined Rangers for £65,000, a record fee between Scottish clubs at the time. He played well in European games. However, after a Scottish Cup Final in 1969, he was blamed for a goal and was moved to the club's junior side. This upset him greatly.

After Rangers, Ferguson moved to Falkirk in October 1969. He played there for four years. He was even promoted to player-coach. Later, his coaching duties were removed, which disappointed him. He then moved to Ayr United, where he finished his playing career in 1974.

International Games

Ferguson played for the Scotland national team during an overseas tour in 1967. For many years, these games were not officially counted as full international matches. However, in October 2021, some of these matches were reclassified. This meant Ferguson finally received an official international cap for Scotland.

Managerial Career

East Stirlingshire

In June 1974, at 32 years old, Ferguson became the manager of East Stirlingshire. It was a part-time job. He quickly earned a reputation for being very strict and disciplined with his players.

St Mirren

In October 1974, Ferguson took over as manager of St Mirren. He completely changed the team. They went from being near the bottom of the league to becoming champions of the First Division in 1977. He found talented young players like Billy Stark and Tony Fitzpatrick. The average age of his league-winning team was just 19!

Ferguson left St Mirren in 1978.

Aberdeen

Starting Strong

Ferguson became Aberdeen's manager in June 1978. Aberdeen was a big club, but they had only won the league once before. The team had been playing well, finishing second the season before. Ferguson was still quite young, so some older players didn't respect him at first. The first season saw Aberdeen reach cup finals but finish fourth in the league.

Aberdeen lost the 1979–80 Scottish League Cup Final. Ferguson took the blame for the defeat.

Winning Trophies in the 1980s

Aberdeen started the 1979–80 season slowly. But their performance improved a lot, and they won the Scottish league that season. It was the first time in 15 years that a team other than Rangers or Celtic had won the league! Ferguson felt this win united the team and made the players believe in him.

He was still very strict, and his players nicknamed him "Furious Fergie". He even fined a player for overtaking him on a public road! He wanted to create a "siege mentality" by saying the Scottish media favored the Glasgow clubs. This motivated his team. They continued their success by winning the Scottish Cup in 1982.

European Success and Scotland

Ferguson led Aberdeen to even bigger success in the 1982–83 season. They played in the European Cup Winners' Cup. They impressively beat Bayern Munich. This gave them the confidence to believe they could win the whole competition. They did, beating Real Madrid 2–1 in the final on 11 May 1983. Aberdeen became only the third Scottish team to win a European trophy.

In December 1983, they also won the European Super Cup. They beat Hamburger SV, the European Cup champions, 2–0 over two games. Aberdeen also won the Scottish Cup again in 1983.

The team continued to win, taking the Scottish league and Scottish Cup in 1983–84. Ferguson was given an award, the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), in 1985. Aberdeen won the league again in 1984–85. In 1985–86, they won both domestic cups.

Ferguson also helped coach the Scottish national side for the 1986 World Cup. When the manager, Jock Stein, sadly passed away, Ferguson took charge of the team for the World Cup. He stepped down as national team manager after the World Cup in June 1986.

Manchester United

Starting at Old Trafford

Ferguson became manager of Manchester United on 6 November 1986. He was worried about some players' fitness at first. But he quickly improved the team's discipline. United moved up the league table, finishing 11th after being near the bottom when he arrived.

His first game was a 2–0 loss to Oxford United. But results soon improved. By the end of the season, it was clear United was getting better.

In the 1987–88 season, Ferguson signed important players like Steve Bruce and Brian McClair. These new players helped United finish second in the league, behind Liverpool.

The 1988–89 season was a bit disappointing, with United finishing 11th. For the 1989–90 season, Ferguson brought in more players, including Neil Webb, Paul Ince, and Gary Pallister. The season started well, but United's league form soon struggled. After a big 5–1 loss to rivals Manchester City, some fans and journalists wanted Ferguson to be sacked.

December 1989 was a tough time for Ferguson, as United were close to the relegation zone. However, a crucial 1–0 win against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup saved his job. United went on to win the FA Cup, beating Crystal Palace 1–0 in a replay. This was Ferguson's first major trophy with Manchester United!

European Wins and League Challenges

United's league form got much better in 1990–91, but they still finished sixth. They lost the League Cup final but won the European Cup Winners' Cup, beating Barcelona 2–1. This was United's only Cup Winners' Cup title. After this win, Ferguson promised United would win the league next season.

In 1991, Ferguson promoted youth coach Brian Kidd to assistant manager. He also signed goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and defender Paul Parker. Young players like Ryan Giggs and Lee Sharpe were also becoming important.

The 1991–92 season didn't meet Ferguson's high hopes. United won the League Cup and European Super Cup for the first time. But they lost the league title to rivals Leeds United after leading for much of the season. Ferguson felt they needed something extra to win the league.

In 1992, Ferguson tried to sign a new striker. He eventually bought Dion Dublin. After a slow start to the 1992–93 season, United were 10th in November. But then, they bought French striker Eric Cantona from Leeds. This changed everything for United. Cantona formed a strong partnership with Mark Hughes.

On 10 April 1993, United were losing to Sheffield Wednesday at home. But Steve Bruce scored two late goals, including one in the 97th minute. This extra time became known as "Fergie Time". This win put United top of the league, and they stayed there. They won the title, ending United's 26-year wait for a league championship. They were also the first ever Premier League champions. Ferguson was named Manager of the Year.

Winning and Losing the Double

The 1993–94 season brought more success. Ferguson signed midfielder Roy Keane for a British record fee. United led the 1993–94 Premier League almost all season. Cantona was top scorer. United reached the League Cup final but lost. However, they won the FA Cup final 4–0 against Chelsea. This gave Ferguson his second League and Cup Double, just like he did with Aberdeen.

The 1994–95 season was tougher. Cantona was banned for eight months after an incident with a fan. United signed striker Andy Cole for a British record fee. Young players like Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, and Paul Scholes started to play more. However, United lost the league title on the final day, drawing with West Ham. They also lost the FA Cup final to Everton.

"You Can't Win Anything With Kids"

In the summer of 1995, Ferguson was criticized. He let three star players leave and didn't buy big replacements. But Ferguson believed in United's young players, known as "Fergie's Fledglings". These included Gary Neville, Phil Neville, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, and Nicky Butt.

The 1995–96 season started with a 3–1 loss to Aston Villa. A TV expert, Alan Hansen, famously said, "You can't win anything with kids." But United won their next five games. Cantona returned in October 1995. United were ten points behind league leaders Newcastle by Christmas. But they fought back with a series of wins. By late March, United were top. Newcastle's manager, Kevin Keegan, even had a famous angry outburst on TV about Ferguson's comments. United won the title on the final day. A week later, they beat Liverpool to win the 1996 FA Cup Final. This was their second double in three years!

United started the next season well, beating Newcastle 4–0 in the Charity Shield. They won their fourth league title in five seasons in 1996–97. They also reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 28 years. New signings included Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Ronny Johnsen. In May 1997, Cantona retired. Striker Teddy Sheringham was signed as his replacement. Roy Keane became the new captain.

In September 1997, United lost their first league game in seven months. Keane got injured and was out for the season. Goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel became captain. United had a big lead in the league by November. But Arsenal caught up and won the title in May 1998. Ferguson congratulated Arsenal's manager, Arsène Wenger. United then signed defender Jaap Stam for a club record fee. They also signed striker Dwight Yorke.

The Amazing Treble Season: 1998–99

The 1998–99 season started with a 3–0 loss to Arsenal. In December 1998, assistant manager Brian Kidd left. Ferguson brought in Steve McClaren as his new assistant in February 1999. Their first game together was United's huge 8–1 win over Nottingham Forest.

United's league challenge started slowly because they were busy in other competitions. They finished second in their tough Champions League group. A dramatic FA Cup win against Liverpool, with a late goal from Solskjær, showed the team's amazing spirit.

In the final weeks of the league season, Arsenal were strong challengers. United and Arsenal also met in the FA Cup semi-final. In the replay, Keane was sent off, and Arsenal got a penalty. But Peter Schmeichel saved it! Then, in extra time, Giggs scored an incredible goal, running past several Arsenal players. United went on to beat Newcastle United in the FA Cup final. A week before, they had won the Premiership title.

United also did well in the Champions League. They beat Inter Milan and then faced Juventus in the semi-finals. After drawing the first game, Juventus scored two quick goals in the second leg. But Keane, Yorke, and Cole all scored for United, giving them a famous comeback win!

Days after the FA Cup final, United played Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League final in Barcelona. United conceded a goal in the first six minutes. But in the final minutes of the game, Sheringham equalized from a corner. Then, just three minutes later, Solskjær scored the winning goal! This completed an amazing treble for United: winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in one season. Ferguson famously said, "I can't believe it. Football, bloody hell!"

Over 500,000 people came out in Manchester to celebrate with the players. United were invited to play in the Intercontinental Cup and the new Club World Championship. To play in these, United had to withdraw from the FA Cup that season.

More Titles and Retirement Plans

After Schmeichel left, Ferguson signed new goalkeepers. United won the 1999–2000 league season as champions, with a record 18-point lead. They won the Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo. But they lost in the Champions League quarter-finals. Ferguson signed goalkeeper Fabien Barthez and later striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

In the 2000–01 season, United won the league title for a third season in a row. This was only the fourth time in history a team had done this. There were reports that Ferguson might leave the club. He even said he would retire when his contract ended the next year. But he later changed his mind, deciding to stay.

In 2001, assistant manager McClaren left. United signed Juan Sebastián Verón for a record fee. Defender Jaap Stam was sold. Ferguson later said selling Stam was his biggest mistake. United had a poor start to the 2001–02 season. But after Ferguson decided to stay, their form improved. They finished third in the league and reached the Champions League semi-finals.

Rebuilding the Team

In June 2002, Ferguson hired Carlos Queiroz as his new assistant. In July 2002, United bought defender Rio Ferdinand from Leeds for a record £29.3 million.

The 2002–03 season started badly. But United's league form improved. They caught up with Arsenal and won the Premier League for the eighth time in May 2003. They were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in an "epic" match.

After one season, Queiroz left to manage Real Madrid. Ferguson didn't hire a replacement, expecting Queiroz to return, which he did later. In the summer, David Beckham moved to Real Madrid. United rebuilt their team, signing Tim Howard in goal and young talents like Cristiano Ronaldo.

In December 2003, Rio Ferdinand was banned from playing for eight months. This hurt United's defence of the Premier League in the 2003–04 season. They finished third. They were also knocked out of Europe by Porto. However, United won the FA Cup, beating Millwall 3–0 in the 2004 final.

At the start of the 2004–05 season, teenage striker Wayne Rooney and defender Gabriel Heinze joined United. Cristiano Ronaldo continued to impress. But without a main striker for much of the season, United finished third again. They lost the FA Cup final on penalties to Arsenal. This was a rare season without a trophy for United. During this season, Ferguson managed his 1,000th game for United.

The 2005–06 season was a time of change. Long-time captain Roy Keane left the club. United failed to get past the group stage of the Champions League. They signed goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar and midfielder Park Ji-sung. In January, defenders Nemanja Vidić and Patrice Evra joined. United finished second in the league. They won the League Cup, which was a good consolation prize.

Second Champions League Trophy

Ferguson in 2006

Ferguson in 2008, with assistant manager Carlos Queiroz

In 2006, Michael Carrick joined to replace Roy Keane. United started the 2006–07 season very well, winning their first four Premier League games. They stayed at the top of the league for most of the season. The new signings, especially Evra, Vidić, and Carrick, made the team very strong.

Ferguson celebrated 20 years as Manchester United manager on 6 November 2006. United won their ninth Premier League title. However, they lost the FA Cup final to Chelsea. In the Champions League, they reached the semi-finals, beating Roma 7–1 in one game, but then lost to AC Milan.

For the 2007–08 season, Ferguson signed Owen Hargreaves, Nani, Anderson, and Carlos Tevez. United had a slow start to the league, but then recovered. Ferguson said this was the best squad he had ever put together.

On 11 May 2008, Ferguson led Manchester United to their tenth Premier League title. They finished two points ahead of Chelsea. Exactly 25 years after winning a European trophy with Aberdeen!

On 21 May 2008, Ferguson won his second European Cup with Manchester United. They beat Chelsea 6–5 on penalties in Moscow, after a 1–1 draw. This was the first ever all-English Champions League final. Edwin van der Sar saved a penalty to win the trophy for United.

World Champions and More League Titles

Ferguson with Sebastian Piñera in 2010

In the 2008–09 season, United won the Premier League again. This made Ferguson the first manager in English football history to win the top division three times in a row, and he did it twice! He had now won 11 league titles with Manchester United. They also won the League Cup and became the first British club to win the FIFA Club World Cup in December 2008.

They reached the Champions League final again but lost 2–0 to Barcelona.

In the 2009–10 season, Ferguson won another League Cup. But their dreams of a third European Cup ended in the quarter-finals. They also lost the Premier League title to Chelsea by one point on the last day.

The following season, Ferguson won his 12th league title with United. This was United's 19th league title overall, passing Liverpool's record of 18. Manchester United faced Barcelona again in the 2011 Champions League final but lost 3–1. Ferguson then signed new players like Phil Jones, Ashley Young, and goalkeeper David de Gea.

In the 2011–12 season, United beat rivals Manchester City in the 2011 FA Community Shield. But City won their first Premier League title on goal difference. This close defeat led Ferguson to sign star striker Robin van Persie from Arsenal in August 2012.

The 2012–13 season saw Ferguson guide United to their 20th league title. They won it with a 3–0 home win over Aston Villa on 22 April 2013. Van Persie scored all the goals. Ferguson's final game in charge was a thrilling 5–5 draw with West Bromwich Albion. United finished the season 11 points ahead of Manchester City. Earlier in the season, Ferguson managed his 1,000th league game with United. He also won his 100th Champions League game.

Retirement

On 8 May 2013, Ferguson announced he would retire as manager at the end of the season. He said he would stay at the club as a director and ambassador. Many people called it the "end of an era". UEFA president Michel Platini called him "a true visionary". Ferguson said he had decided to retire in December 2012.

On 9 May 2013, Manchester United announced David Moyes would replace Ferguson. In Ferguson's last match, Manchester United drew 5–5 with West Brom.

Ferguson released his second autobiography in October 2013. In January 2014, he became the UEFA Coaching Ambassador. In April 2014, it was announced he would teach at Harvard University. He also published a book called Leading: Learning from Life and My Years at Manchester United.

Legacy

Many of Ferguson's former players have become football managers themselves. These include Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, Mark Hughes, Roy Keane, Paul Ince, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, and Wayne Rooney. Three of them have managed Manchester United: Giggs, Solskjær, and Carrick.

The phrase "squeaky-bum time", which Ferguson used to describe the tense final stages of a league competition, is now in the dictionary!

A bronze statue of Ferguson was put up outside Old Trafford on 23 November 2012. On 14 October 2013, a road near Old Trafford was renamed Sir Alex Ferguson Way. In 2022, another bronze statue of Ferguson was unveiled at Aberdeen's Pittodrie stadium.

A documentary about Ferguson's career, called Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In, was released in 2021. It features interviews with him, his family, and former players.

Statues of Sir Alex Ferguson
Statue of Sir Alex Ferguson at Pittodrie Stadium by Andy Edwards, unveiled 25 February 2022
Sir Alex Ferguson statue installed at Old Trafford on 23 November 2012

Personal Life

Ferguson lives in Wilmslow, Cheshire. He was married to Cathy Holding from 1966 until she passed away in October 2023. They had three sons: Mark, and twins Darren (who also became a professional footballer and manager), and Jason. Jason directed the 2021 documentary about his father.

Ferguson has been a supporter of the Labour Party. In 2009, he received an honorary doctorate from Manchester Metropolitan University.

He is a long-time supporter of his childhood team, Harmony Row. In the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Ferguson supported Scotland remaining part of the United Kingdom.

In May 2018, Ferguson had emergency surgery after a brain haemorrhage. He recovered and attended his first match back at Old Trafford in September 2018.

Ferguson is also a wine collector. In 2014, he sold part of his large collection at auction.

After retiring from managing in 2013, Ferguson continued as an ambassador and director for Manchester United. In October 2024, it was announced he would leave his official role as club ambassador at the end of the season.

Honours

Player

St Johnstone

Scottish Division Two: 1962–63

Falkirk

Scottish Division Two: 1969–70

Individual

Scottish Division One top scorer: 1965–66
Dunfermline Athletic Hall of Fame: 2006–07
Queen's Park Lifetime Membership Award: October 2012

Manager

Ferguson was one of the first people to be inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002. This was to recognize his huge impact on English football. He is also the Vice-President of the National Football Museum. On 5 November 2011, the North Stand at Old Trafford was renamed the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand to honor his 25 years as manager.

He is the only manager to win the top league titles and the 'Double' (league and main cup) in both England and Scotland. He is also the last manager to win the Scottish league championship with a team that wasn't Old Firm (Rangers or Celtic).

Ferguson is the second-most successful manager in European football, with seven trophies. He won the English top division a record 13 times. He is also the first manager in English league history to win three consecutive league titles, and he did this twice! He won 10 Manager of the Year awards and 27 Manager of the Month awards. In 2017, he was named among the 10 most influential coaches since UEFA started in 1954.

St Mirren

Scottish First Division: 1976–77

Aberdeen

Scottish Premier Division: 1979–80, 1983–84, 1984–85
Scottish Cup: 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86
Scottish League Cup: 1985–86
Drybrough Cup: 1980
European Cup Winners' Cup: 1982–83
European Super Cup: 1983

Manchester United

Premier League: 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13
FA Cup: 1989–90, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04
Football League Cup: 1991–92, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10
FA Charity/Community Shield: 1990 (shared), 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011
UEFA Champions League: 1998–99, 2007–08; runner-up: 2008–09, 2010–11
European Cup Winners' Cup: 1990–91
European Super Cup: 1991
Intercontinental Cup: 1999
FIFA Club World Cup: 2008