Sir Alex Ferguson: Soon ‘Once Upon a Time’ at Manchester United

By Arinze Ude

Sir Alex Chapman Ferguson has announced that he will step down at the end of the season after 27 years as manager of the most famous football club in the world, Manchester United. Fergie, as he’s fondly known, took reigns of Manchester United in 1986, winning 13 league titles, 2 Champions League titles, 5 FA Cups, 4 League cups, 1 FIFA Club World Cup, 1 Cup Winners Cup, 1 UEFA Super Cup, 1 Inter-continental Cup, 10 FA Community Shields – 38 in total, making him the most successful coach in the history of British football. FERGUSON’S FABULOUS 49 Sir Alex’s 49 trophies have also earned him acclaim as having the most successful managerial career Britain has ever known. ST MIRREN Scottish First Division (1): 1976-77. ABERDEEN Scottish Premier Division (3): 1979-80, 1983-84, 1984-85. Scottish Cup (4): 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1985-86. Scottish League Cup (1): 1985-86. European Cup-Winners’ Cup (1): 1982-83. European Super Cup (1): 1983. MANCHESTER UNITED Premier League (13): 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 (5): 1989-90, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1998-99, 2003-04. League Cup (4): 1991-92, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10. Charity/Community Shield (10): 1990 (shared), 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011. Champions League (2): 1998-99, 2007-08. European Cup-Winners’ Cup (1): 1990-91. European Super Cup (1): 1991. Intercontinental Cup (1): 1999. FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2008.   THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SIR ALEX FERGUSON 1941 – Born Dec. 31 in Govan, Scotland. 1957 – Begins playing career at Scottish club Queen’s Park. 1966 – Marries Cathy. 1974 – Ends six-club playing career and takes charge of Scottish club East Stirling. 1978 – Becomes manager of Aberdeen in Scottish top division, winning Scottish league for the first time in 1981. 1983 – Wins European Cup Winners’ Cup with victory over Real Madrid in final, and becomes Officer of the Order of the British Empire. 1985 – Takes temporary charge of Scotland’s national team after death of manager Jock Stein on Sept. 10. 1986 – Coaches Scotland at World Cup, where team failed to advance from group. 1986 – Becomes Manchester United manager as replacement for the fired Ron Atkinson. Leaves Aberdeen with three Scottish titles, four Scottish Cups, one League Cup, a European Cup Winners’ Cup and a European Super Cup. 1990 – Wins first trophy at United, the FA Cup after a replay against Crystal Palace in the final. 1991 – Wins European Cup Winners’ Cup after beating Barcelona 2-1 in final. 1992 – Signs French forward Eric Cantona. 1993 – Wins United’s first English title since 1967 and voted Manager of the Year. 1994 – Retains English title and also wins FA Cup. 1995 – Made Commander of the Order of the British Empire. 1996 – Wins Premier League again, this time with youngsters in his team such as David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville known as “Fergie’s Fledglings.” 1999 – Wins a historic Premier League-FA Cup-Champions League treble, after winning European Cup for the first time thanks to late goals by Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in a 2-1 win over Bayern Munich; Becomes a knight; Wins Intercontinental Cup 2001 – Breaks British transfer record to sign Argentina midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron for 28 million pounds. 2002 – Decides to stay on at United after announcing decision to retire at the end of the season. Admits decision to make announcement public was an “absolute disaster.” 2003 – Launches legal action against then-United shareholder John Magnier over ownership of race horse Rock of Gibraltar; reportedly kicks football boot into face of Beckham, causing injury to midfielder’s face. Beckham sold to Real Madrid that summer; Signs Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon. 2004 – Has pacemaker fitted. 2007 – Denies Chelsea a third straight English title by winning Premier League with United for ninth time. 2008 – Wins Champions League for the second time with victory in a penalty shootout over Chelsea, following 1-1 draw; Wins Club World Cup. 2009 – Given four-match touchline ban for comments criticizing fitness of referee Alan Wiley. 2010 – Wins fourth and final League Cup. 2011 – United names north stand at Old Trafford as the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand. 2013 – Reclaims Premier League title from Manchester City, winning it for 13th time.