1
FERGIE: ARSEn AL’S SAVIOUR?
Charlie Nicholas Friend
I remember the moment Alex told me he’d been offered the
Manchester United job. I was gutted – I thought he was going to
manage me at Arsenal!
I developed a really close relationship with him when he took the
Scotland job [in 1985]. If there’s one manager who could have got
me on the straight and narrow, it was him. He once told me, while we
were together with Scotland, that he’d been made an offer by
Arsenal to take over there. I was sworn to secrecy, but my heart was
pounding at that point as I was getting on well with him and things
hadn’t been going so well for me at Arsenal up to that point. When
he later said, “I’ve had an offer from Manchester United and I’m going
there”, I thought, ‘Aw, bugger!’2
I nTRODUCIn G THE HAIRDRYER
Chris Turner Manchester United goalkeeper, 1985-88
The first time Fergie dished out his infamous hairdryer treatment at
United was after we’d been beaten 1-0 at Wimbledon [on November
29, 1986, three weeks into the new manager’s reign]. Fergie really
ripped into us. He felt we had to get out of our comfort zone and be a
side with a more ruthless streak. I think he also felt that we were a bit
of a soft touch and were not competing physically – and of course
Wimbledon at that time were well known for doing exactly that.
The player who got it that day was John Sivebaek, our right-back. I
think it was probably just because he was sitting in the wrong place
at that moment. Alex was right in his face, yelling, giving him both
barrels. John was one of the quietest, nicest lads you could meet, so I
did feel a bit sorry for him. But Alex felt he needed a reaction from his
team, to wake us up out of our complacency. And that approach was
all part of what made him the great coach that he was.3
ALEX FERGUSOn vS PAUL MCGRATH
Viv Anderson Manchester United defender, 1987-91
It didn’t take me long to work out that Alex would be a hard
taskmaster. During my first full pre-season with United we played at
Hartlepool on a cold, wet night in August – yes, August, but this is
Hartlepool, remember – and we were losing 5-0 at half-time.
It was an explosive thing to witness. Kit bags went flying, anything
that wasn’t nailed down was hurled across the room and he’d go
right in your face, his veins in his forehead throbbing, and say, “You
think you’re a United player? You’re a disgrace!”
He went over towards Paul McGrath and did it an inch
away from his face. Paul, in his soft, Irish accent, said gently,
“There’s no need to shout, because I’m sitting right in
front of you.”We were all wincing, cowering, and inwardly thinking, ‘Noooo! Just
sit there and take it, Paul – it’s not worth it!’ And of course Alex carried
on even louder. We went on to lose 6-0. Perhaps not coincidentally,
Paul was sold the following summer.4
DOIn G BUSIn ESS QUICKLY
Lee Sharpe Manchester United winger, 1988-96
I was playing for Torquay as a 16-year-old apprentice. A scout came
to watch one of our matches and then called up Alex Ferguson,
saying, “There’s a young kid here that you need to see.” Fergie came
down with his assistant manager, Archie Knox, and watched
our game on the Friday evening. By the Saturday morning he’d
agreed to take me up to Manchester.
It was all pretty quick; I had no idea he had even been watching the
game until 2am on the Saturday, when the manager and club
secretary knocked on my door and told me United wanted to sign me.
I joined the club not long after my 17th birthday and started
playing in the first team straight away.5
DOn ’T QUESTIOn HIS COn TROL
Patrick Barclay Journalist
I was at the 1990 FA Cup semi-final replay between Manchester United
and Oldham Athletic at Maine Road, and at half-time the press corps,
club directors and other officials were mingling in the Blue Room. Alex
walked through and, it being half-time, didn’t stop for small talk. But
then he saw me. We’d always had an all right relationship, but at this
moment his eyes widened and he just said, “You c**t.”
“Excuse me?” I asked.
“You f**king c**t.” And with that he was gone.
I couldn’t believe it. A few weeks later I saw him again in the foyer
at Elland Road. I decided to march up to him – my temper had me
brave – and laid into him, asking how he dared talk to me like that. I
drove home later thinking, ‘Oh heck, what have I done?’ but feeling I
had at least stood up for myself.
The following season I went to Hungary to see United play in the
Cup Winners’ Cup. Worryingly, all the press were staying in the same
hotel as the club. I was in the bar, having a beer with some of the
press guys, when in walks Ferguson. I thought, ‘Here we go’ – but he
was all smiles and bought everyone a drink, including me.
It was only later on that I discovered he had taken exception to an
article I’d written prior to the Oldham game, in which I’d wondered if
Fergie might have lost his grip at Old Trafford and if matters were
getting out of his control. The thing is, calling someone a c**t and
then swearing back at them is fine, but the minute you question a
control freak’s control, then you’re in trouble.FERGIE