and who looked tired. He could tell when his players were on top and
also when they were at rock bottom.26
WE’RE SEn DIn G YOU DOWn , SOn (SORRY)
Danny Higginbotham United defender, 1997-2000
In 2005, I was at Southampton and we played United on the last day
of the season, needing a win to stay up. United were playing in the FA
Cup final against Arsenal a week later, so there was a lot of talk of
them playing a weakened team against us. They didn’t.
Every time I played against United, Alex would come over to me and
have a little chat. On this occasion, we lost 2-1. We were relegated. I
was devastated, and the last one back down the tunnel. When I got
there, Alex was waiting for me. He put his arm around me and said,
“Sorry, Danny, we’ve been under lots of pressure so I just couldn’t play
a weakened team.”
He was apologising for playing a full-strength team and winning.
He didn’t have to do that – but it showed the respect he had for his
former players.27
FERGIE COULD TAKE A JOKE... EVEn TUALLY
Charlie Nicholas F riend
A few days before the start of the 1986 World Cup, the Scotland
management team – Fergie, Archie Knox and Walter Smith – went
out for the night. Stevie Nicol and I decided it would be a bit of fun to
fill his room with loads of kit – so much that you couldn’t actually get
in through the door. We also put cellophane over the toilet seat,
unscrewed the bed – all the classic gags.
We expected there to be an inquest the following day, but there
was none. I always suspected he knew it was us, but he didn’t say
anything until I went to Old Trafford to watch a United game years
and years later. Afterwards, I went back to his office for a drink. He
turned to me and said out of nowhere, “I know it was you.” I said,
“What was me?” And he replied, “The hampers. The cellophane. Don’t
think I didn’t know.” Then he just giggled. That was how I always
found him – a really warm, funny man. Sure, I also saw a determined
bugger, but mostly I didn’t see this great anger in him – just a
warmth and love of life.28
THE BIRTH OF A FOOTBALL MOn STER
Tony Pulis Rival manager
I had just got Stoke promoted and I wanted to call a couple ofPremier League managers to have a chat about what to expect. I
remember chatting with Alex. He said, “You’ve got to find a way of
winning home games. Play to your strengths. Forget what everybody
else says – don’t let them affect your way of playing.”
That really stuck with me, and we did all sorts of things to make sure
we were strong and powerful, and to make it more difficult for
opponents to play at the Britannia. We used to have [Arsene] Wenger
complaining about the size of the pitch, and other managers
complaining about the grass being too long, and the way we played, and
Rory Delap’s long throw, but Alex was one of the few managers who
never complained about those things, so maybe he realised I had taken
his advice. Then again, we never managed to bloody beat them, so it
would have been interesting to see what he would have said if we had!29
KIn G OF THE RIn G On TOUR
Mick Clegg United power development coach, 2000-11
Fergie’s approach to his own personal fitness was that he knew he
needed to do it, but he didn’t like to do it because he was always so
busy. He was always the first in at the club and he always had stacks
of paperwork on his desk to get through. So, many a morning I’d
bang at his door, shouting, “Come on, get down the gym – you know
it’s good for you.” He would always say, “I don’t have time” and I
would just reply, “You have time to die, though!”
I introduced boxing to our gym sessions as Roy Keane had tried it
and enjoyed it, so it became part of our training methodology to do
boxing-related exercises that were applicable to football. When we
were on tour, [Fergie] would have a little more time, and he came to
me once and said, “Come on then, let’s have a go at this boxing” –
and he enjoyed it.30
DOn ’T CALL HIM GAFFER (An Y MORE)
David May United defender, 1994-2003
At his golf day three years ago, just after he’d retired, he walked over
to me and I said, “How are you doing, gaffer?” He replied, “No, no, it’s
not gaffer any more. Just call me Alex.” I couldn’t call him Alex – it
wasn’t in my nature to call him that. He still gets called the gaffer
now because all of the players have so much respect for him – and
rightly so. The ability to get the maximum out of his players, not to
mention his man-management skills, were second to none. He knew
how to give you a good rollicking, but he also knew when to put his
arm around you as well.Images
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Getty Images48 The Managers FourFourTwo.comFERGIE