Sir Alex Ferguson
Alexander Chapman Ferguson was born in Govan, Glasgow on 31 December 1941.
Sir Alex Ferguson has had huge success as manager of Manchester United and was knighted in 1999.
His playing career started at Queen's Park in 1958 and included spells for St Johnstone, Dunfermline, Rangers, Falkirk and Aberdeen.
Before managing Manchester United Alex Ferguson very briefly took the helm at East Sterlingshire in 1974 and then managed St Mirren before moving on to a succesful stint at Aberdeen from 1978 to 1986 which included winning the European Cup Winners Cup with a victory in the final against Real Madrid in the 1982-3 season.
Ferguson was briefly in charge of the Scottish national side for ten games including the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. He then joined Manchester United where he has been at the helm ever since.
Detailed statistics and Ferguson's record as manager of Manchester United can be found on the Alex Ferguson update page.
An avid horseracing fan Alex Ferguson enjoyed a record-breaking seven Group 1 victories with Rock Of Gibraltar, whom he owned in partnership with Sue Magnier, the wife of significant Manchester United shareholder, John Magnier.
However, a long-running ownership dispute linked to stud rights arose between Ferguson and Magnier's Coolmore Stud.
The experience did not diminish Ferguson's love of racing. He had a share in Gatwick, who won three valuable handicaps in 2004. Fergsuson also had an interest in horses trained by Ed Dunlop and an involvement with Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, and in 2005 he had his first horse with Mark Johnston, Against The Grain.
Apart from horseracing Sir Alex Ferguson's hobbies include golf and snooker.
Sir Alex Ferguson also has an interest in politics. Ferguson wrote in The Mirror on 12 April 2005:
"I am almost as passionate about politics as I am about football. I have never forgotten where I come from or how fortunate I have been to get where I have - and how important politics has been in improving the lives of the people I come from. I want as many people as possible to have the same chance through hard work to make the most of their talents.
"And I don't want families to suffer again the misery that the Tories caused as I saw in Scotland and the North West.
"That's why I always have, and always will, vote Labour."
Sir Alex Ferguson has written an autobiography called Managing My Life.
On May 6, 2007 after Manchester United secured the Premiership title again, the BBC quoted Ferguson as showing no intention of retiring: " ... why should I give up? I'm going to continue doing it and I dont know how long I'll go on for, but I'm really enjoying it."
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