Sir Alex Ferguson's Biography

Who is Sir Alex Ferguson?

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 successful 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.

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. Ferguson 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 don't know how long I'll go on for, but I'm really enjoying it."

In May 2008, Sir Alex Ferguson clinched his 10th league title when Manchester United won the Premiership. They also won the Champions League title.

The following year, Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United nearly accomplished the feat again. They won the Premiership, but, in May 2009, they were beaten 2-0 by Barcelona in the final of the Champions league.

On 19 December 2010, Sir Alex Ferguson became Manchester United's longest serving manager when he overtook Sir Matt Busby's record of 24 years one month and 14 days in charge of the club.

In May 2013, it was announced that Sir Alex Ferguson was retiring at the end of the 2012/13 season, by which time, Manchester United having already secured the Premiership again, the club under Ferguson's tenure would have won 38 trophies during 13 league titles, two Champions League trophies, five FA Cups and four League Cups.

At the end of the season he would become a director and ambassador for Manchester United.

In May 2018, it was revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson had suffered a brain haemorrhage.

Sir Alex's wife of 57 years, Lady Cathy Fergsuon died in October 2023.