Sir Alex Ferguson has recalled the emotional return to Old Trafford after suffering a brain haemorrhage in 2018, describing how he felt terrified about returning to Manchester United for the first time since his emergency surgery. The legendary former United manager was four months into his recovery when he went back to watch his former club face Wolves in the Premier League.
Ferguson, who became famous for his intense management style during 26 years at Manchester United, admitted he was unsure about how supporters would react to seeing him after his illness. “I wish I could say I was comfortable. I wasn’t,” he told BBC Breakfast.
Sir Alex Ferguson Returns to Old Trafford
Ferguson did not need to worry. Supporters gave him and his wife Cathy a standing ovation when they arrived in the directors’ box before kick-off.
“My wife was with me, and she was nearly crying,” Ferguson recalled. “When we sat down, she said: ‘That’s fantastic.'”
At the time of his brain haemorrhage, Ferguson had been retired for five years after winning 38 trophies during his Manchester United career. He had taken charge of the club from 1986 until 2013 and secured 13 Premier League titles among his many honours.
Now three months short of his 85th birthday, Ferguson says he is feeling “quite good despite small injuries”. His new book, “Games of My Life”, looks at 21 matches that played important roles in his career, from his childhood football in Glasgow to his years dominating English and European football with United.
Ferguson also recalled the frightening period immediately after his brain surgery, when he temporarily lost his ability to speak.
“I had lost my voice; I couldn’t speak,” he said. “That was a frightening moment.” A therapist later helped him recover his speech by asking him to write down names of birds, animals and rivers.
Sir Alex Ferguson Nearly Left Football
Ferguson’s route to Manchester United’s dugout began long before his success at Old Trafford. He grew up in Govan, Glasgow, and credits his parents with helping shape his character, with his father Alexander working in the Govan shipyards.
After making his debut for Queen’s Park at 16, Ferguson later joined St Johnstone. His time there became frustrating because he struggled to establish himself in the first team and eventually considered leaving football altogether for Canada.
He had completed the necessary paperwork and contacted his aunt in Canada when an unexpected opportunity changed everything.
St Johnstone were hit by a flu outbreak before a match against Rangers at Ibrox in 1963. Ferguson, then 21, was brought into the starting line-up and responded by scoring a hat-trick.
That performance revived his playing career and helped put him on the path that eventually led to management success. Ferguson now describes that moment as an example of the importance of recognising major opportunities.
Manchester United and the Class of 92
Ferguson’s career at Manchester United included two Champions League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups and several European and international honours. His decisions about players were often controversial, including the 1995 sale of midfielder Paul Ince to Inter Milan.
Ferguson said he had considered the future of young players such as Paul Scholes before accepting Inter’s improved offer of £7.5m for Ince. Letters from angry United supporters complaining about the possible transfer remain among the items featured in the interview.
The manager later acknowledged that he regretted describing Ince as a “big-time Charlie”. The pair eventually reconciled, and Ferguson now describes Ince as a good friend.
The following season became another defining chapter. After Ince and Mark Hughes left, Ferguson relied heavily on a younger group that included Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Scholes and David Beckham.
Liverpool defender Alan Hansen famously questioned United’s prospects after their young side lost to Aston Villa at the start of the 1995-96 season. By the end of the campaign, Ferguson’s team had won the Premier League and FA Cup double.
Ferguson said the young players brought ability, desire and a new spirit to Manchester United. He also recalled sending Beckham on loan to Preston, explaining that the future England star initially believed the move meant Ferguson wanted him out of the club.
For Ferguson, giving young players opportunities had always been part of his management philosophy, a principle he had also followed during his earlier spells at St Mirren and Aberdeen. His memories in “Games of My Life” bring together those defining moments and the decisions that shaped one of football’s longest managerial careers.
