Sir Alex Ferguson Retire As Manchester United Manager After 27 Years

Sir Alex Ferguson has announced he will retire as Manchester United manager after 27 years at the club, moving upstairs to be a member of the board.

Addressing pressmen during his retirement announcement this morning in England, the Scottish said:

'The decision to retire is one that I have thought a great deal about and one that I have not taken lightly. It is the right time.

'It was important to me to leave an organization in the strongest possible shape and I believe I have done so. The quality of this league winning squad, and the balance of ages within it, bodes well for continued success at the highest level whilst the structure of the youth set-up will ensure that the long-term future of the club remains a bright one.

'Our training facilities are amongst the finest in global sport and our home Old Trafford is rightfully regarded as one of the leading venues in the world.

'Going forward, I am delighted to take on the roles of both Director and Ambassador for the club. With these activities, along with my many other interests, I am looking forward to the future.

'I must pay tribute to my family, their love and support has been essential. My wife Cathy has been the key figure throughout my career, providing a bedrock of both stability and encouragement. Words are not enough to express what this has meant to me.

'As for my players and staff, past and present, I would like to thank them all for a staggering level of professional conduct and dedication that has helped to deliver so many memorable triumphs. Without their contribution the history of this great club would not be as rich.

'In my early years, the backing of the board, and Sir Bobby Charlton in particular, gave me the confidence and time to build a football club, rather than just a football team.

'Over the past decade, the Glazer family have provided me with the platform to manage Manchester United to the best of my ability and I have been extremely fortunate to have worked with a talented and trustworthy Chief Executive in David Gill. I am truly grateful to all of them.

'To the fans, thank you. The support you have provided over the years has been truly humbling. It has been an honour and an enormous privilege to have had the opportunity to lead your club and I have treasured my time as manager of Manchester United.'

Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the most successful manager in the history of the  English premier league. And now, for the first time in over a quarter of a century, United are on the hunt for a new manager.

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Moyes, out of contract at Everton, and Jose Mourinho, who is expected to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season, are the obvious favorites, although Borussia Dortmund's highly-regarded coach Jurgen Klopp and Bayern Munich's 67-year-old outgoing boss Jupp Heynckes will also come into contention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SIR ALEX FERGUSON

1941 - Born Dec. 31 in Govan, Scotland.
1957 - Begins playing career at Scottish club Queen's Park.
1966 - Marries Cathy.
1974 - Ends six-club playing career and takes charge of Scottish club East Stirling.
1978 - Becomes manager of Aberdeen in Scottish top division, winning Scottish league for the first time in 1981.
1983 - Wins European Cup Winners' Cup with victory over Real Madrid in final, and becomes Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
1985 - Takes temporary charge of Scotland's national team after death of manager Jock Stein on Sept. 10.
1986 - Coaches Scotland at World Cup, where team failed to advance from group.
1986 - Becomes Manchester United manager as replacement for the fired Ron Atkinson. Leaves Aberdeen with three Scottish titles, four Scottish Cups, one League Cup, a European Cup Winners' Cup and a European Super Cup.
1990 - Wins first trophy at United, the FA Cup after a replay against Crystal Palace in the final.
1991 - Wins European Cup Winners' Cup after beating Barcelona 2-1 in final.
1992 - Signs French forward Eric Cantona.
1993 - Wins United's first English title since 1967 and voted Manager of the Year.
1994 - Retains English title and also wins FA Cup.
1995 - Made Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
1996 - Wins Premier League again, this time with youngsters in his team such as David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville known as "Fergie's Fledglings."
1999 - Wins a historic Premier League-FA Cup-Champions League treble, after winning European Cup for the first time thanks to late goals by Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in a 2-1 win over Bayern Munich; Becomes a knight; Wins Intercontinental Cup
2001 - Breaks British transfer record to sign Argentina midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron for 28 million pounds.
2002 - Decides to stay on at United after announcing decision to retire at the end of the season. Admits decision to make announcement public was an "absolute disaster."
2003 - Launches legal action against then-United shareholder John Magnier over ownership of race horse Rock of Gibraltar; Reportedly kicks football boot into face of Beckham, causing injury to midfielder's face. Beckham sold to Real Madrid that summer; Signs Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon.
2004 - Has pacemaker fitted.
2007 - Denies Chelsea a third straight English title by winning Premier League with United for ninth time.
2008 - Wins Champions League for the second time with victory in a penalty shootout over Chelsea, following 1-1 draw; Wins Club World Cup.
2009 - Given four-match touchline ban for comments criticizing fitness of referee Alan Wiley.
2010 - Wins fourth and final League Cup.
2011 - United names north stand at Old Trafford as the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand.
2013 - Reclaims Premier League title from Manchester City, winning it for 13th time.