It was the dreaded news that every United feared would happen one day, Fergie Leaves United!
Tuesday night was a hive of activity on the social media sites as one of my mates texted me to say Sir Alex maybe leaving. I thought it was a bit of media frenzy trying to make a small innuendo turn into a huge story but as Wednesday morning dawned and the announcement at 9.20am confirmed the worse, Sir Alex was leaving United post.
Going back to his last attempted retirement which was aborted This was more genuine. It was very similar to Cantona exit when he decided to go, he went and the summer was full of speculation on who was to replace him, how would we cope? but United did and 2 years later we did the treble!
Sir Alex exit is probably the best time, right at the end of the season and thus giving the new man a chance to work over the summer with his new charges.
Most United fans have grown up with Sir Alex at the helm but I have followed United since the late 1970s where United league pedigree was non existent. Prior to Sir Alex appointment I could only enjoy 3 FA cup wins in 1977, 1983 and 1985. The League I think we got a runners up behind Liverpool in 1980, not great but we didn't complain. Sir Alex arrived and although it took a while to get his first trophy (1990 FA Cup) it wasn't until 1993 we finally won the league. The year before we collapsed whilst in pole only for Leeds to overtake and when we finally clinched it in 1993 I could have died a happy man!
What most fans didn't realise that was only the start and eventually we would take over Liverpool as the top dogs of English Football. He has bowed out at the top as the most successful manager in English football and along those years he has royally entertained me and the Old Trafford crowd over the years. He has bought some top players, bought through youth, won doubles and trebles and European cups. He got that siege mentality that it was United against the world, we could take on anyone and we did.
Thinking of individual moments is a tough one but the Champions League semi final in Turin where United overturned a 2-0 deficit to win, the 99 champions league final where 2 goals in injury time led to him saying 'football, bloody hell' that summed it up. We had fergie time where a winning goal in injury time was the norm. One moment summed it when 10 minutes remaining we were 2-1 down at home to Aston Villa with Liverpool poised to take over the lead, he sent on a 17 year old youth player Macheda and his late goal earned United a 3-2 win and a title followed. He had great faith in young players and was not afraid to put them in.
But one door shuts and another opens, United will carry on and the Sir Alex legacy will continue.
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