Sir Alex Ferguson has announced he will retire as Manchester United manager after 27 years at the club on a day that will redefine the landscape of British football.
The 71-year-old moved to Old Trafford in 1986 and re-built United's empire in spectacular fashion - winning an astonishing 49 trophies in all.
But, after infamously 'quitting' 12 years ago, he has decided to retire once and for all at the end of this season. He leaves having won his 13th Premier League trophy - and reclaiming the title from the 'noisy neighbors' Manchester City.
United’s final match of the season, at West Bromwich Albion on May 19, will be the 1,500th of Ferguson’s tenure as manager.
Having always cited his health as the primary factor in any decision to retire, the club’s confirmation last Friday evening that Ferguson, who had a heart pacemaker fitted in 2004, would undergo hip surgery in August raised fresh doubt over his determination to continue in the post.
As details of the proposed announcement today dripped through late last night, officials at Old Trafford were not even taking calls from journalists amid the frenzy of speculation.
Ferguson then arrived for work as usual on Wednesday morning as he was seen driving into United's Carrington training base at 6.50am.
As details of the proposed announcement today dripped through late last night, officials at Old Trafford were not even taking calls from journalists amid the frenzy of speculation.
Ferguson then arrived for work as usual on Wednesday morning as he was seen driving into United's Carrington training base at 6.50am.
Today's announcement is seemingly at odds with Ferguson's programme notes last weekend, when he wrote: ‘I don’t have any plans at the moment to walk away from what I believe will be something special and worth being around to see.
‘It’s always difficult in football to be absolutely sure of the future because the game has a habit of tripping you up, but I don’t live in a fantasy world and believe we have every reason to feel confident about the future of Manchester United.
'My view stems not from the euphoria of winning back the title we lost last season, but on the way we did it and the make-up of our playing personnel.’
‘It’s always difficult in football to be absolutely sure of the future because the game has a habit of tripping you up, but I don’t live in a fantasy world and believe we have every reason to feel confident about the future of Manchester United.
'My view stems not from the euphoria of winning back the title we lost last season, but on the way we did it and the make-up of our playing personnel.’
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