Sir Alex Ferguson: The Scot who transformed Manchester United and the world of football

There is not many things that can be said about Sir Alex Ferguson, that hasn’t already been said or written about. He is the most successful manager that the British Isles has ever seen and his trophies record and his longevity speak volumes for the accomplishments the great man has done. But there is one thing the statistics don’t tell. There is one place where the numbers don’t necessarily paint the complete picture.

When Sir Alex Ferguson took over from Ron Atkinson in November 1986, the first thing he did, was perhaps the most important decision that he took in his entire 27-year reign as manager. It wasn’t exactly rocket science, but one that meant that Manchester United went back to their roots, to the glory days of the Busby era.

His first plan of action was to rebuild the club’s youth system. That one small step that he took, way back in 1986 became the cornerstone of his epic reign and marked an epoch in the history of Manchester United. For all of their glory hitherto, Manchester United had never been the most extravagant of spenders and relied more on home-grown talent than anything else. That is what brought Busby success and that is precisely what Ferguson continued to do and that will forever remain his legacy.

“Fergie’s fledglings” will go down in history as one of the most remarkably talented bunch of players that came through at the same time. Whilst it might have been a complete coincidence that they all came through at the same time, one thing you cannot take away from the Scot is that, if it weren’t for him, they wouldn’t have come through in the first place.

Although not everybody who graduated from United’s youth system have gone on to become club regulars, the quality of the players meant that, they had what it took to cut it elsewhere. And that is seen in the fact that no team has contributed more players to have played in the Premier League than Manchester United.

Now, just because he concentrated on building for the future, didn’t mean that he didn’t spend a dime. Far from it, he was never the most frugal of spenders and that is never more evident than from the fact that he broke the British transfer record on more than one occasion. And, that showed that he was never afraid to splash the cash, if the right circumstances arose. And whilst his transfer has been more hit-than-miss, the sheer amount of players he has brought is in itself staggering.

So, now you have a manager who believes in the power of the youth and isn’t afraid to spend, is that all it takes to make a good manager? A bundle of cash and some talented youngsters? A lot of teams have had that, at some time or the other, did that make them great teams? The simple answer is no.

Because, not only did he build a talented squad, he instilled a winning mentality in them, that was absent in the decade before he took over. Because, although United won the FA Cup a couple of times under Ron Atkinson, they didn’t walk into every match believing that they will win. For all the talent they had, they lacked the courage and the conviction that are vital to any victory.

What Sir Alex did for Manchester United was a lot more than fame, success and trophies, he instilled a belief, a core belief that we are Manchester United and we win. And it is this never-say-die attitude that forced all the late comebacks that United were so famous for in the 90s.

The fact was that, irrespective of the score line or the time left on the clock, every player that put on a United shirt knew that nothing less than victory would do. And it is a testament to this belief that last year United won the league, with arguably the poorest squad, in terms of quality, that they have had in recent memory.

They won the league because football isn’t just a game of the body, but of the mind as well. And whilst United may not have had the greatest of players, in their minds, that will to win remained stronger than ever and that is what got them over the finish line.

That mental strength is instilled in everyone associated with the club and that is how they have been able to bounce back from adversity. And that is precisely what is helping them even now, even without the Scot screaming from the touchline. And that will forever be his legacy at Manchester United.

Take a bow, Sir Alexander Chapman Ferguson, for you did, what nobody could. You transformed from an average English side into the world’s most supported and watched side. Not only did you climb the mountain, but had what it took to stay there as well. And that is why, you were able to inspire a person from a cricket-crazy country like me, to take up football and make following Manchester United my life’s only mission.

For that and for all the memories, here is one proud fan, wishing you a very happy 72^nd birthday. May you live long and strong.