131-416: Sir Alexander Chapman Ferguson (born 31 December 1941) is a Scottish former football manager and player , best known for managing Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time and has won more trophies than any other manager in the history of football. Ferguson is often credited for valuing youth during his time with Manchester United, particularly in
262-402: A football team . They have wide-ranging responsibilities, including selecting the team, choosing the tactics, recruiting and transferring players, negotiating player contracts, and speaking to the media. In professional football, a manager is usually appointed by and answerable to the club's board of directors, but at an amateur level the manager may have total responsibility for the running of
393-525: A tressure flory-counter-flory. The shield is supported by a double-headed eagle and the motto is Pro Lege Rege et Grege ( Latin : For the Law, King and People). The coat of arms dates back to at least the 14th century, and is first recorded, as described, on a seal of 1378. Red and silver are the colours of John the Baptist , the town's patron saint, and the lamb is his symbol. The double-headed eagle, originally
524-572: A 4–1 win over defending champions Arsenal on the opening day, but United's league form quickly turned sour. In September, United suffered a humiliating 5–1 away defeat against fierce rivals Manchester City . Following this and an early season run of six defeats and two draws in eight games, a banner declaring, "Three years of excuses and it's still crap ... ta-ra Fergie." was displayed at Old Trafford, and many journalists and supporters called for Ferguson to be sacked. Ferguson later described December 1989 as "the darkest period [he had] ever suffered in
655-497: A Govan shipyard with training at night in Perth . Although he regularly scored goals for St Johnstone, he was unable to command a consistent place in their team. He regularly requested transfers, and even considered emigrating to Canada. St Johnstone's failure to sign another forward led the manager to select Ferguson for a match against Rangers , in which he scored a hat-trick in a surprise 3–2 victory at Ibrox . Dunfermline signed him
786-460: A Roman symbol, may refer to a former Roman settlement called " Bertha " near where Perth now stands. The double-headed eagle was adopted as the supporter of the arms of Perth and Kinross when that council area was created in 1975. In 1891, the population of Perth was 30,768. In 1901, it was 32,872, an increase of 2,104 in ten years. According to the 2001 UK Census , Perth had a total population of 43,450. A more recent population estimate of
917-472: A club. The manager's responsibilities in a professional football club usually include (but are not limited to) the following: Some of the above responsibilities may be shared with a director of football or sporting director , and are at times delegated to an assistant manager or club coach. Additionally, depending on the club, some minor responsibilities include: These responsibilities are more common among managers of small clubs. The title of manager
1048-582: A degree of loyalty towards East Stirlingshire, he decided to join St Mirren after taking advice from Jock Stein . Ferguson was manager of St Mirren from 1974 until 1978, producing a remarkable transformation of a team in the lower half of the old Second Division watched by crowds of just over 1,000, to First Division champions in 1977 , discovering talent like Billy Stark , Tony Fitzpatrick , Lex Richardson , Frank McGarvey , Bobby Reid and Peter Weir while playing superb attacking football. The average age of
1179-698: A highly successful period as manager of Aberdeen , winning three Scottish league championships , four Scottish Cups and both the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Super Cup in 1983 . He briefly managed Scotland following the death of Jock Stein , taking the team to the 1986 World Cup . Ferguson was appointed manager of Manchester United in November 1986. During his 26 years with Manchester United he won 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups , and two UEFA Champions League titles. He
1310-593: A league match since the previous December, having finished second in the league the previous season. Ferguson had now been a manager for four years, but was still not much older than some of the players and had trouble winning the respect of some of the older ones such as Joe Harper . The season did not go especially well, with Aberdeen reaching the semi-final of the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup Final , but losing both matches and finishing fourth in
1441-467: A list of approved cities, from which Perth was omitted. It was therefore considered to be a "former city", like Brechin and Elgin . Yet road signs around the borders used the term "The City of Perth", and directional signs within indicated "City Centre". In June 2007, Alex Salmond , then the First Minister of Scotland , backed a campaign to confer city status on Perth, saying it should be granted "at
SECTION 10
#17328873751091572-516: A pedestrianised high street and many independent and specialist shops. The city also has "an embarrassing abundance of public houses ". Main employers in the city now include Aviva , Royal Bank of Scotland and Scottish and Southern Energy . Perth forms part of the county constituency of Perth and Kinross-shire , electing one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of
1703-588: A person may fill both these roles. While the first team coach in football is usually an assistant to the manager who actually holds the real power, the North American–style general manager and head coach have clearly distinct areas of responsibilities. For example, a typical European football manager has the final say on in-game decisions (including player line-ups), and off-the-field and roster management decisions (including contract negotiations). In North American sports, those duties would be handled separately by
1834-697: A public road, and kicked a tea urn at the players at half time after a poor first half. He was dissatisfied with the atmosphere at Aberdeen matches, and deliberately created a " siege mentality " by accusing the Scottish media of being biased towards the Glasgow clubs, to motivate the team. The team continued their success with a Scottish Cup win in 1982 . Ferguson was offered the manager's job at Wolverhampton Wanderers but turned it down as he felt that Wolves were in trouble and his "ambitions at Aberdeen were not even half fulfilled". Ferguson led Aberdeen to even greater success
1965-449: A settlement at Perth since prehistoric times . It is a natural mound raised slightly above the flood plain of the Tay. The area surrounding the modern city is known to have been occupied ever since the arrival of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers . Nearby Neolithic standing stones and circles date from about 4,000 BC , a period that followed the introduction of farming into the area. Close to Perth
2096-437: A strong partnership with Mark Hughes. On 10 April 1993, United were second in the league when they faced Sheffield Wednesday at home. United were losing with four minutes to go before Steve Bruce equalised. After 7 minutes of injury time – which was subsequently dubbed "Fergie Time", alluding to extra minutes allegedly being granted to Ferguson's teams to get a goal – Bruce scored the 97th minute winner, with Ferguson celebrating
2227-595: A transfer and moved to Ayr United , where he finished his playing career in 1974. Ferguson's only involvement with the Scotland national team was during an overseas tour in 1967. For many years none of the tour matches were recognised by the Scottish Football Association as full internationals, and so Ferguson was deemed to have never played for Scotland. A BBC Sport article in June 2020 identified him as one of
2358-478: A venue for several high-profile concerts over the years, including Morrissey , as well as Conservative Party conferences. The hall is currently being converted into a new heritage and arts attraction. The new-wave band Fiction Factory formed in Perth, and had some success with their hit " (Feels Like) Heaven " in 1984. The song, which reached number six in the charts, was their biggest hit. The Perth Festival of
2489-523: A youth club with a strong reputation for producing senior footballers. He also took an apprenticeship as a toolmaker at a factory in Hillington , being appointed a union shop steward . Ferguson's playing career began as an amateur with Queen's Park , where he made his debut as a striker , aged 16. He described his first match as a "nightmare", but scored Queen's Park's goal in a 2–1 defeat against Stranraer . Perhaps his most notable game for Queen's Park
2620-428: A £10 million redevelopment to house new studio space, a youth theatre, construction workshop and a series of front of house performance areas and new main entrance from Mill Street in addition to the main focus of the conservation and restoration of the historic Victorian auditorium. Perth Concert Hall, which opened in 2005, was built on the site of the former Horsecross Market. Perth City Hall has been used as
2751-617: Is Scone Abbey , which formerly housed the Stone of Scone (also known as the Stone of Destiny), on which the King of Scots were traditionally crowned. This enhanced the early importance of the city, and Perth became known as a "capital" of Scotland due to the frequent residence there of the royal court. Royal burgh status was given to the city by King William the Lion in the early 12th century. The city became one of
SECTION 20
#17328873751092882-464: Is almost exclusively used in British football . In other European countries and rest of the world in which professional football is played, the person responsible for the direction of a team is awarded the position of coach or "trainer" is known as head coach . For instance, despite the general equivalence in responsibilities, Lee Carsley is referred to as the manager of England , and Julian Nagelsmann
3013-484: Is described as the head coach of Germany . Germany also has a team manager role that is subordinate to the head coach and is currently held by Rudi Völler . The responsibilities of a European football manager or head coach tend to be divided up in North American professional sports, where the teams usually have a separate general manager and head coach (known as a field manager in baseball), although occasionally
3144-461: Is noted for its lively nightlife, with dozens of bars and several nightclubs. Perth has hosted the National Mòd in 1896, 1900, 1924, 1929, 1947, 1954, 1963, 1980 and 2004. The Category A listed St John's Kirk , on St John's Place, is architecturally and historically one of the most significant buildings in Perth. The settlement of the original church dates back to the mid-12th century. During
3275-619: Is stimulating employment. The largest employer in the city is Perth and Kinross Council which employ 6,000 people. Other main employers include NHS Tayside , SSE plc , and Perth College UHI (part of the University of the Highlands and Islands ). The leading international transportation company Stagecoach Group also has its global headquarters in the city. Perth was formerly headquarters of insurance firm General Accident ; however, since General Accident merged with Norwich Union to form Aviva ,
3406-661: Is the Church of Scotland , which is organised through the Presbytery of Perth. It has nine churches throughout the city. The largest of these is St John's Kirk, in St John's Place . The second most popular Christian denomination is the Roman Catholic Church , which has three churches in the city organised through the Diocese of Dunkeld . There is also St Mary's Monastery , at Kinnoull on
3537-409: The 1968–69 edition which helped Rangers into the semi-finals, but on both occasions they were knocked out by English opposition. He was blamed for a goal conceded in the 1969 Scottish Cup Final , in a match in which he was designated to mark Celtic captain , Billy McNeill , and was subsequently forced to play for the club's junior side instead of for the first team. According to his brother, Ferguson
3668-519: The 1995–96 season began without a major signing, at a time when the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle were making the headlines with big-money signings. A youthful United team lost 3–1 in their opening league game of the 1995–96 season, against Aston Villa. On Match of the Day , pundit Alan Hansen criticised their performance, ending his analysis with the words, "You can't win anything with kids." United won their next five matches and were boosted by
3799-494: The 1996 FA Cup Final ; this was their second double in three years. A week after the cup final, Ferguson agreed a four-year contract to remain at United. United started the following season thrashing the previous year's league runners-up Newcastle 4-0 in the Charity Shield . They went on to win their fourth league title in five seasons at the end of the 1996–97 campaign , made easier by the fact that their rivals were "not up to
3930-538: The Baltic Countries with luxury goods being brought back in return, such as Spanish silk and French pottery and wine. The royal castle (on or near the site of the present multi-storey car park adjacent to the new council offices), was destroyed by a flood of the Tay in 1209, one of many that have afflicted Perth over the centuries. It was never rebuilt, and Perth was protected at this time only by partial walls and an inventive water system, Perth Lade , sourced from
4061-567: The Elim Pentecostal Church , the Salvation Army and several smaller Protestant churches. There is also a Quaker community in the city, as well as a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . The Perth Islamic community meet at a mosque on Glasgow Road. The number of adherents to these religions is in decline. In the 2011 census, almost 40% of respondents indicated that they did not adhere to any religion. Situated at
Alex Ferguson - Misplaced Pages Continue
4192-636: The Govan district of Glasgow on 31 December 1941, the son of Elizabeth (née Hardie) and Alexander Beaton Ferguson. His father was a plater's helper in the shipbuilding industry. He grew up in a tenement at 667 Govan Road, which has since been demolished, where he lived with his parents and his younger brother Martin , who also became a footballer. He attended Broomloan Road Primary School and later Govan High School . He began his football career with Harmony Row Boys Club in Govan, before progressing to Drumchapel Amateurs ,
4323-473: The Jacobite uprisings. The city was occupied by Jacobite soldiers in 1689, 1715 and 1745. In 1760, Perth Academy was founded, and major industry came to the city, now with a population of 15,000. Linen , leather, bleached products and whisky were its major exports. Given its location, Perth was perfectly placed to become a key transport centre with the coming of the railways. The first railway station in Perth
4454-523: The River Almond , which divided and flowed to the north on one side and the west and south on the other, eventually joining the Tay. King Edward I brought his armies to Perth in 1296, and with only a ditch for defence and little fortification, the city fell quickly. Stronger fortifications were quickly built by the English, and plans to wall the city took shape in 1304. They remained standing until Robert
4585-527: The final on 11 May 1983. Aberdeen became only the third Scottish team to win a European trophy and Ferguson now felt that "he'd done something worthwhile with his life". This was followed up with victory in the European Super Cup in December 1983, when Hamburger SV , the reigning European Cup champions, were beaten 2–0 over two legs. Aberdeen had also performed well in the league that season, and retained
4716-503: The 1990s with the " Class of '92 ", who contributed to making the club one of the richest and most successful in the world. Ferguson played as a forward for several Scottish clubs, including Dunfermline Athletic and Rangers . While playing for Dunfermline, he was the top goalscorer in the Scottish league in the 1965–66 season. Towards the end of his playing career he also worked as a coach, then started his managerial career with East Stirlingshire and St Mirren . Ferguson then enjoyed
4847-959: The Arts is an annual collection of art, theatre, opera and classical music events in the city. The annual event lasts for a couple of weeks and is usually held in May. In recent years, the festival has broadened its appeal by adding comedy, rock and popular music acts to the bill. Perth also has a number of twin cities around the world. These are: Aschaffenburg in Germany, Bydgoszcz in Poland, Haikou , Hainan in China, Perth in Australia, Perth in Canada, Pskov in Russia and Cognac in France. Perth
4978-688: The Bruce 's recapture of Perth in 1312. As part of a plan to make Perth a permanent English base within Scotland, Edward III forced six monasteries in Perthshire and Fife to pay for the construction of stone defensive walls, towers and fortified gates around the city in 1336. These defences were the strongest of any city in Scotland in the Middle Ages. The last remnant of the wall can be seen in Albert Close, near to
5109-615: The FA Cup final, Manchester United achieved an impressive 4–0 scoreline against Chelsea , winning Ferguson his second League and Cup Double , following his Scottish Premier Division and Scottish Cup titles with Aberdeen in 1984–85, though the League Cup final defeat meant that he had not yet achieved a repeat of the treble that he had achieved with Aberdeen in 1983. Ferguson made only one close-season signing, paying Blackburn £1.2 million for David May . There were newspaper reports that Ferguson
5240-548: The FA Cup victory in the previous season, some still had doubts about Ferguson's ability to succeed where all the other managers since Matt Busby had failed – to win the league title. They were runners-up in the League Cup , losing 1–0 to Sheffield Wednesday . However, they won the European Cup Winners' Cup , beating that season's Spanish champions Barcelona 2–1. It would be United's only Cup Winners' Cup title. After
5371-598: The First Division. He rejected this offer, perhaps concerned about the club's financial stability, as they were more than £2 million in debt at the time and narrowly avoided going out of business. At the end of the 1984–85 season, it was reported that Ferguson was being considered for the Liverpool manager's job after the retirement of Joe Fagan was announced, but the job was quickly accepted by Liverpool striker Kenny Dalglish . Although Ferguson remained at Aberdeen over
Alex Ferguson - Misplaced Pages Continue
5502-706: The Houses of the Greyfriars and Blackfriars, and the Carthusian Priory. Scone Abbey was sacked shortly afterwards. The regent of infant Mary, Queen of Scots , her mother Marie de Guise , was successful in quelling the rioting but presbyterianism in Perth remained strong. Perth played a part in the Covenanting struggle and Perth was sacked for two days by Royalist troops after the Battle of Tippermuir in 1644. In 1651, Charles II
5633-529: The Premier League began indifferently because of their commitments to other competitions. He was willing to "pay for the progress" made in the Champions League; the team finished second in their Champions League "group of death", behind Bayern Munich and ahead of Barcelona. United's win against Liverpool in the FA Cup fourth round was a portent for the remainder of the season. A goal down after three minutes,
5764-472: The Scottish Cup with a 1–0 victory over Rangers, but Ferguson was not happy with his team's play in that match and upset the players by describing theirs as a "disgraceful performance" in a televised interview after the match, a statement he later retracted. After a sub-standard start to the 1983–84 season , Aberdeen's form improved and the team won the Scottish league and retained the Scottish Cup. Ferguson
5895-485: The Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post system of election, and the region elects seven additional members to produce a form of proportional representation. Perthshire North is currently represented by John Swinney ( SNP ) and Perthshire South and Kinross-shire is currently represented by Jim Fairlie ( SNP ). Perth's Sheriff Court , on Tay Street, is a Category A listed building . The building
6026-571: The Scottish average of 30.1. Perth Museum and Art Gallery , at the eastern end of George Street, is recognised as one of the oldest provincial museums in Scotland. Another museum, known as the Fergusson Gallery, has, since 1992, been located in the Category A listed former Perth Water Works building on Tay Street . This contains the major collection of the works of the artist John Duncan Fergusson . Perth Theatre opened in 1900. It underwent
6157-648: The St John's Centre. Independent retailers can be found on George Street, St John Street, Princes Street, Methven Street, the Old High Street and Canal Street. A £3 million pound project for the High Street and King Edward Street provided new seating, lighting and the laying of natural stone in 2010. A retail park, constructed in 1988, exists to the north-west of the city centre on St Catherine's Road, and provides eight purpose-built units. McEwens department store
6288-757: The United Kingdom by the first past the post system. Pete Wishart of the Scottish National Party (SNP) is the MP for Perth and Kinross-shire . For the purposes of the Scottish Parliament , Perth forms part of the constituencies of Perthshire North and Perthshire South and Kinross-shire . These two constituencies were created in 2011 as two of the nine constituencies within the Mid Scotland and Fife electoral region. Each constituency elects one Member of
6419-436: The ambition of the club, reasons which Ferguson understood. Striker Teddy Sheringham was signed as Cantona's replacement from Tottenham Hotspur, with Blackburn defender Henning Berg the other significant purchase that summer. In the close season, United appointed Keane as their new captain. Ferguson described him as "the best all-round player in the game" after the team's 1997 FA Charity Shield win and believed Keane had "all
6550-602: The average demography of Scotland, Perth has low proportions of people born outside the European Union , but has both higher proportions born within the European Union and those over 75 years old. Christianity is the most common religion in the city. In Census 2011, over half of the population of the council area of Perth and Kinross stated that they belonged to one of the Christian denominations. The most popular denomination
6681-483: The banking industry. The name "Perth" derives from a Pictish word for "wood" or "copse", related to the Welsh "perth", meaning "hedge" or "thicket". During much of the later medieval period, it was known colloquially by its Scots-speaking inhabitants as "St John's Toun" or "Saint Johnstoun" because the church at the centre of the parish was dedicated to St John the Baptist . Perth was referred to as "St John's ton" up until
SECTION 50
#17328873751096812-459: The best Scottish players to have never played a full international. The SFA announced in October 2021 that some of the tour matches would be reclassified as full internationals, which meant that Ferguson was belatedly awarded an international cap. In June 1974, Ferguson was appointed manager of East Stirlingshire , at the comparatively young age of 32. It was a part-time job that paid £40 per week, and
6943-675: The centre of Perth.Temperatures extremes since 1960 have ranged from −18.6 °C (−1 °F) in January 1963 to 32.0 °C (90 °F) in July 2022. However, a temperature of −21.7 °C (−7 °F) was recorded on 14 November 1919. As well as this, the temperature reached 31.1 °C (88.0 °F) on 28 June 2018. The coldest temperature recorded in recent years is −17.8 °C (0 °F) in December 2010. However, nearby Strathallan reported −18.0 °C (0 °F) in February 2021. In an average year,
7074-405: The champions retaining their title. Arsenal collected maximum points, sealing the title with a win against Everton on 3 May 1998. Ferguson congratulated his opponent Arsène Wenger , who in his first full season at the club, later completed the double: "I think it's good for my young players to lose on this occasion. I wholeheartedly acknowledge what Arsenal achieved between Christmas and the end of
7205-407: The city has been recorded as 44,820 in 2008. The demographic make-up of the population is much in line with the rest of Scotland. The age group from 30 to 44 forms the largest portion of the population (22%). The median age of males and females living in Perth was 37 and 40 years respectively, compared to 37 and 39 years for those in the whole of Scotland. The place of birth of the city's residents
7336-419: The club did not have a single goalkeeper at the time. He gained a reputation as a disciplinarian, with club forward Bobby McCulley later saying he had "never been afraid of anyone before but Ferguson was a frightening bastard from the start." In October 1974, Ferguson was invited to manage St Mirren . While they were below East Stirlingshire in the league, they were a bigger club and although Ferguson felt
7467-499: The club two years after leaving for Barcelona , alongside Jim Leighton from Aberdeen ; but the 1988–89 season was a disappointment for them, finishing 11th in the league and losing 1–0 at home to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup sixth round . They had begun the season slowly, going on a nine-match winless run throughout October and November (with one defeat and eight draws) before a run of generally good results took them to third place and
7598-645: The club. In March 2021, he added that when he was signed, a Rangers director had questioned whether the Fergusons had been married in a (Catholic) chapel , and that the director had replied "oh, that's okay" when told they had married in a registry office . Ferguson left Rangers reluctantly, as he had grown up locally and had dreamed of succeeding there. He was upset by how newspapers would refer to him as an "ex-Rangers player" after he had left, and rarely attended gatherings of their former players. The following October, Nottingham Forest wanted to sign Ferguson, but his wife
7729-711: The coaching staff for the Scottish national side during qualifying for the 1986 World Cup , but manager Jock Stein had collapsed and died on 10 September 1985 – at the end of the game in which Scotland qualified from their group for a play-off against Australia . Ferguson promptly agreed to take charge of the Scottish national side against the Australians and subsequently at the World Cup. To allow him to fulfil his international duties he appointed Archie Knox as his co-manager at Aberdeen. However, after Scotland failed to progress past
7860-474: The early 19th century, direct access was granted to the river. The presence of Scone two miles (3 km) northeast, the main royal centre of the Kingdom of Alba from at least the reign of Kenneth I (843–858), and later the site of the major Augustinian abbey of the same name founded by Alexander I (1107–1124), enhanced Perth's early importance. Perth was considered the effective capital of Scotland, due to
7991-416: The eastern edge of the city, which is home to a Redemptorist congregation. The Scottish Episcopal Church is organised through the Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane and has two churches in the city ( St Ninian's Cathedral and Church of St. John the Baptist ). There are several other Christian churches in the city; these include the Methodist Church , Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland ,
SECTION 60
#17328873751098122-496: The end, he paid £1 million for 23-year-old Cambridge United striker Dion Dublin – his only major signing of the summer. After a slow start to the 1992–93 season by sitting 10th at the beginning of November, it looked as though United would miss out on the league title yet again. However, after the purchase of French striker Eric Cantona from Leeds for £1.2 million, the future of Manchester United, and Ferguson's position as manager, began to look bright. Cantona formed
8253-428: The following season, 1982–83. They had qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup as a result of winning the Scottish Cup the previous season, and impressively knocked out Bayern Munich , who had beaten Tottenham Hotspur 4–1 in the previous round. According to Willie Miller , this gave them the confidence to believe that they could go on to win the competition, which they did, with a 2–1 victory over Real Madrid in
8384-538: The following summer (1964), and Ferguson became a full-time professional footballer. In the following season ( 1964–65 ) Dunfermline were strong challengers for the Scottish league title and reached the Scottish Cup Final , but Ferguson was dropped for the final after a poor performance in a league game against St Johnstone. Dunfermline lost the final 3–2 to Celtic , then failed to win the League by one point. The 1965–66 season saw Ferguson notch up 45 goals in 51 games for Dunfermline. Along with Joe McBride of Celtic, he
8515-491: The frequent residence of the royal court. Royal burgh status was awarded to the city by King William the Lion in the early 12th century. During the 12th and 13th centuries, Perth was one of the richest trading burghs in the kingdom (along with such places as Berwick-upon-Tweed , Aberdeen and Roxburgh ), a residence of numerous craftsmen, organised into guilds (the Hammermen and Glovers, for example). Perth also carried out an extensive trade with France, The Low Countries and
8646-411: The fringes of the title challenge by mid February. However, another run of disappointing results in the final quarter of the season saw them fall down to mid-table. For the 1989–90 season , Ferguson further boosted his squad by paying large sums of money for midfielders Neil Webb , Mike Phelan , and Paul Ince , as well as defender Gary Pallister and winger Danny Wallace . The season began well with
8777-448: The fundamental reason for the dismissal was a breach of contract relating to Ferguson having agreed to join Aberdeen. Ferguson told journalist Jim Rodger of the Daily Mirror that he had asked at least one member of the squad to go to Aberdeen with him. He told the St Mirren staff he was leaving. Todd expressed regret over what happened but blamed Aberdeen for not approaching his club to discuss compensation. In 1977, Ferguson turned down
8908-467: The game 1–0 due to a Mark Robins goal and eventually reached the final. This cup win is often cited as the match that saved Ferguson's Old Trafford career. United went on to win the FA Cup, beating Crystal Palace 1–0 in the final replay after a 3–3 draw in the first match, giving Ferguson his first major trophy as Manchester United manager. United's defensive frailties in the first match were blamed on goalkeeper Jim Leighton. Ferguson dropped Leighton for
9039-440: The game", as United ended the decade just outside the relegation zone. Following a run of seven games without a win, Manchester United were drawn away to Nottingham Forest in the third round of the FA Cup. Forest were performing well that season and were in the process of winning the League Cup for the second season running, and it was expected that United would lose the match and Ferguson would consequently be sacked, but United won
9170-457: The goal by running from his dugout on to the touch line, while assistant Brian Kidd ran on to the field. Seen as being a decisive victory, it put United top of the league, where they remained. Winning the title ended United's 26-year wait for a league title, and also made them the first Premier League champions . United finished with a ten-point margin over runners-up Aston Villa , whose 1–0 defeat at Oldham Athletic on 2 May 1993 had given United
9301-448: The group stages of the World Cup, Ferguson stepped down as national team manager on 15 June 1986. Around this time, Tottenham Hotspur offered Ferguson the chance to take over from Peter Shreeves as manager, but he rejected this offer and the job went to Luton Town's David Pleat instead. There was also an offer for Ferguson to replace Don Howe as Arsenal manager, but he rejected this offer as well, and fellow Scot George Graham took
9432-473: The head coach and general manager, respectively. Perth, Scotland Perth ( [ˈpɛrθ] ; Scottish Gaelic : Peairt [pʰɛrˠʃtʲ] ) is a centrally located Scottish city , on the banks of the River Tay . It is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and is the historic county town of Perthshire . It had a population of about 47,430 in 2018. There has been
9563-550: The job". Under Ferguson, the team made a better go in the Champions League and reached the semi-final stage for the first time in 28 years. United did not advance any further, after defeat by Borussia Dortmund of Germany. Norwegian signings Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Ronny Johnsen were the notable additions to the squad, with the former ending the season as the club's top goalscorer. In May 1997, Cantona informed Ferguson of his decision to retire from football. The player "felt exploited by United's merchandising department" and questioned
9694-402: The league . Aberdeen lost the 1979–80 Scottish League Cup Final , this time to Dundee United after a replay. Ferguson took the blame for the defeat, saying he should have made changes to the team for the replay. Aberdeen had started the 1979–80 season poorly but their form improved dramatically in the new year and they won the Scottish league that season with a 5–0 win on the final day. It
9825-518: The league campaign at title challengers and rivals Liverpool on Boxing Day , it was clear that United were on the road to recovery. The year 1987 began on a high note with a 4–1 victory over Newcastle United and United gradually pulled together in the second half of the season, with relatively occasional defeats on the way, and finished 11th in the final table. Ferguson's mother Elizabeth died of lung cancer, aged 64, three weeks after his appointment. Ferguson hired Archie Knox, his assistant at Aberdeen, in
9956-450: The league winning team was 19 and the captain, Fitzpatrick, was 20. St Mirren have the distinction of being the only club ever to sack Ferguson. He claimed wrongful dismissal against the club at an industrial tribunal but lost and was given no leave to appeal. According to a Sunday Herald article on 30 May 1999, the official version is that Ferguson was sacked for various breaches of contract, including unauthorised payments to players. He
10087-608: The long periods that United were left without some of their more experienced stars. However, the championship slipped out of Manchester United's grasp as they drew 1–1 with West Ham United on the final day of the season, when a win would have given them a third successive league title. United also lost the FA Cup final in a 1–0 defeat by Everton. Ferguson was heavily criticised in the summer of 1995 when three of United's star players were allowed to leave and replacements were not bought. First Paul Ince moved to Internazionale of Italy for £7.5 million, long-serving striker Mark Hughes
10218-543: The main entrance to the Royal George Hotel . King James I of Scotland was assassinated in Perth in 1437, by followers of Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl , at Blackfriars church . In May 1559, John Knox instigated the Scottish Reformation at grass-roots level with a sermon against 'idolatry' in the burgh kirk of St John the Baptist. An inflamed mob quickly destroyed the altars in the kirk, and attacked
10349-440: The manager of Blackburn Rovers. Ferguson instructed Eric Harrison and Les Kershaw to find suitable replacements, "in terms of coaching ability and work ethic." Both recommended Steve McClaren , the assistant to Jim Smith at Derby County . McClaren was Ferguson's initial choice and appointed him in February 1999. His first game as assistant was United's 8–1 victory over Nottingham Forest . Ferguson felt United's bid to regain
10480-507: The manager's job at Aberdeen. The role went to Billy McNeill, who returned to Celtic after only a year, leaving the role available for Ferguson once again. Ferguson joined Aberdeen as manager in June 1978, replacing Billy McNeill who had only managed the club for one season before he was offered the chance to manage Celtic. Although Aberdeen were one of Scotland's major clubs they had won the league only once, in 1955 under Dave Halliday . The team had been playing well, however, and had not lost
10611-578: The match, Ferguson vowed that United would win the league the following season, and at long last he seemed to have won over the last of his sceptics after nearly five years in the job. During the 1991 close season, Ferguson's assistant Archie Knox departed to Rangers to become assistant to Walter Smith , and Ferguson promoted youth team coach Brian Kidd to the role of assistant manager in Knox's place. He also made two major signings – goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and defender Paul Parker – to bolster his side. There
10742-399: The mid-1600s with the name "Perthia" being reserved for the wider area. At this time, "Perthia" became "Perth Shyre" and "St John's ton" became known as Perth. Perth's Pictish name, and some archaeological evidence, indicate that there must have been a settlement here from earlier times, probably at a point where a river crossing or crossings coincided with a slightly raised natural mound on
10873-406: The middle of the 12th century, the church was allowed to fall into disrepair, when most of the revenues were used by David I to fund Dunfermline Abbey . The majority of the present church was constructed between 1440 and 1500. Though much altered, its tower and lead-clad spire continue to dominate the Perth skyline. The Church has lost its medieval south porch and sacristy , and the north transept
11004-543: The next commemorative opportunity". The local authority, Perth and Kinross , stated that the 800th anniversary of the city in 2009 should create "a foundation for Perth to bid for formal city status". Perth was one of the 26 bidders for city status to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012. On 14 March 2012, Perth's city status was successfully reinstated, along with Chelmsford and St Asaph . It became Scotland's seventh city. The Queen visited Perth on 6 July 2012, for what
11135-418: The offence but the sentence was quashed on appeal and replaced by a 120-hour community service order. United paid a British record fee of £7 million for Newcastle United's prolific striker Andy Cole , with young winger Keith Gillespie heading to the north-east in exchange. The season also saw the breakthrough of young players Gary Neville , Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes , who provided excellent cover for
11266-479: The office has been primarily used as a call centre . Perth's city centre is situated to the west of the banks of the River Tay. The pedestrianised portion of the High Street, which runs from the junction of St John Street to Scott Street, is the main focus of the shopping area. The centre has a variety of major and independent retailers. The major retailers are largely based on the High Street, St John Street and in
11397-423: The place where he was born. The ship Parmelia sailed to Australia to found the new settlement. The old Municipal Buildings were completed in 1881, although the Perth and Kinross District Council moved to the former head office of General Accident at No. 2 High Street in 1984. Today, Perth serves as a retail centre for the surrounding area. This includes a main shopping centre— St John's Centre —along with
11528-438: The post instead. That summer, there had been speculation that he would take over from Ron Atkinson at Manchester United , who had slumped to fourth in the English top flight after a ten-match winning start. It was not the first time that Ferguson had been linked with a move to England. In February 1982, Wolverhampton Wanderers had approached him about succeeding John Barnwell as manager as they were heading for relegation from
11659-539: The promotional nickname "Gateway to the Highlands ", a reference to its location. Today, Perth serves as a retail centre for the surrounding area, and in 2018 the city was named "Scotland's Food Town of 2018" by the Scottish Food Awards. Following the decline of the local whisky industry, the city diversified its economy, building on its long-established presence in the insurance industry to increase its standing in
11790-420: The publication of the novel Fair Maid of Perth by Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott in 1828. During the later medieval period the city was also called St John's Toun or Saint Johnstoun by its inhabitants—a reference to its principal church, which was dedicated to St John the Baptist . This name is preserved in the name of the city's football club, St Johnstone F.C. The city often refers to itself using
11921-614: The replay, bringing in Les Sealey . Although United's league form improved greatly in 1990–91 , they were still inconsistent and finished sixth. There were some excellent performances that season, including a 6–2 demolition of Arsenal at Highbury , but results like an early 2–1 loss at newly promoted Sunderland , a 4–0 September hammering by Liverpool at Anfield, and a 2–0 home defeat by Everton in early March (the game where 17-year-old talented prospect Ryan Giggs made his senior debut) showed that United still had some way to go. Even after
12052-411: The return of Cantona, who made his comeback against Liverpool in October 1995. For much of the season, the team trailed league leaders Newcastle and found themselves ten points behind by Christmas; this later was narrowed to seven points after defeating them on 27 December 1995. The gap increased to 12 points, but a series of wins, coupled with Newcastle dropping points, meant by late March, United moved to
12183-722: The richest burghs in the country, engaging in trade with France, the Low Countries , and the Baltic countries , and importing goods such as Spanish silk and French wine. The Scottish Reformation had a strong impact on the city: the Houses of the Greyfriars and Blackfriars , two of Perth's four monastic institutions at the time of the Reformation, were ransacked after a sermon given by John Knox in St John's Kirk in 1559. The 1701 Act of Settlement brought about Jacobite uprisings. The city
12314-534: The right ingredients" to succeed from Cantona. Defeat by Leeds United in September 1997 was the team's first league loss in seven months; Keane during the match injured himself and was subsequently ruled out for the rest of the season with ligament damage. Goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel was placed as captain in his absence. By November, United opened up a four-point lead in the league, which prompted talk of whether any team could catch them. After Arsenal's defeat of United in
12445-480: The right wing, giving him a more attacking alternative to older midfielders Mike Phelan and Bryan Robson. The 1991–92 season did not live up to Ferguson's expectations and, in Ferguson's words, "many in the media felt that [his] mistakes had contributed to the misery". United won the League Cup and European Super Cup ; both for the first time, but lost out on the league title to rivals Leeds United after leading
12576-442: The same month, Ferguson acknowledged a one-horse race was "not good for the game" and admitted his opponents "... deserved to win on their second-half performance". The fallibilities of Liverpool, Chelsea and Blackburn as league challengers allowed United during the winter to extend their lead by 11 points, albeit with Arsenal having games-in-hand. This was enough for Manchester bookmaker Fred Done to pay out on punters who backed
12707-538: The same role at Manchester United in 1986. In the 1987–88 season, Ferguson made several major signings, including Steve Bruce , Viv Anderson and Brian McClair . The new players made a positive contribution to a United team who finished in second place, nine points behind Liverpool. Liverpool's points lead, however, had been in double digits for most of the season and while United had lost only five league games all season, they drew 12 games, leaving some way to go before United could match their northwestern rivals. During
12838-635: The season, United played two friendly matches in Bermuda against the Bermuda national team and the Somerset Cricket Club. In the match against Somerset, both Ferguson himself and his assistant Archie Knox took to the field, with Knox even getting on the scoresheet. The match was Ferguson's only appearance for the Manchester United first team. United were expected to do well when Mark Hughes returned to
12969-401: The season." United straight after paid £10.75 million for PSV defender Jaap Stam , a new club record fee. Ferguson wanted to strengthen the squad's attacking options and identified Aston Villa's Dwight Yorke as his main target. Attempts to sign Yorke were rebuffed at first, before Ferguson persuaded Edwards to increase United's initial offer of £10 million. A £12.6 million deal
13100-507: The southern extremity of a spacious and fertile plain, Perth itself is flat (as are the areas immediately to the north, east and west), but it is nestled between the following hills (includes distance from Perth and summit height): As with most of the British Isles , Perth has an oceanic climate ( Köppen Cfb ) with cool summers and mild winters. The nearest Met Office weather station is at Strathallan , around 5 mi (8 km) from
13231-422: The summer, he did eventually join Manchester United when Atkinson was sacked in November 1986. Ferguson was appointed manager at Old Trafford on 6 November 1986. He was initially worried that many of the players, such as Norman Whiteside , Paul McGrath and Bryan Robson were drinking too much and was "depressed" by their level of fitness, but he managed to increase the players' discipline and United climbed up
13362-417: The table for much of the season. A shortage of goals and being held to draws by teams they had been expected to beat in the second half of the campaign had proved to be the undoing of a United side who had performed so well in the first half of the season. Ferguson felt that his failure to secure the signing of Mick Harford from Luton Town had cost United the league, and that he needed "an extra dimension" to
13493-453: The table to finish the season in 11th place, having been 21st (second from bottom) when he took over. His first game in charge was a 2–0 defeat at Oxford United on 8 November, followed seven days later by a goalless draw at newly promoted Norwich City , and then his first win (1–0 at home to Queens Park Rangers ) on 22 November. Results steadily improved as the season went on, and by the time they recorded what would be their only away win of
13624-409: The team equalised in the 86th minute and scored the winning goal through Solskjær in stoppage time. On reflection, Ferguson said it was "a demonstration of the morale that was to be every bit as vital as rich skill in the five months that lay ahead of United". Manager (association football) In association football , the manager is the person who has overall responsibility for the running of
13755-463: The team if they were to win the league the following season. During the 1992 close season, Ferguson went on the hunt for a new striker. He first attempted to sign Alan Shearer from Southampton , but lost out to Blackburn Rovers . He also made at least one approach for the Sheffield Wednesday striker David Hirst , but manager Trevor Francis rejected all offers and the player stayed put. In
13886-546: The title. Ferguson was later voted Manager of the Year by the League Managers' Association . The 1993–94 season brought more success. Ferguson added Nottingham Forest's 22-year-old midfielder Roy Keane to the ranks for a British record fee of £3.75 million as a long term replacement for Bryan Robson, who was nearing the end of his career. United led the 1993–94 Premier League table virtually from start to finish. Ferguson
14017-452: The top of the table. In a televised outburst after his team's win against Leeds, Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan responded angrily to Ferguson's comments: "We're still fighting for this title, and he's got to go to Middlesbrough... I would love it if we beat them, love it." A win against Middlesbrough on the final day sealed the title for United and the team beat Liverpool by a goal to nil to win
14148-408: The warmest day rises to around 27 °C (81 °F), and about four days exceed 25 °C (77 °F). The strength of Perth's economy lies in its diversity, with a balance of large companies, the public sector, a broad range of small and medium-sized enterprises and many self-employed business people. The development in renewable energy , insurance, manufacturing, leisure , health and transport
14279-514: The west bank of the Tay (which at Perth flows north–south), thus giving some protection for settlement from the frequent flooding. Finds in and around Perth show that it was occupied by the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers who arrived in the area more than 8,000 years ago. Nearby Neolithic standing stones and circles followed the introduction of farming from about 4,000 BC , and a remarkably well preserved Bronze Age log boat dated to around 1,000 BC
14410-414: Was knighted in the 1999 Queen's Birthday Honours list for his services to the game. Ferguson is the longest-serving manager of Manchester United, having overtaken Sir Matt Busby 's record on 19 December 2010. He retired from management at the end of the 2012–13 season , having won the Premier League in his final season. Alexander Chapman Ferguson was born at his grandmother's home on Shieldhall Road in
14541-529: Was 95.42% United Kingdom (including 87.80% from Scotland), 0.52% Republic of Ireland, 1.18% from other European Union countries, and 1.88% from elsewhere in the world. The economic activity of residents aged 16–74 was 57.10% in full-time employment, 12.90% in part-time employment, 6.08% self-employed, 3.29% unemployed, 2.37% students with jobs, 2.84% students without jobs, 14.75% retired, 4.93% looking after home or family, 5.94% permanently sick or disabled, and 4.07% economically inactive for other reasons. Compared with
14672-426: Was also going to sign highly rated 21-year-old striker Chris Sutton from Norwich City, but the player headed for Blackburn instead. 1994–95 was a harder season for Ferguson. Cantona assaulted a Crystal Palace supporter in a game at Selhurst Park , and it seemed likely he would leave English football. An eight-month ban saw Cantona miss the final four months of the season. He also received a 14-day prison sentence for
14803-621: Was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1985 New Year Honours , and was offered the managers' jobs at Rangers and Arsenal during the season. Aberdeen retained their league title in the 1984–85 season. In 1985–86 , Aberdeen won both domestic cups, but finished fourth in the league. Ferguson had been appointed to the club's board of directors early in 1986, but that April he told Dick Donald , their chairman, that he intended to leave that summer. Ferguson had been part of
14934-615: Was built in 1848. Horse-drawn carriages became popular in the 1890s; they were quickly replaced by electric trams of Perth Corporation Tramways . Despite being a garrison city and undergoing major social and industrial developments during the First World War, Perth remained relatively unchanged. In 1829, with the settlement of the Swan River Colony, in Western Australia , Sir George Murray wanted it to be named Perth after
15065-574: Was counter-accused of intimidating behaviour towards his office secretary because he wanted players to get some expenses tax free. He did not speak to her for six weeks, confiscated her keys and communicated only through a 17-year-old assistant. The tribunal concluded that Ferguson was "particularly petty" and "immature". It was claimed during the tribunal by St Mirren chairman, Willie Todd, that Ferguson had "no managerial ability". In 2008, The Guardian published an interview with Todd (then aged 87), who had sacked Ferguson many years earlier. Todd said that
15196-503: Was crowned at nearby Scone Abbey, the traditional site of the investiture of Kings of Scots. That same year, Oliver Cromwell came to Perth following his victory in the Battle of Dunbar and established a fortified citadel on the South Inch , one of five occupation forts built to control Scotland. The restoration of Charles II was not without incident, and with the Act of Settlement in 1701, came
15327-472: Was designed by London architect Sir Robert Smirke , built in 1819 and stands on the site of Gowrie House, the place where a plot to kill King James VI was hatched in 1600. Perth is also home to a large prison, HM Prison Perth . The classic definition of Perth has been as a city. In the late 1990s, the UK Government and the devolved Scottish Executive re-examined the definition of a city and produced
15458-523: Was found in the mudflats of the River Tay at Carpow to the east of Perth. Perth developed from an initial plan of two parallel streets: High Street and South Street , linked by several vennels leading north and south. The names of these vennels have historic origins, and many—such as Cow Vennel and Fleshers ' Vennel—recall the trades associated with their foundation. South Street was originally terminated at its eastern end by Gowrie House (site of today's Perth Sheriff Court ). Upon its demolition in
15589-585: Was in business on St John's Street for almost 150 years. It closed in March 2016. Before the credit crisis , Perth's economy was growing at 2.6% per year, considerably above the Scottish average of 2.1%. Since the credit crisis, growth has slowed considerably, though still remained above the Scottish average. The Perth economy is ranked in the Top 10 enterprising demographics in Scotland , with an average of 42.6 registered enterprises per 10,000 residents putting it well above
15720-470: Was much anticipation about the breakthrough of the young Ryan Giggs, who had played twice and scored once in the 1990–91 campaign, and the earlier emergence of another impressive young winger in the shape of Lee Sharpe , who despite their youth had made Ferguson feel able to resist plunging into the transfer market and buying a new player to take over from the disappointing Danny Wallace on the left wing. He had also added Soviet midfielder Andrei Kanchelskis to
15851-410: Was not keen on moving to England at that time, so he went to Falkirk instead. He remained at Brockville for four years, gaining more league appearances than he had elsewhere; in recognition of his experience he was promoted to player-coach, but when John Prentice became manager he removed Ferguson's coaching responsibilities. Ferguson's time at Falkirk was soured by this, and he responded by requesting
15982-419: Was occupied by Jacobite supporters on three occasions: in 1689, 1715 and 1745. The founding of Perth Academy in 1760 helped to bring major industries to the city, including the production of linen , leather, bleach and whisky . Perth was fortuitously placed to become a key transport centre with the coming of the railways, and its first station was built in 1848. Perth has been known as "The Fair City" since
16113-425: Was reached a week into the league campaign; Yorke signed minutes before the deadline to submit United's squad for the Champions League. United opened the 1998–99 season with a 3–0 loss to Arsenal in the 1998 FA Charity Shield . The beating did not concern Ferguson, though he described his team's defeat by Arsenal in September 1998 as "a lot less tolerable". In December 1998, Kidd left his role as assistant to become
16244-551: Was shortened during the course of the 19th century during street-widening. A rare treasure, a unique survival in Scotland, is a 15th-century brass candelabrum or chandelier, imported from the Low Countries . The survival of this object is all the more remarkable as it includes a statuette of the Virgin Mary . It is thought to have been hung in the Skinner's aisle. An inventory of 1544 lists another hanging brass chandelier as an ornament of
16375-487: Was so upset by the experience that he threw his losers' medal away. There have been claims that he suffered discrimination at Rangers due to his marriage to a Catholic, Cathy Holding. Ferguson said in a 2021 documentary film about his life and career ( Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In ) that he 'assumed' that his exclusion from the first team after the 1969 cup final was due to her religion. His autobiography noted that Rangers had known of his wife's religion when he joined
16506-400: Was sold to Chelsea in a £1.5 million deal, and Andrei Kanchelskis was sold to Everton. Ferguson felt that United had a number of young players who were ready to play in the first team. The youngsters, who would be known as "Fergie's Fledglings", included Gary Neville, Phil Neville , David Beckham , Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, who would all go on to be important members of the team. And so
16637-535: Was the 7–1 defeat away to Queen of the South on Boxing Day 1959 when ex-England international Ivor Broadis scored four of the Queen of the South goals. Ferguson was the solitary Queen's Park goalscorer. Despite scoring 20 goals in his 31 games for Queen's Park, he could not command a regular place in the side and moved to St Johnstone in 1960. Ferguson was on a part-time contract with St Johnstone, and he combined working in
16768-463: Was the culmination of the Scottish leg of her Diamond Jubilee tour. Her previous visit to the city had been to open the Perth Concert Hall , in 2005. The coat of arms of Perth is a gules shield depicting an argent Paschal lamb , reguardant and or haloed, holding under its right foreleg a flagpole topped with a cross, to which is attached a banner azure a saltire argent, all within
16899-413: Was the first time in 15 years that the league had not been won by either Rangers or Celtic. Ferguson now felt that he had the respect of his players, later saying: "That was the achievement which united us. I finally had the players believing in me". He was still a strict disciplinarian, though, and his players nicknamed him "Furious Fergie". He fined one of his players, John Hewitt , for overtaking him on
17030-531: Was the first winner of the Premier League Manager of the Month award, introduced for the start of the 1993–94 season, when he collected the accolade for August 1993. Cantona was top scorer with 25 goals in all competitions despite being sent off twice in the space of five days in March 1994. United also reached the League Cup final but lost 3–1 to Aston Villa, managed by Ferguson's predecessor, Ron Atkinson. In
17161-536: Was the top goalscorer in the Scottish league with 31 goals. Ferguson then joined Rangers for £65,000, which was a record fee for a transfer between two Scottish clubs. He performed well in Europe during his two seasons with the club, scoring six goals in nine appearances in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup including two against 1.FC Köln in the 1967–68 competition, and an important strike against Athletic Bilbao in
#108891