Fergie and me got off to a disastrous start!
TTHE first time I interviewed Sir Alex Ferguson turned out to be a disaster! It was the 1989-90 season and the Manchester United manger was losing matches regularly before Christmas.
There was talk of him being sacked – falsely as it happened – and in my first after match ITV interview I put that to him. I received a brusque response.
A few weeks later – January 21 1990 – United were playing at Norwich, the choice of ITV’S live match.
I approached him before kick-off. “Alright for a post match interview, Alex?” “No” was the surprise reply. I challenged why. He added; “Because you ask crap questions. You can talk to anyone else but not me.”
Shocked as I was, I appreciated the fact that he was not preventing me from talking to his players. United by the way lost 2-0. Earlier in the month United had won their third round FA Cup tie at Nottingham Forest when the young striker Mark Robins (now the Coventry City manager) scored the only goal.
Sir Alex has identified that result as a pivotal one.
He went on to win 38 trophies for United including a record 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four Football League Cups, two UEFA Champions League Cups and one European Cup Winners Cup to add to Aberdeen triumphs previously – three Scottish Premier Leagues, four Scottish FA Cups and the Scottish League Cup topped by beating the great Read Madrid to win the European Cup Winners Cup final 2-1 in Sweden.
He has won more trophies than any other football manager in history.
So how did I overcome my situation?
A lucky break provided the opportunity. We were both staying at the Midland Hotel in Manchester – Alex for a corporate event while I had been presenting the ITV Fight Night series. I spotted him at breakfast and asked him if I may join him.
I opened up by saying: “May I start again? In future when I have curve ball question I will tell you it before hand. I made a mistake previously.”
And so began a long and trusted relationship to such an extent that on
His reputation was fearsome and ruthless but I witnessed a caring side to him. Players knew they could turn to him with their problems off the pitch
European Cup nights he would give me an afternoon briefing on the team, updates, thoughts on the opposition knowing that we would not say a word to anyone before our live coverage.
He even started giving me a live interview at half time as well as the pre-match and post match ones.
The climax came in the greatest finish
I have witnessed when United completed the Premier League, FA Cup and European Champions League treble.
One nil down to Bayern Munich going into the three minutes of stoppage time when first Teddy Sheringham and then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored – 2-1!
My ‘flash interview’ at the end brought the famous response from Alex ‘Football Bloody Hell!’ and then he explained ‘You never give in’ which is the title of his excellent film made by his son Jason now showing on Amazon Prime Video.
It also tells the story of his life threatening brain tumours three years ago. Thankfully against the odds Sir Alex has recovered. Never Give In also sums him up as a manager and the message he relayed to his players.
That recent fight against the possibility of dying sums up the man.
What made him so successful? Definitely his background in Govan and the Shipyards plus his unfair treatment as a player at his beloved Rangers.
His determination to succeed, to push players to their limits of effort and skill and to keep control as the manager.
They always had to do their best but if a player challenged his authority as manager they would be gone.
He understood management.
His reputation was fearsome and ruthless but I witnessed a caring side to him. Players knew they could turn to him with their problems off the pitch.
When the late journalist Joe
Melling, who did not get on with Ferguson, was diagnosed with lung cancer the manager rang him and said: “You fight this like you fight me.”
I had a stroke on February 2, 2002, in Manchester on route to cover United.
When I was recovering Alex rang me three times with advice and to check up.
Several years later my wife had a brain tumour while battling the deadly malignant melanoma cancer.
Sir Alex found out en route to playing at West Bromwich Albion and rang from the team bus when it arrived at the Hawthorns.
Katie does not follow football but knows Alex and was uplifted by his message.
So we were deeply upset when he was taken so seriously ill. But also delighted when both Sir Alex and Katie overcame their serious illnesses against the odds.
Sir Alex has always helped fellow managers, particularly, when they have been sacked and need lifting and involvement.
During my successful 22 years, after that bad start, working for television with him has been an important chapter in my career.
There were plenty of laughs as well.