Stars’ names helped Fergie speak again

SIR Alex Ferguson told yesterday how he feared he would never speak again after his brain haemorrhage three years ago.

The former Manchester United manager admitted feeling terrified – but his words returned 10 days later after reciting players’ names with a therapist.

He recalled: “Everything was going through my mind: is my memory going to come back? Am I ever going to speak again?”

Sir Alex, 79, took part in a Q&A after the screening of a new film about his life at Glasgow Film Festival entitled Never Give In.

In the documentary, Sir Alex also tells stories such as being mobbed by United fans in the car park after winning his first league title in 1993.

LAST Tuesday Claire Mercer put up a giant screen of husband Jason’s face outside South Yorkshire Police HQ on what would have been his 46th birthday.

Jason, 44, had a prang with Alexandru Murgeanu, 22, on a section of the M1 without a hard shoulder in June 2019. As they spoke, a lorry hit them and both died instantly. Sheffield coroner David Urpeth said the lack of hard shoulder contributed to their deaths and smart motorways “present a risk of future deaths”

Claire, 44, of Rotherham, wants Highways England charged with with corporate manslaughter and thinks they were more to blame than trucker Prezemyslaw Szuba, who got 10 months. “I didn’t know what a smart motorway was. I don’t know how they made if off the drawing board,” she said.

A highways spokesman said: “Although we do not believe Highways England has committed any offence we will of course cooperate fully in any investigation.”

CAMPAIGN Claire with huge screen of husband

RECOVERY Alex Ferguson