Scottish Daily Mail

Fergie nets a fortune

Football legend Sir Alex is a £2million winner... despite having retired from game 7 years ago!

- By Stuart MacDonald

HE is widely regarded as one of the greatest football managers of all time – and it seems he just can’t stop winning.

Former Manchester United and Aberdeen boss Sir Alex Ferguson’s family firm posted results showing he earned £2million last year.

This boosted the value of his personal company to more than £12.4million – seven years after he retired.

He has earned millions from book deals, personal appearance­s and public speaking engagement­s.

Latest accounts for his company ACF (Alexander Chapman Ferguson) Sports Promotions show it declared a profit of £2,085,030 for the year up to June 30, 2019.

The figures showed the company had total assets of £19million and owed almost £6.6million to creditors within one year.

Glasgow-born Sir Alex’s firm was valued at £12,441,776 – an increase of more than £2million from the previous year.

It has invested millions in a number of US-based private equity funds, including more than £2million in one called ‘Distressed Managers’. The fund is a subsidiary of the New York-based finance giant Goldman Sachs.

The company’s assets include an investment portfolio worth almost £13million and a further amount of more than £2.2million held in a bank account.

The company’s accounts state its revenue is derived from ‘appearance­s, image rights and royalties from the writing of books’.

Sir Alex and his wife, Cathy, have been directors since 1988. But in 2012, their three sons joined the board in preparatio­n for their father’s career change.

Jason Ferguson, his twin Darren and eldest brother Mark also became directors of ACF and now run the company’s operations.

Sir Alex, who retired from the Old Trafford hot seat in May, 2013, still works 20 days a year as a Manchester United ambassador.

His autobiogra­phy has sold more than one million copies and he is available for motivation­al speaking at £100,000 a time.

The 78-year-old had emergency treatment on a brain haemorrhag­e in May, 2018, and spent several days in intensive care at Salford Royal Hospital, near Manchester.

Last year he raised £400,000 for the NHS as a thank you, organising a star-studded event in Manchester and handing over all proceeds to the health service.

Sir Alex was appointed manager of Manchester United in 1986 and, during his 26 years at Old Trafford, won 38 trophies, including two Champions League titles.

Born in Glasgow’s Govan, he played with several Scottish clubs, most notably St Johnstone and Dunfermlin­e before starting his managerial career with East Stirlingsh­ire and St Mirren.

He then enjoyed a highly successful period as manager of Aberdeen, winning three Scottish league championsh­ips, four Scottish Cups and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1983.

He was knighted in the 1999 Queen’s Birthday Honours list for his services to the game.

 ??  ?? Investment­s: Sir Alex
Investment­s: Sir Alex

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