We feared for Fergie but he is as sharp as ever.. he could tell you scorer in a reserve game in 1982. I couldn’t tell you what I had for my dinner last night! Scare but Sir Alex’s bounced back to star in film
Knox was shocked after pal’s brain
The first time they met he suffered an elbow to the chops.
And when Archie Knox found out his old pal Sir Alex Ferguson was seriously ill, it felt like a punch in the guts.
Knox is delighted the legendary boss is now starring on the silver screen – as it’s only been a few years since he got the shock of his life when he clocked a different kind of screen.
Sir Alex’s renowned right-hand man at Aberdeen and Manchester United was in New York’s Time Square when time stood still.
A brain haemorrhage had left Fergie in critical condition.
Knox feared the worst back in 2018 but he’s relieved, although not surprised, to see his friend back on his feet to see his life story hit cinemas.
He said: “I’ll never forget it. I was in New York, walking around Times
Square. I looked up to the big screens with the news feed, and there it was: Sir Alex Ferguson in critical condition.
“I couldn’t believe it. I had no idea. I was just taken aback.
“It’s just great to see how he’s bounced back, although we shouldn’t be surprised.
“At the time his son Jason said he was worried about Alex’s memory.
“He always had an unbelievable memory. He could tell you who scored in a reserve league game in 1982, I couldn’t tell you want I had for my dinner last night!
“But the great thing is he’s still as sharp as ever and is still going strong. I’m sure people will enjoy the film, it’s a remarkable story.”
A new Amazon film is out this week charting Ferguson’s life and career as one of the managerial greats, from growing up in Govan to conquering the Champions League and beyond.
Knox and Ferguson’s tale began in the early 60s when the pair were rival players, one with Forfar, St Mirren and Dundee United and the other with St Johnstone, Dunfermline, Rangers and Falkirk.
The first encounter might have been a sore one but they joined forces to form a formidable team at all-conquering Aberdeen in the 1980s and then laid the groundwork together at Old Trafford.
Knox said: “I’d played against him before then, in fact I’m pretty sure I took an elbow in the coupon at some point!
“I didn’t know him particularly well. He’d been at Aberdeen a year and I was manager at Forfar.
“It came totally out of the blue. “He was down watching a game and afterwards asked to have a word. We went in to the wee office at Station Park and he just asked me if I wanted to be his assistant at Aberdeen.
“I just said: ‘ When can I start?’ I never even asked about money.”
Knox admitted it wasn’t good cop, bad cop with the pair – “more two bad cops,” he joked – but the formula worked.
He said: “We didn’t always see eye to eye on everything. He was okay when the chance came for me to go and take charge of Dundee.
“We’d just won the Cup Winners’
Cup that year but it was the chance to go out on my own.
“But he was less chuffed when I left Man United to go to Rangers! Jeez, that didn’t go down well. It was the week before we played Barcelona in the Cup Winners’ Cup Final.
“I think Walter had a word with him beforehand but when I went in to see him ... well, you could imagine how it was received.
“Alex could hold a grudge but thankfully he didn’t hold one against me. I wasn’t on his list.”
The Fergie film comes after fellow Scottish legends Jock Stein, Matt Busby and Bil l Shankly were immortalised on the big screen in the Three Kings documentary.
Knox has no doubt his pal is up there with the all time greats.
He said: “Without a doubt. There will never be another Ferguson. If you look at what he achieved, it’s up there with anyone. The success at United was remarkable.
“They’re one of the biggest in the world now but when he went in there they had not won the league for more than 20 years.
“It took time to build the club up but to remain in that job for 26 years and have success year after year will never be repeated.
“What he achieved at Aberdeen is comparable.
“Taking a side f rom outside Glasgow and winning silverware like he did was incredible.
“He made Aberdeen one of the best sides in Europe.
“It’s staggering looking back to see how we didn’t just compete with the very best in Europe – we beat them.
“It’s amazing when you think about it.”
Which sums up the life and times of sir Alex. n Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In is in UK cinemas from May 27, and on Amazon Prime Video from May
29.
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