Sir Alex says he never saw Giggs lose his temper
Sir Alex Ferguson has told a court he never saw Ryan Giggs lose his temper as he gave evidence defending his ex-player.
The former Manchester United manager, 80, spoke about his relationship at the club with Giggs, who is on trial charged with assaulting his ex-girlfriend Kate Greville.
Sir Alex told Manchester Crown Court on Friday that Giggs had a “fantastic temperament”, adding: “To have a career as long as he had in a difficult position, in terms of energy, he fulfilled everything we ever wished for.”
He said Giggs was “without doubt the best example we had at the club” and “everyone looked at Ryan Giggs as the number one”.
Asked by Giggs’ barrister Chris Daw QC if he had ever seen him “lose his temper or become aggressive”, Sir Alex replied: “No.”
Earlier, jurors heard the contents of a “final goodbye” letter written by Ms Greville on October 29, 2020 – three days before Giggs allegedly assaulted her. The letter, titled The Final Goodbye, details the former Manchester United footballer’s alleged infidelities with at least eight women.
Giggs’s defence team read the letter, which began: “I know pretty much everything you have been doing with other women behind my back since the day I met you.”
Ms Greville described Giggs as a “compulsive liar and serial cheat”, telling him: “My gut always told me you couldn’t be trusted.
“I now know you say the
same things you say to me to multiple women.
“I’m nothing special. I was just the one you didn’t let have a happy life.”
Jurors heard the “goodbye” letter continued: “I know you and Helen had a full-on relationship while you were sleeping with me.
“You told her you loved her and wanted to have a family.”
The letter said “Helen” had “met the kids” and that she and Giggs were “in constant contact, even now”.
It went on to say: “You and Zara were also in a full-on relationship for nearly a year,” adding that Giggs “got your Harrods guy to send her a pair of shoes and a dress”.
The letter continued: “I know about Natalie and Suzie, not to mention Kelly.
“I know about the women you meet at the Stafford.”
She also accused him of “sending dirty messages about threesomes with Charlotte from Hotel Football”.
The letter also detailed an incident of Giggs “shagging someone else” when he was supposed to be picking Ms Greville up.
It said: “Oh, and I know about
Steph – she’s married to the cricketer now.”
Ms Greville accused them of having a “full blown affair in 2014”, which “carried on the whole time you were seeing me”.
Ms Greville added: “Let’s not forget (redacted)” – another woman he was accused of being unfaithful with.
The letter continued: “You will never lie to me or cheat on me again.”
Giggs, 48, denies using controlling and coercive behaviour against Ms Greville, 38, between August 2017 and November 2020, assaulting her, causing actual bodily harm, and the common assault of her younger sister, Emma Greville, 26.