This article has been submitted by Apurv Singh for the CLATGyan Blog Post Writing Competition. If you think this article is a good read, ‘Like’ this article on Facebook (the button is at the bottom of this piece) or post a comment using the ‘comments’ section below.
On December 31, 1941 when the World was rejoicing on the New Years Eve, Mother Earth had some other plans, she was on the verge of giving to the world something phenomenal, something that in the near future would rule the hearts of the People who will be love with the Game whose Governing Body has more Members than the United Nations, though not from the fore-front but still would create an aura and a persona of him so great that will be valued more than the ones who play the Game.
This happened in a town called Govan in Scotland where a child was born and named by his Parents as “Alexander Chapman Ferguson” and in the Modern football World referred to as “Sir Alex Fergusson”.
Starting his Career as a Forward for Scotland, no-one in the Soccer Playing World could have thought that the kid would ever go on to be Knighted and act as the Manager for a Club which under him would go on to become brand name in his own self. Sir Alex Ferguson was appointed as the Manager of Manchester United in November 1986 when the Club was in seeing its gloomy days and had not won the title for more than 2 Decades and were at 19th position in the League and from there he has led the club to today’s position of it being the Most Influential and Most Valued Sports Club in the World being estimated at around $3.3 Billion. He has developed Manchester United into an Institution, that is worshipped and though there are millions who are not ardent followers of the Club but under Sir Alex it has become a sort of phenomena that no soccer fan remains indifferent to the Club, it is irrelevant you hate the Club or Love it but you have to have an opinion on it.
He took over the charge from Sir Matt Busby who left the Club at the age of 62, Shanky left Liverpool when he was 60 but Sir Alex Ferguson, 71 is still at Old Trafford (though not for long) with a Pacemaker installed and a Hip-Surgery round the corner, still dances and jumps while lifting the Premier League Trophy for the 13th time in 26 Years.
Thirteen Premier League Titles, Two Champions League, Two Inter-Continental World Cups, Five FA Cups, Four League Cups, Ten Community Shields, One European Cup Winners Cup and a Total of 49 Trophies in his Cabinet, that’s not yet. 11 Times Manager of the Year and if there were further anything to achieve, I can say without a doubt that this Legendary Man would have achieved it all.
Around a month back when he announced his retirement, it came as a shock to the Soccer World as it was certainly unexpected and though the Retirement was inevitable (A Newspaper called him a “Man who could never Retire”) but still no-one wanted this to happen, and specially I never wanted it to take place. There were tears in my eyes when I heard the news at first for some strange reason. I love Cricket way more than Football and I had never experienced something like this for Cricket even when India lost to Pakistan in the 2009 Champions Trophy, but at Fergie’s Retirement I was crying and millions of other Soccer Fan were also accompanying me in that.
On 12th of May after giving my CLAT Exam, I reached back home at 8:30 P.M. as my Centre was in another City and was fortunate to witness the man last time at the Theatre of Dreams and the scenes were just prolific, there were more than 600000 People there to witness the man for the last time take guard in front of his home fans, I still can’t get out of my mind the scenes as yet, the Guard of Honour he received, him jumping with the Team after lifting the Trophy, I can say I have been blessed to have seen someone as energetic and as great a man as Sir Alex.
When CG came up with this and the for no topic was barred, I knew I had to write something on the Man and after spending close to three hours on this Post, I still don’t know that have I structured this Post well and have I done a Job close to acceptable on it but still I had to because in a couple of days time the man would be History for Manchester United and would never be seen in the dugout of Manchester United and someone else in the name of David Moyes (Who was appointed on the recommendation of Sir Alex) would take over the Legacy from Sir Alex for taking the club forward and no matter at what great heights Moyes takes the Club to but there is only one thing that I can say with 100% surety that Manchester United will never remain the same in the absence of Sir Alex, his eagerness, attitude, anger, that typical Scottish accent will be missed.
Still Sir Alex Ferguson will be immortal standing outside the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand of Old Trafford in his long overcoat in complete bronze telling everyone visiting there that it was him who is responsible for the true establishment of this club and at last in Sir Alex Ferguson’s words “Football, Bloody Hell”
Thank You Sir Alex.
