Sir Alex Ferguson has retired

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You could sit here and write page after page of plaudits, and you could go on until your blue in the face, but the fact is; words just can't describe what Sir Alex Ferguson has done for this football club. I'm only 19 (younger than most of you) and when I went to my first game when I was about 4, he was already pretty well established as manager here. I've seen some quality players come, and I've seen some others leave, but alongside the likes of Giggs and Scholes, he has always been there.

He is the definition of Manchester United for me, and his character reflects that - always has done. He is relentless in his will to win and his drive to succeed, and the standards set by him right across the board are why we are as successful a club as we are.

To be manager of a club like this for 26 years is an astonishing statistic, and I think it's safe to say it's one that will never be repeated again. His reign has given me experiences that will last me a lifetime; both good and bad. The titles, the European Cup Final 2008 were amazing experiences, but I think the losses and defeats are just as, if not more crucial. You can't buy that hunger and that desire that he has, and that's what makes him what he is.

I couldn't respect him any more than I do to, but I think it goes without saying that we need to give David Moyes our full support, and we need to back him 100%. He is a huge job on his hands now; in fact I would say the biggest job the game has seen in a long time, but we need to get behind him as fans, and support him every step of the way.

There have been highs, and there have been lows, but it's been a pleasure to have been a fan in the Ferguson era. He will always be my first United manager, and although it's to early to say, I expect he will be the best. That said, there is still one more game to go, and I expect it will bring our a couple of tears for me personally. It's been an honour and privilege to have seen him, and like people have already said; he will never been forgotten. Thanks for everything Sir Alex.
 
From tumblr

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"Job done."
 
Badunk said:
The second one is incredible :lol:
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This part had me laughing:

Teddy Scott, Fergie's colleague at Aberdeen, couldn't recover. "I thought I knew everything," said Teddy. "During his time with us, he has told me everything, described in detail every daft goal he ever scored and all the easy chances he ever missed. He never keeps quiet, but I never knew he could play the piano."

Now he will be playing to one of the most demanding audiences in the game and that will make him totally satisfied. Despite his semi-love of Aberdeen FC, he was never at one with fans who, he would say "sit on their hands". Alluding to a woeful lack of vociferous support during a big European match one night, he said: "There was more noise at my granny's funeral."

With him at Old Trafford, silence will be a golden rarity.
 
But for all the volatile aggressiveness, he is an incurable joker. During Scotland's World Cup preparations in Santa Fe, New Mexico, he discovered an attractive lounge with a beautiful, white grand piano. He asked the manager about it and was told that it played automatically. For a fee, they could arrange to make it look as though he was playing.

The deal was done and that night Fergie took the entire backroom staff out to dinner. When he offered to play the piano ("I'll admit it's been some time," he said) the disbelief was obvious. But, with every action exaggerated, it came out as pure Semprini.
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:lol:
 
We really are going to be insufferable talking about him in the future..
 
Well at least we'll get to see Fergie lift the trophy twice a week on MOTD next season. :)
 
This is the Sky montage... holy feck this montage



Whoever made that in the Sky offices... bravo sir.
 
Scousers saying it was done after 2005 final.
 
The speech should probably have a thread of its own, but I'll talk about it here. Firstly, how fecking moving was that speech? I've seen a few people reference it in the 'did you cry thread', and it really was hard to hold back the tears. But on a different note, I think Fergie nailed a few things in that speech and it could be seriously important going forward.

It was a surreal feeling with the way he said the supporters, staff and players are all one. You hear it all the time but you just felt like the players were one of us, hanging on to every word that Fergie had to say. Then he addressed the players on the pitch and it was like an insight into what he's been doing in that dressing room all these years, telling the players never to let themselves down and understand what that shirt means. It must be inspirational listening to that man every day, there's no fecking wonder we've been at the top so long.

Then the biggest roar was for the other point he made, which answered a lot of questions that have been posed recently. When he told the supporters that it's our duty to get behind the new manager...the roar from the crowd! Still gives me goosebumps thinking about it now. Any question as to whether we'll get behind the manager were truly answered, and any that were unsure on their feelings towards it were left in no uncertainty as to what was required from them.

Seriously, I'll never forget that speech. It feels like the foundations have just been laid for the next era of this club.
 
Damn. That is an absolutely gorgeous montage. Very creative with the song's narrative choice.
 
pocco said:
The speech should probably have a thread of its own, but I'll talk about it here. Firstly, how fecking moving was that speech? I've seen a few people reference it in the 'did you cry thread', and it really was hard to hold back the tears. But on a different note, I think Fergie nailed a few things in that speech and it could be seriously important going forward.

It was a surreal feeling with the way he said the supporters, staff and players are all one. You hear it all the time but you just felt like the players were one of us, hanging on to every word that Fergie had to say. Then he addressed the players on the pitch and it was like an insight into what he's been doing in that dressing room all these years, telling the players never to let themselves down and understand what that shirt means. It must be inspirational listening to that man every day, there's no fecking wonder we've been at the top so long.

Then the biggest roar was for the other point he made, which answered a lot of questions that have been posed recently. When he told the supporters that it's our duty to get behind the new manager...the roar from the crowd! Still gives me goosebumps thinking about it now. Any question as to whether we'll get behind the manager were truly answered, and any that were unsure on their feelings towards it were left in no uncertainty as to what was required from them.

Seriously, I'll never forget that speech. It feels like the foundations have just been laid for the next era of this club.
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The biggest part of the speech for me was the fact that he didnt take time to indulge himself. This was his last time to speak to the Old Trafford crowd, a crowd that is largely there due to his work over the last quarter of a century in making our club what it is. Instead of spending time reminiscing over the past and what he's achieved, he thanked everyone else for making it possible and made sure that we move forward as a collective. As proud of his achievements as he is, you just get the feeling that he wanted it more for everyone else's happiness rather than his own personal glory, that he relates to our successes and failures more as a fan rather than an employee.
 
I hate montages. They're easy. Sad music, pictures of shit, slow motion. Piss easy manipulative nonsense.

That one's killing me a little bit though.





Then I realise it's Sean Connery doing an earnest William Shatner impression.
 
It sounded like Sean Connery talking about an old girlfriend. I found it too manipulative to like much.
 
Watching the final 4 minutes of the 99 CL final is the most emotive footage for me and what a tribute to SAF.
 
The question now is, as a director, does he visit Old Trafford every match day, or does the prospect of sky zooming in on him every time we concede a goal offer a distracting prospect to the new man in charge.

It's comforting knowing he will still be there, behind the scenes, making sure the club go about things the right way.
 
Sums him up really, spends the best part of his retirement speech looking ahead to more success and making sure the club has the right mentallity going forward. Didnt dwell on the past one bit. Legend.
 
sammsky1 said:
SAF confirms the death of his wife's sister was the main reason why he decided to retire at #MUFC manager. "She lost her best friend."
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Just saw this and really glad that Fergie's retired considering that it was his wife who asked him to reconsider his retirement decision in 2002.
 
I thought I would be immensely sad to see him leave yesterday... But I was kind of happy all of a sudden. Not happy that he was leaving, but happy that he could leave on his own terms, with his health intact, with plenty of things to do on the horizon. When he said he wanted to travel with his wife, I thought.. why the feck did he wait so long? He deserves this time off. And he deserves to more or less appoint the new manager, and he deserves to stick around and be a presence. And we know he's going give the right amount of direction and encouragement to Moyes or anyone else at the club who needs him, and you know he'll never interfere in matters that no longer are his to decide.

Farewell Sir Alex!

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Yesterday was so special, I have watched his farewell speech about 5 times already, it is just so moving.

It is not often in the world of modern day football that a manager gets to leave on his own terms, and yesterday we saw it happen twice with Ferguson and Moyes, both getting incredible receptions.

He can now enjoy his retirement and spend time with his wife.

Also, just in case he does get a bit bored of retirement and wants to go back into management, im sure he is capable of turning his 11 grandkids into a formidable outfit.
 
bergen said:
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That was so great to see, Fergie and the grandkids. I remember photos from the cup final in 99 with Fergie and his first grandson Jake at Wembley. Since all the grandkids were apparently on the pitch yesterday, I'd assume Jake is the oldest one on the photos. Should be 18-19 now, I think. The Ferguson tribe, growing in numbers, all while he was busy with us. It's nice to see.
 
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