Fergie | Why I sold Strachan, Whiteside and McGrath….. | 1989

Taken from "The Official Alex Ferguson Story" released in 1995.

[@karl1091]

Think McGrath said it best himself when asked "Why did Fergie let you go?" He replied "Because I let myself go" His book his a real eye opener.

[@MrGroganmeister]

He were thirsty lad

[@arthurfnshelby4335]

Fergie did the same at Aberdeen, turned them into Euro trophy winners, Got rid of a top scorer who he thought was overweight, drinkers etc. In his early Aberdeen days the players on the team bus celebrated a draw at Celtic park, Fergie went ballistic. Everything at Aberdeen changed, every training session had a winning mentality to it, you didn’t play anything other than to win. He was actually on more wages in his final year at Aberdeen than what Man U gave him. Soon changed though. Football now? Only a few teams can ever win anything in any league, more supporters of clubs are saying’ what’s the point’ .Money rules.

[@mmw4990]

That has absolutely always been the case in football. The rich teams buy the best players and they win. Simple as that. Look at any era through history

[@arthurfnshelby4335]

@@mmw4990 it wasn’t though, back in the 70’s and 80’s the wage structure was way more even. Clubs could outbid on the transfer fee but the wages were never the huge gap between clubs like they are now.

[@makeshift112000]

@@mmw4990 yes,but its far more pronounced now. The days of Nottingham Forest winning the European Cup r long gone.

[@lordvoldemort1729]

I wonder which Norwegian celebrates a draw all the time these days.. 🤭

[@Macca-rb5ok]

Fergie spent more money on wages and transfers than everyone in the 80s to 00s. How many British record transfers and weekly wage packets did he oversee?

[@darkcowboyhero]

Paul Mcgrath would have been maldini level great had he not been ravaged by alcoholism. Genuinely one of the worlds greatest defensive talents.

[@rampageclover9788]

Easily would have broken 300 caps under Fergie....

[@laoch5658]

he was maldini level..watch the two world cups he played for ireland

[@basylpeterjones]

​@@laoch5658Ferguson didn't regard McGrath as world-class. He mentions here that Whiteside was a just a fraction below that - so not in the four players he had at Old Trafford he did rate as world-class.

[@thisdrinkinglife]

he kind of was - just intermittent

[@KryptonitetoallBS]

@@laoch5658 I'm guessing he means consistently. Maldini is regarded as better than McGrath because he was world class consistently throughout his career. McGrath is the best defender I ever saw, but he could have been even better IF he'd looked after himself better!

[@alexbojinov]

Thank you for your excellent work! These videos are pure gold! They teleport me back in the good old days when football was great and life was good and we were free.

[@ClassicManUtdVideos]

Thanks mate! Glad your enjoying my uploads. 👍🔴⚪️⚫️

[@balchana3365]

So very true. Real people, playing football who truly cared about winning.

[@HighlandMike325]

Only Alex Ferguson could answer the phone to Howard Wilkinson to say "sorry Howard, your agents wrong, Dennis Irwin isn't for sale." then in the next breath... "but while i've got you, we would be interested in taking the Frenchman if he's available"

[@johnny5805]

In a way it was a quid pro quo. Fergie gave Leeds the title by giving them Strachan. Leeds repaid the debt by giving them Cantona. :-)

[@hamdanjantan399]

@@johnny5805 well said. And Cantona delivered the title for Man Utd.

[@SandyYoung1]

@@johnny5805 I’m a Leeds fan and I know who got the raw deal there-Cantona MADE the premier league what it is.

[@ktkee7161]

I thought it was Edwards who took the call?

[@El_terrible1985]

Paul McGrath was a unbelievable player

[@phils3631]

McGrath was World Class, too fond of the drink.

[@adrianmarrinan7707]

Best defender in that league for years after leaving united

[@phils3631]

@@adrianmarrinan7707 He was indeed, Villa fans called him god. Won PFA player award as well. His knees gave him awful issues.

[@El_terrible1985]

Look ass he couldn’t ever train. Unbelievable player. Check him out for Ireland vs Italy in 94 World Cup. Best performance you’ll ever see. Had baggio in his pocket

[@huzcer]

Terrible guy to encounter if he's drinking

[@stikndip]

I thought at the time that Sir Alex was insane. I couldn’t see why players having a good drink on their days off was a problem. We’ve learned a lot since then.

[@sankystanky7962]

as a younger man I simply cannot understand how that sounded so revolutionary and shocking to people in the UK then, no offense whatsoever but how do people not know that drinking hindered performance and recovery???? Genuinely asking.

[@stikndip]

@@sankystanky7962 There’s always been a drinking and pub culture in UK. It’s complicated but I think it got more ingrained when pub opening hours were limited during WWI to keep people sober in order to produce munitions. People would then go to the pub and drink as quickly as they could in the limited time. We’ve never really got over that. We drink like the pubs gonna close in ten minutes! 😂

[@sankystanky7962]

@@stikndip That made me laugh hahah does seem that way sometimes

[@RoadmanRob8]

@@stikndip well you learn something everyday. Fair play

[@RoadmanRob8]

@@stikndip I also thought or read somewhere in the old day the king would always make sure the army had enough booze even if he couldn’t pay them or something like that

[@johnmitchell2269]

When he first took over in 86 his first job was to stop the drinking culture at the club and get the fitness levels up. As good as Paul McGrath was (back in 89 he was one of the best CB's in Europe), he was one player who had a drinking problem and didn't take his fitness seriously enough. When you have standards you can't make exceptions. In the short term these standards may have hurt Manchester United, but in the long term? Huge success.

[@pearljam619]

Paul McGrath is a GOD at B6 and we still sing his name “M’Lord. One of the greatest players to grace our hallow turf.

[@kryptoknight6043]

What's this postcode wars... B6 bro... KRO

[@jaewon679]

Yes mate what a player UTV

[@sirajmunir10]

He really did mean business! What a manager he was back then

[@clivethereddevil3178]

I saw 3 of those goals live. Norman's goals at Southampton away and Notting Forest at home and Paul's home goal against Watford. Great times to be a United fan. Never close to winning the league but could always get tickets for home games.

[@jeremyslaney5644]

Those goals shown in the clip were mostly from the 1987-88 season

[@KryptonitetoallBS]

You could get in at Old Trafford, IF you were early enough. If you weren't, then you were left outside. Happened to me a few times after travelling 220 miles as well!!

[@rooneye]

McGrath is slept on man. He was a beast. Sadly alcohol meant he wasn't as great as he could have potentially been.

[@Maximustard]

That's most of us bro, Paul was class

[@starofdavid9919]

Jock Stein was the same at Celtic, The Lisbon Lions liked down time but with Steins incredible man management skills they were the most entertaining team in Europe at the time.

[@villan81]

No doubting Ferguson as a manager. Luckily we (Villa) had the best out of Paul McGrath.

[@Maximustard]

He was magnificent for Villa, amazing

[@arsenalcobain]

God

[@grimson]

People rightly laud Wenger for bringing a modern diet/fitness mentality to management, but Fergie was the first to take action against the drinking culture in British football in the 80s. The United players still had a pint, but he made it clear if it affected you at training the next day, you were not going to be in his plans.

[@HighlandMike325]

Great scene in A Captain's Diary - released on VHS after the 92 title. Steve Bruce walks into Giggs and Ince's hotel room with his video camera. Their beds are covered in chocolate bars from the vending machines and they panic and start hiding them.

[@mahirhussain4890]

Pretty sure there were managers before Fergie in British football that did the same, I seem to remember couple in the 70s and 80s although it wasn’t as revolutionary as what Wenger did

[@ktkee7161]

Wenger doped his way to success, and people still naively think it was steamed broccoli. Read Arsenal player interviews.

[@vinniedixon1140]

Norman Whiteside was brilliant. Imagine if he'd stayed to the time when Roy Keane joined United, what a central midfield that would've been..

[@TheGiantKillers]

I feel a bit for poor Norman. At the time, he, and the media considered joining Everton as moving to the next level. They were proven title winners while United were nearly men. The training methods at Everton were quite draconian and destroyed a few players in the 90s.

[@vinniedixon1140]

@@TheGiantKillers Was still a good player though. Evertons peak ended when they last won title in 1987

[@TheGiantKillers]

@@vinniedixon1140 87 was their peak but they remained a title contender in 1988, 89, and 90, topping the table for significant periods in the last of those two seasons, while being second in the table for a large part of Liverpool's 1988 stroll. Everton's decline didn't really begin until the 90/91 season.

[@vinniedixon1140]

@@TheGiantKillers Fergie should have kept him by laying the kaw down over the drinking culture. Bryan Robson was a player that was drinking too much but Fergie didn't want to lose as he was important to the team and told him to sort himself out. If he did the same with Whiteside, Utd could have beetn title contenders

[@Dreyno]

@@vinniedixon1140 Robson was a notorious pisshead. But he was also an England captain. There was prestige and shirt sales in that. No coincidence that the three that were let go were Irish, Northern Irish and Scottish. Clean up the culture and not lose out financially.

[@johnnybrubaker]

It`s worth noting that Strachan went on to win the league with Leeds, McGrath won the PFA Player of the Year, Whiteside got injuries that ended his career prematurely. Fergie also claimed that he could have managed Gazzas problems. Gazza had far bigger problems than McGrath and still does to this day. Great manager, one of the best ever, but he`s not 100% right about everything.

[@peterreid9769]

Gascoigne was younger then and his problems hadn't manifested. Strachan changed his lifestyle and his approach as he got older. McGrath was fantastic but United replaced him with quality.

[@johnnybrubaker]

@@peterreid9769 That`s not true, Gazza had his "tics" back then, his problems were on display for anyone who spoke to him. And you`re missing my point, if he thought he could have managed Gazza then why could he not manage McGrath or Strachan. I know he replaced both of them with quality, that wasn`t my point either.

[@KryptonitetoallBS]

@@johnnybrubaker Strachan didn't have any major problems, he just wanted a change of scene. He'd probably had enough of listening to Fergie with Aberdeen and United. Gazza's drinking issues were not as serious at that time, as Big Pauls. Yes, Gascoigne had behavioral issues, but they didn't stop him playing well for Lazio and Rangers. Gazza had mental health issues from day 1. You didn't need to be a shrink to work that out. His interviews and the way he got injured v Forest tells you how daft he was! However El Tel and others managed to manage him along with help from senior players like Seaman and Robson.

[@Steviej148]

Absolutely gutted when OO AH Paul McGrath went always will be my all time favourite United CB. Although our history since speaks for itself, what a player Big Ron got at villa MUMUFMUFC OK✊🔴⚪⚫

[@Maximustard]

The best CB, more composed than Rio, stronger than stam, tougher than Vidić, and less meme-worthy than Phil Jones

[@timothyhollins6010]

He is smart and he knows what's in the youth team coming through.

[@Macca-rb5ok]

Paul McGrath went on to become one of the world's greatest defenders at Villa Park - sometimes fate plays its part.

[@56postoffice]

And he was to repeat this feat again a few years later with Ince, Kanchelkis and Hughes. Ruthless yes, but a thorough winner.

[@ghostshipone]

I think the Kanchelskis deal fell through due to the Russian mafia demanding too much. Fergie wanted him, but not at their new ridiculous price tag. Shows them the 🚪

[@alexwood2219]

ghostshipone it was more than the price tag that put fergie off lol

[@68majortom]

Ince was the best one "just call me The Governer" nope you're gone, never have I heard anybody give themselves their own Nickname in my life deserved to be Sold!!

[@56postoffice]

@@68majortom 😂

[@ThefightingCelt]

I think the real reason Fergie let these players go was to eliminate any challenge to his authority or insubordination . All 3 players , especially Strachan , were highly opinionated and weren't frightened to let Ferguson know their opinions , which didn't sit well with the volatile Scot , who was a control freak and loathed any challenge to his authority. Had he kept this 3 players then the dressing room would have become even more disruptive .

[@chippydogwoofwoof]

Whiteside was a beast even as a youngster him Stapleton, Coppel and B.Robson were my heroes back in the day.

[@ShawnDrymen]

For me it's Roy Keane and Paul McGrath. 2 absolute warriors who read the game brilliantly.

[@Alex-km6uj]

GGMU from Greece! United is my heaven.

[@ghostshipone]

I recommend you all read Leading by Fergie. It’s such a great book. Doesn’t talk much about games but about managing the team.. from the early days scouting thousands of games to dealing with big egos.. and how bringing in European (not UK etc) changed the drinking culture.. McGrath must’ve been pretty bad.. because even the 92 kids like Giggs etc were drinking.. like any normal young lads. But once the culture changed success on a greater scale came. Might read again now!

[@williewilliams4654]

Yea McGrath was out of control,,, but he stilled performed for villa and Ireland somehow,,, imagine how good he could of been,,, Gonna check that book out,,,

[@richihead10]

‘He was the best paid player at the club, I thought that would have been enough motivation’ 😂😂😂😂

[@jamesalandixon]

Whiteside and McGrath were both alchoholics so he had to get rid of them to change the dressing room culture. Strachan was still a brilliant player, one of the best around. He could have done with keeping him but the two of them never got on and it was as much about the personality clash as anything else.

[@ropaul8006]

Robson?

[@joebyrne3159]

Yes, but McGrath went on to become an icon at Aston Villa, the supporters even nicknamed him God, I think Ferguson got rid of Mc Grath in his prime!! McGrath was a legend! Bad knees, he still played out of his skin!

[@rstevens7711]

@Jimmy Dixon - I never hated a player more than Strachan after his equaliser at the Kop end against us, haha. Childish I know. Amazed to hear that he was United highest-paid player. I would never have imagined that.

[@GerLeahy]

​@@joebyrne3159 He admitted to drinking half a bottle of whiskey before a United game. No amount of talent covers that. He said in his autobiography that he was banned from driving so he got a lift to training with some of the youth team lads. On the way he got them to stop at an off-licence for a six-pack, and proceeded to drink on the way... to training. All that said, Paul was a world class defender (almost got Ireland to a world cup semi final) and he's a genuine decent soul.

[@gdogg3710]

@@GerLeahy bad, but Merson doing beak in the back of a taxi on the way to training after being up all night is next level again...

[@AnnesleyPlaceDub70]

And he did it again in 1995 letting Kanchelskis, Hughes and Ince go. and justified those decisions. Fergie was/is a born winner, unbelievable manager.

[@kierangilly1]

I'm not a United fan but Kanchelkis was a terrific player. Great to watch as a nuteral

[@AnnesleyPlaceDub70]

@@kierangilly1 Best winger United had since Gordon Hill, very powerful , not as silky as Giggs but just direct.

[@Guttlegob]

Kanchelskis was awesome for Everton.

[@gdogg3710]

Still not for over him selling Andrei, even if it was the right call...

[@barryb90]

Bad decision letting Stam go and not persuading Schmeichel to stay. It cost them big in Europe.

[@adambaker8689]

First love, Norman Whiteside

[@KevTheImpaler]

Didn't Norman Whiteside have to retire from dodgy knees? I remember him being good, only a bit slow.

[@andrewjohnston2850]

yeah after a couple of seasons at Everton , he was only 26 i think

[@peterh1353]

Whiteside played too much too young. Knocked about at international level while still only a teenager. No pace at at all, but very strong.

[@murchuan8782]

He got a very bad leg injury when he was young which was wrongly diagnosed and hence treated...and it was never rightafterwards.... that's what slowed him down

[@leeleelee0054]

Strachan was great at leeds

[@horse69outside]

New challenge in a bigger club.

[@alanz3497]

@@horse69outside LOL!

[@jonsouth1545]

McGrath was let down by the club, he had serious mental health issues that had led to him being placed in a psychiatric hospital for over a year where he was also treated shockingly. The club simply didn't provide anywhere near the level of support he needed. It is true that back then there was a lot more stigma towards mental health and the standard of treatment was poor but United didn't even reach the bare minimum. It's a real pity and if playing today I think he would have a much higher chance of getting the support he so badly needed.

[@KevinSmith-wp9qs]

Ferguson picked his fights carefully. Always had his favourites. I can just imagine him picking on Strachan constantly but not someone like Robson. At Aberdeen Willie Miller was his fave, bet he never gave him the hairdryer.

[@MrIain73]

He wouldn’t dare give Willie Miller the hair dryer. Willie Miller just chucked it back at him lol

[@KevinSmith-wp9qs]

@@MrIain73 😂 Yeah Miller wouldn't have any of that

[@jamesrobertson3124]

Not true. Fergie had a huge falling out with Willie Miller. The outcome was that Willie Miller apologised as he felt that there was only ever going to be one winner. There relationship after that was one of great mutual respect and admiration.

[@mattywilliams7932]

Loved Strachan.

[@andrewjohnston2850]

great player but one you wouldn't keep his mouth shut! that's why Fergie sold him twice, Strachan would of loved winning the league before him

[@stuartparker6838]

He was a sneaky wee cont

[@derekmullings1507]

@@andrewjohnston2850 Strachan went to Leeds after, and won the League.

[@alanz3497]

@@andrewjohnston2850 He didn't really "sell him" at Aberdeen. Strachan insisted he was going. His contract was ending and he'd actually signed a pre-contract agreement to play in Germany with Cologne but, pre Bosman ruling, Aberdeen would have got a much smaller fee if he'd went there as opposed to another British club (something to do with the way these fees for out of contract players were calculated on the continent) so Fergie persuaded him to sign for Man Utd when their interest became apparent. I believe it was a bit tricky to get him out of his agreement with Cologne but Fergie usually found a way.

[@andrewjohnston2850]

@@alanz3497 and he left McGhee to go to Germany on his tod!

[@saneman7177]

What does he mean about ‘the way Paul lived his life’?

[@MrMarr123456]

like to have a drink and he would go missing

[@roberthabington7647]

He was a chronic Alcoholic. Best Defender Ireland has ever produced and one of the all time best of the premier league.But Ferguson did not tolerate a heavy drinking lifestyle.

[@david_fitzmaurice]

He used to be drunk on the pitch. His book is brilliant.

[@saneman7177]

Oh I never realised, I worked with one of his relatives for a while, seemed like a fairly nice bunch.

[@davidmontgomery8938]

@@saneman7177 Yeah, was unfortunate. Thankfully he got his life together later, as his drinking was truly dangerous

[@darrenlee9237]

Alex Ferguson offered Paul McGrath £80,000 to permanently retire from football but didn't tell McGrath that Liverpool were looking to sign him. Ferguson even told Liverpool that the Irishman was not for sale. Hence Liverpool took their interest elsewhere. Fortunately Ron Atkinson signed McGrath for Aston Villa, moved him into the Atkinson family home and gave McGrath some stability to help deal with his demons. Villa's physio tailored his rehabilitation and non-intensive training regime to the player to help aid McGrath's knee problems. McGrath went on to play some of his best football for club and country. Disgraceful behaviour by Alex Ferguson. He could have robbed both the fans and the player of those golden years

[@seanokane8470]

Fergie didn't get rid of the biggest drinker at the club in Robson because he was an English star it was easier to get rid of the two irish guys, Paul mcgrath went on to prove that he was world class and utd struggled for a decent footballing centre half who could play in Europe for years, Fergie bottled it.

[@gdogg3710]

When McGrath leave? 1988? When did he retire? 1995? How many trophies did we win in that time? Hardly bottling it. If a professional athlete is pissed all the time and keeps getting arrested he’s a terrible example for others, no matter how talented he is...

[@KH-gn1ul]

McGrath played till he was 37 in the premier league season 1996/7 season, l

[@anthonybardsley4985]

All top top players. Fergies dicision proved to be right.

[@14liljinx]

If Gerrard is not a ‘top, top player’ then there’s no way these three are.

[@emmetturley9932]

not really fergiuses made tons of wreong decisons stam? tevez?

[@Shaggy-839two]

Paul McGrath did play well after he left, but I dont think Fergie missed anything here. Its more that it was a wake up call for McGrath and he sorted himself out because he was let go. If he stayed he would have ended up washed up player.

[@emmetturley9932]

no your cluless, he was so good he played drunk somtimes and was no problem. drink never effected him on pitch.

[@stormhawk3319]

Also, these 3 players preceded Fergie at the club. His goal was to get rid of all the players bar Robson to create a team completely of his own.

[@Gallery1111]

United haven’t had a defender of the quality of McGrath since. Stam Ferdinand Vidic came close

[@24sumo]

Lol shut up. mcgrath was a top player but he was never the best in the world like those 3 all Were

[@diarmuidkelleher5868]

@@24sumo talent wise McGrath was better, Stam Ferdinand and vidic had the right attitude (aswell as talent to go along with it)

[@mickkeating]

Would place McGrath as a better defender than Ferdie. Not the others though@@24sumo

[@24sumo]

@@mickkeating Everyone has a different opinion. Id say Ferdinand was almost comfortably the best of them all. He had absolutely everything. would be a 200m player in todays game.

[@ChanahsCreativeEdits]

Arsenal dithered on Ronaldo, AF saw him and said let's get him now!

[@Phil_Mycock_69]

There will be nothing like Fergie again, look at the players he let go and he still kept winning, from RVN to Mark Hughes nobody was bigger than the club, if you weren’t 100% in; you were out the door

[@b3564]

McGrath never blamed anyone, gave what he had! At the end of the day, his choice, WHAT A PLAYER STILL!

[@moc7323]

McGrath was let go way too early

[@jumhed994]

His knees were gone and he was an alcoholic. Great player, but too influential with the youngsters habits.

[@liamb0142]

@@jumhed994 he literally won player of the year a couple years after being let go from united.

[@danielmurray1490]

Fergie has come out and said he wishes he treated McGrath differently as Graham Taylor did

[@cestrian5294]

Paul was brilliant.

[@grahamluna6935]

Strange to think that he wanted to sign Paul Gascoigne

[@johnadams20132013]

Alex ferguson wanted Paul McGrath to retire 😂😂😂

[@briansukhu4392]

From what I read Bryan Robson could have been shown the door but he possessed the rare ability to produce it on the pitch after knocking it back

[@peterh1353]

Alcohol isn't like any other drug. The damage takes time to accumulate unless you are really pouring hard booze down your throat. The body is just dealing with it when you are young. Robson was only drinking lagers and rarely more than most young men. His mate Wilkins was knocking back the hard stuff and why he is gone.

[@gregmack67]

Totally ruthless - love it!

[@arisdelis1]

Totally Business..you mean...Beckham tried to return to ManU after his LAGalxy stint...Fergie said NO WAY...no celebreties wanted mate!!

[@ColmBrady-ft8kx]

You were brilliant for Ireland 🇮🇪

[@ciaranoconnell4783]

McGrath, even though class, was way too unreliable and risky to build your team around. Always in the back of your head would be his drinking problem and his injuries. A manager looking to build a sustainable culture of high professionalism would never ever allow himself to be put in that position where he is essentially hijacked by such a player. Not only does it kill any message of discipline you are trying to instil in the rest of your squad, you also don't need that worry. You have a hundred other things to deal with at any given week, why would you want to be getting calls that he's out on the piss and having to chase him down and tear into him every time? Not worth the hassle or the stress.

[@kevb6597]

He was class , I'm Irish and he was our black pearl ....what a player but a troubled soul ...lucky he had big Jack Charlton looking after him at international level

[@kevb6597]

Obviously you are Irish too and know exactly what I mean

[@ciaranoconnell4783]

@@kevb6597 He was a top class centre back and he was amazing for Ireland in the big tournaments but I understand why Ferguson moved him on.

[@davidbrown6415]

Big Norm was so talented.

[@rampageclover9788]

I guarantee Gazza would have been out pretty quickly as well if Fergie had signed him

[@vincethered1608]

There are common views between SAF and ETH

[@tweedy670]

I pulled strachans coat off his back at leeds rugby v Australia friendly at headingley....i was young and thought I'd lost my dad in the crowd and pulled the nearest jacket to me. He didn't stop so I pulled it harder.... he ended up signing our programme and having a chat with us. Shame he helped leeds win the league, but suppose nobody's perfect!

[@johnbull1568]

I met him a few times when he was managing Coventry City. As you say, he was a gent. I can't find the story now, but I recall the local newspaper reporting that Strachan was driving behind a bus one day in Coventry, and some kids on the back of the bus starting giving him the finger and all that. Strachan stopped the bus and give them an earful lol.

[@tweedy670]

@@johnbull1568 I'll never forget the "smoking a fag" celebration at anfield.....think the game was on itv, as a youngster watching my dad jumping all round the living room I'll never forget that

[@romanutd]

He should have kept Paul McGrath.

[@anthonybardsley4985]

I think going on granada reports totally drunk sealed it for fergie. Utd were a very undisciplined club and had to address the culture of booze. But I wished at the time that Paul magrath hadn't been sold, amazing player.

[@matthewsmith-rm6qc]

Yeh, he might have won something then.

[@MarriedToTheKGB]

his knees were fucked anyway.

[@AnnesleyPlaceDub70]

@@MarriedToTheKGB That comment is pure ignorance of McGrath's natural ability and mental state at that time.

[@MarriedToTheKGB]

@@AnnesleyPlaceDub70 oh he was a brilliant defender even then but with such a batch of youths coming up with talent you can't have an unprofessional alcoholic in the ranks influencing the kids coming through no matter how good he was. It was the right descision to sell even though he was probably irreplaceable. fergie was trying to avoid Giggs etc turning into a George Best

[@paulnutter1713]

Strachan wanted to play for a team with decent fans like he had at Aberdeen so he joined Leeds, simple.

[@RoadmanRob8]

Or he was just didn’t want to track back

[@RoyChadwick51]

I honestly think the Man United players play better when they are drunk ❤

[@abelovedsonofGodinwhomHeis35-6]

If you care about the club and about winning you will be ruthless, so why is Ole not ruthless?

[@haroooga0079]

Yes he is u tit. If ypur a true united fan youd see oles closest to a fergie since he retired, his style of football his recruitments bang on. Difference is we have a board living off the club not a board wanting success. Tit

[@xpat73]

Well Fergie was one result away from getting fired the next year in 1990. Lucky.

[@YJB8CCFC]

You clearly haven’t read his autobiography then.

[@haroldkane9714]

Best British manager ever

[@anupsharma5551]

Sir Alex is God !!!

[@samson9098]

SAF was wrong all along... that's why he won every major trophy at old Trafford.

[@Maximustard]

How do I stop the drinking culture? Offload the paddies and the wee ginger jock 😆

[@ClassicManUtdVideos]

Funny enough Strachan wasn't a big drinker and not part of that culture.

[@cactusjack9846]

The best manager ever, but he manipulated situations. A great example referee where frightened to give penaltys at Old Trafford for years. Ruel Fox scored a penalty at Old Trafford then I think it was about another 12 years before another opossiton scored a pen in the league at Old Trafford something not adding up there. I remember Juninho for Boro got a stonewall penalty for Boro in 2000 at Old Trafford and The way Beckham, Giggs, Keane and Co surrounded and bullied the referee was nothing short of disgraceful, I was frightened for the refs safety. They were basically saying "How dare you give a penalty against us in our own back yard." That comes from the manager. Another when Man U played in that world club thing in Brazil and forfeited the FA Cup the world's oldest cup competition what a disgrace, they should of been banned from it for 10 years but because it was Man U they were allowed to do it without punishment.

[@ClassicManUtdVideos]

What the hell are you talking about!? The FA wanted and encouraged United to go to that tournament to help England's 2006 World Cup bid. United felt participating would be too much to handle, which led to the FA propose they drop out of the cup. Bowing to the pressure from the FA, they felt they had no alternative and it was in the 'national interest'. Get your facts right before coming on here spouting bollocks about United being a disgrace and 10 year bans!

[@cactusjack9846]

Man U fan then?

[@jssonstevens59]

The FA and the government pressured Utd to do it. That's a well documented fact. Is that all you got. Who are you City or Liverpool.

[@Shaggy-839two]

Man u used to have loads of stone wall penalties denied in other opposition grounds. It was murder trying to get a penalty at arsenal, Liverpool or Leeds. It was a hone ground thing back then. Its just that one time they crowded the ref and was snapped on the back pages it became a myth.

[@MichaelCook84]

I remember Paul McGrath only trained one day a week a Villa. They didn't want to upset him and him to leave, so he had an exception. They said that he was that good he didnt need to try.

[@villan81]

He didn’t train because his knees were fucked

[@gdogg3710]

Did cardio twice a week on an exercise bike apparently and that was it. Think he lived back in Ireland too...

[@MichaelCook84]

@@villan81 That was his excuse.

[@tomthomas9708]

Giving up alcohol is hardly a major sacrifice for a professional footballer! Not sure what all the fuss is about.

[@garypowell1540]

It is fine doing this kind of house cleaning but only if the manager has a good idea of who he is going to replace them with. Alex did not mention this part of the decision, but he clearly did know who he was going to replace them with. He had all of the replacements lined up from the youth team and we all know who they were.

[@Stratboy999]

Paul McGrath was basically a pisshead. He wasted his potential, however good he was, he could have been so much better.

[@eamonnmurphy5385]

That's a bit harsh. Everyone has his cross to bear! You know he was brought up in an orphanage. He was an alcoholic from a young age. Some people are just made that way. When was the last time you played in the world cup or won player if the year brother!

[@Stratboy999]

@@eamonnmurphy5385 Im fully aware of his background, so don't misunderstand me. I Thought he was a brilliant player for Man U and Ireland, but the club (as others) had a history of tolerating self destructive behaviour by players who kept up their performance level until one day they couldn't. They didn't really look after the players very well.

[@kennethwilkinson2095]

David Beckham, Jaap Stam, Ruud Van Nistlerooy the list goes on and stops at Rooney which is a shame, disrespectful Scouser.

[@RogerSmith1984]

Why is he a disrespectful scouser ?

[@kennethwilkinson2095]

@@RogerSmith1984 Because Rooney held the club and fergie to ransom and was the only one to get away with it.

[@RogerSmith1984]

@@kennethwilkinson2095 wow... I completely forgot about that incident. As if it got swept under the carpet.

[@Shaggy-839two]

Yeah, should have got rid. He's best days were done.

[@kennethwilkinson2095]

@@Shaggy-839two Its a shame that since the early 2000s and arguably Beckham's move from Madrid to L.A. that football changef for the worse. Transfers and contract negotiation stopped becoming about football matter and trophies, it is down to shirt sales, sponsorships and you tube moment highlight reels. difference was Becks highlight feel was generally game breaking moments not just in losing efforts, granted Rooney got that over head against city but for all his records, didn't score in any the cl finals or for england when it mattered. Pompey fan for the record and have a good day all.

[@judasgoat4230]

Genius

[@dt7449]

I read somewhere, when Fergie arrived he had all the pubs in Manchester sewn up , if a player was drinking, the landlord had to let Fergie know. Utd pubs I’d imagine 😂

[@dazmeistergeneralmcrawdawg5958]

Thanks for Strachan💙💛💙💛.... alaw ⚽

[@djharrybutler]

Thanks for Eric

[@emulus7871]

Jesus look at those fences

[@frankbrodie5168]

Those fences were put up at the insistence of the police forces at the time. Despite protests from various quarters that they were a potential disaster in the making. And I honestly believe that that is why the police took the eventual fall for the '89 disaster, despite it being quite obviously caused by ticketless pool fans bum rushing the gate.

[@emulus7871]

@@frankbrodie5168 totally agree. I know the people that died were not to blame, as they were getting crushed by the, like you said, Liverpool fans who turned up without tickets and forced their way in. But you're not allowed to say that are you. They'll never admit it

[@davidstephen2955]

Selling Strachan handed Leeds the title in ‘92.

[@shaunangell2265]

The Blades handed Leeds the title

[@davidstephen2955]

@@shaunangell2265 have to be in position to take advantage!

[@barra6709]

That would have been Cantona but selling him to United handed United the next few years of league titles.

[@HighlandMike325]

They were in the Second Division when he joined them. Formed a bizarre partnership with Vinnie Jones. Strange times.

[@marcot5386]

And Business he mean't

[@emmetturley9932]

Fergie was wrong to let many payers go, stam, tevez van nistleroy to name a few. mgrath was another of his victims.

[@10TEN-10]

Strachan went to Leeds United, they won the 2nd division & 1st division. Great Business

[@kevb6597]

Ferguson won 13 titles

[@mankydave67]

And that’s why, people, Fergie is one of the most decorated managers in the game. Loved all 3 players mentioned here, but who am I to argue with the greatest British manager ever. Not Strachan, but Norman & Paul were part of that Big Ron drinking culture that had to go.

[@KJ_2020]

red bull is disgusting stuff and made my heart beat faster i felt scared

[@falvey77]

This is what made him the goat. He did lose this edge towards the end, keeping the likes of Evra, Scholes and Gary Neville for too long.

[@xTruncz]

Lol mate you’re living in cuckoo land😹

[@ralph9182]

I guess that's why he only won more trophies than any other manager in the history of football

[@ciaranoconnell4783]

@@ralph9182 I think he meant more long term where he left behind a huge rebuilding job for his successor. Although, tbf, that's not really his job but I do think he can come in for criticism where he basically just took a squad that was in decline and used the sticking plaster that was Robin Van Persie to use his goals for one last title before fucking off and tricked everyone into thinking Utd were still a good team when they weren't. Van Persie was doing the exact thing as Arsenal the year before. The only difference between Arsenal and Utd was a couple more PL more wins at places like Stoke where the points tally is high 80s instead of low 70s.

[@thomaswislocki2804]

@@ciaranoconnell4783 Remind me how many points United won the title by in Fergies last year... It's all bull*hit about a team in decline, boneheads picked it up from the media and chant it like a mantra ever since!

[@ciaranoconnell4783]

@@thomaswislocki2804 That squad was massively in decline. Go through the results, especially in the first half of that season. Needed 2 very late goals from RVP to bail Utd out vs Soton, a 3-2 vs Fulham, being playing off the park by Liverpool only for a late penalty from RVP to nick an undeserved win, conceding 2 vs Stoke, a 3-2 vs Villa with another late jammy winner, a 4-3 vs Reading, another 4-3 vs Pardew's Newcastle where Utd yet again got another jammy 90th minute winner, etc...Good title winning teams looking to maintain challenging don't do that. And low and behold, look what happened when Van Persie's goals dried up and the psychological edge of Ferguson making the opposition think Utd were much better than they really were disappeared. That's why he fucked off. He knew what was coming. It was a bang average squad where at some point, everyone would start to realise that there was nothing to be scared of. It was the Emperor's New Clothes. In fact, I would bet many in the league were amazed in how Ferguson were able to trick the lot of them that Utd were a good team when they weren't. If Newcastle & Reading are scoring 3 against your defence, then it's time to fuck off. In the league that season, no other team in the top 7 conceded as many goals as Utd apart from Spurs. 43 goals conceded. In the Moyes season the following year, Utd conceded the exact same amount of goals as they did in Ferguson's last season. As I said, they were always going to crash when RVP's goals dried up and Ferguson's aura making people think the bullshit that Utd were still a good team when they clearly weren't. Then it's all on the squad as a whole and they showed everyone that they were finished.

[@formula31ful]

Lucky he could buy whoever he wanted throughout his career to replace these players.

[@kierangilly1]

United would of won more trophies if kept McGrath fact.

[@patw2697]

What did united win with him? I followed Ron Atkinson's utd in those years, 2 fa cups was all. Both great footballers, as a team we'd beat liverpool home and away and they were arguably the best team in the world at that time. ( hurts to say it even now) However aside from Arnold Muren they were all drunks...regularly 2-0 up and would loose due to the after effects as the game wore on. Resulted in numerous injuries. Plus Mcgrath always had a mistake in him, brilliant for most of the game, then, invariably late on he'd slip up. Brilliant player, in midfield or defense but can't remember a game for utd where he was the stand out player. Norman on the other hand was a god...not a prolific scorer But a scorer of brilliant goals Always important ones. Toughest player ever, even at just 17. We didn't know it but his knee had gone when Fergie sold him. He had his cartilage removed when just a teenager...never expected to play as long as he did. Its in his autobiography...he's still my all time favourite utd player.

[@simon0044]

@ShiftCtrl85 he has a euro cup winners cup too

[@ralph9182]

Ferguson did struggle to win trophies

[@simon0044]

@ShiftCtrl85 no I’m not comparing them, I’m just pointing out he won a cup winners cup too, which was actually the second tier euro cup at the time above the uefa cup. Anybody with half a brain knows that

[@paulwilliams9278]

Who cares what taggert does

[@mcalax5901]

Paul McGrath stated in his autobiography that one week after leaving Manchester United, Ferguson phoned him and asked him why he wasn’t at training. McGrath stated that he thought Ferguson was joking, and he told him he’d be there in ten minutes. Fifteen minutes later Ferguson rang him again, swearing down the phone and asking him why he still hadn’t arrived at training. Ferguson then screamed at him “You’ll never play for Aberdeen again” before slamming down the phone. Good Ol whisky nose.

[@funnyshish6305]

Lol

[@shaka7594]

Don't give up your day job..

[@kenwkls6392]

if only ole had half of Fergie's backbone to make decisions.

[@tonygunk8261]

One of his best was dropping leighton for the 1990 fa cup replay. It shattered the man but in a footballing sense it was 100% correct. Thats leadership.

[@kenwkls6392]

@@tonygunk8261 fergie is a cuttroat genius. Could you explain why fergie dropped Leighton at that time? I was born in 89, Cantona was my era.🙂

[@tonygunk8261]

@@kenwkls6392 during 89/90 his performances were dreadful and in the first final he was at fault with 2 goals. Dropping him for the replay was the right decision.

[@kenwkls6392]

@@tonygunk8261 oh wow. Definitely.

[@masstransit2]

@@tonygunk8261 He got that bad he was ironically cheered if one of his goal kicks reached the halfway line. Capable of world class saves at times but the more that season went on the worse he got

[@azrinbinyunos8319]

Ha ha ha

[@adrianmarrinan7707]

People always say he was such a great man manager and knew how to deal with players....usually just got rid of anyone with a bit of personality! The other thing that annoys me is when they talk about the youth that he brought through at the club...apart from 92 class, not many others when u consider how long he was there. I would say a poor manager for 7 years, particularly throwing away a 12 point lead to Leeds. Then crucially signed Cantona from them, and more importantly followed it up with Keane. Got a bit lucky Giggs, Scholes, Beckham came through together n that was the bones of the successful team for a long time. Didnt like how he has spoken about his former players either, as they kept him in a job. Tactically he wasnt good....counter attack football and usually all out attack for the last 5 minutes, plus injury time!

[@ClassicManUtdVideos]

Let me guess your a Liverpool supporter!

[@adrianmarrinan7707]

@@ClassicManUtdVideos no im a united fan. I just have an opinion! Im not questioning the success he brought....eventually. Just people seem to forget things and believe every word he says. 7 years with just an FA cup, he wouldnt be in a job these days. A lot of fans wanted him gone around 2003. He had no answer to Mourinho...Ever! And left a shambles of a squad when he left (although they somehow romped the league). Thats another issue, the signings. Cantona, Keane, Ronaldo, Ruud, Scmeichel plus a few obvious young expensive English players...apart from that there were a lot more bad signings than good ones and no need. You have the bones of a good team, just add quality! Apart from Scmeichel messed around with keepers. Dont think he ever signed a RB. Irwin would have been legendary on that side, though he was really good on the left. Ince n Keane the only 2 decent CMs in 27 years....And then the style of football n tactics. I've heard the word genius used...not sure i would go that far.

[@dr.santoshsingh3115]

@@adrianmarrinan7707 ok....then who is the best manager in your mind then ??? pep ..dont tell me that joke plz

[@dr.santoshsingh3115]

@@adrianmarrinan7707 united were out of title challenge for 26 yrs so , to be in challenge he had to ressurect the club whole structure and took 7 yrs ..btw he was the greatest manger because he had to face liverpool culture and dominance, arsenal football, chelsea money, man city oil money..tell me one manager who did that and ....

[@adrianmarrinan7707]

@@dr.santoshsingh3115 i didnt say he wasnt the best manager....i mentioned some of the things he gets a lot of praise for like 'man managing', bringing through young players, great signings, tactics...and i dont think he was great at those things. Thats all i was saying. Yes I know Liverpool were a great side when he came but its not like we were finishing 2nd every year! And pissing away a 12 point lead to Leeds....but he got his 7 years and yeah very successful in the next 20 years. I think being able to buy the most expensive players helped him a bit too :-)

[@TheSoulUK]

So he waffled on about Norman being a fraction away from world class then immediately said Norman would have agreed it was the right thing to let him go....but Never mentioned WHY he got rid of him. Seems bizarre to let a potential world class player leave the club!