‘I was terrified’: Ferguson recalls his Old Trafford return

Sir Alex Ferguson has told BBC Breakfast about recovering from a brain haemorrhage, losing his voice after emergency surgery and fearing his first return to Old Trafford, as he approaches his 85th birthday.

“I was terrified,” Ferguson said, recalling the visit to watch Manchester United face Wolves four months after his surgery in May 2018. The former manager, now three months short of 85, also reflected on the matches and decisions that shaped his life and career.

Ferguson recalls his return to Old Trafford

Ferguson was unsure how supporters would receive him when he returned to the directors’ box. He and his wife Cathy were met with a standing ovation before kick-off, a response that made a deeply personal moment at Old Trafford all the more affecting.

The former United manager said he was feeling quite good, despite what he described as small injuries. In the days after surgery, however, he had lost his voice and could not speak.

“I had lost my voice; I couldn’t speak,” Ferguson said of the period immediately after the operation. A therapist helped him work through writing down names of birds, animals and rivers; he said his voice came back through that process.

A career viewed through defining matches

The interview is tied to Ferguson’s new book, Games of My Life, which tells the stories of 21 defining matches from his playing and managerial career. The BBC describes it as offering fresh insight into his journey from working-class Glasgow to dominating English football and Europe with United.

Ferguson had been retired for five years when he suffered the haemorrhage. He spent 26 years in charge at Old Trafford, from 1986 to 2013, winning 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns.

Hard decisions and faith in young players

Ferguson also revisited the decisions behind his success. He nearly quit football for Canada during a difficult spell at St Johnstone, but a flu-hit side selected him against Rangers in 1963. The 21-year-old scored a hat-trick, reviving his playing career.

He recalled selling Paul Ince to Inter Milan after the offer rose from £7m to £7.5m, acknowledging that managers must make difficult calls. Ferguson said he regretted once calling Ince a “big-time Charlie”; the two later reconciled and became friends.

His belief in young players also came through in his reflections on United’s emerging talents in the 1990s. Ferguson said that group developed desire and became the club’s spirit, adding: “I had belief in young people because if you give them an opportunity there are two things that happen – they become real stars and they can remain loyal to you as a manager.”