Sir Alex - 25 Years as boss Manchester United

Sir Alex: The beginning

In November 1986, Manchester United was a club skulking in its own shadow. Fresh from a 4-1 defeat at Southampton, the Reds languished in the top flight’s relegation zone a year after being apparent title certainties.

With the club’s demands of excellence scarcely realised since Sir Matt Busby’s departure, the United board recognised the time for change had again arrived.

In five years at the helm, manager Ron Atkinson had won two FA Cups and had never finished below fourth in the league, but it was Big Ron’s inability to top second spot which proved his undoing.

He was relieved of his role, but the board knew his replacement faced mounting pressure and diminishing patience to rediscover past glories. There was only one man for the job.

“Taking over a club of Manchester United’s magnitude is an awesome task,” said Alex Ferguson in his very first matchday programme notes. “I am not really interested in what has happened here in the past.

“I don’t mean any disrespect to the great achievements of Manchester United over the years. It’s simply that there is now only one way to go, and that is forward. The aim at this club must clearly be to win the championship. That is the only real way to lay the ghosts of the past.

“I am going to love every minute of it here.”

Sunday 6 November 2011 is Sir Alex Ferguson's 25th anniversary in charge of Manchester United.

To mark that incredible milestone, and to honour the myriad achievements of the most successful manager in the game, we've produced the video above.

It looks back at some of Sir Alex’s finest moments (there are so many to choose from!) in his quarter-century at the helm at Old Trafford.

Enjoy, and here’s to many more triumphs with the Reds before the manager’s remarkable career comes to an end. Well done, Sir Alex.

To mark Sir Alex's 25th anniversary as United manager, we relive a few memorable moments from an illustrious career...
Manager since: 6 November 1986
Games: 1409 (won 836, drawn 326, lost 247)
Honours
Premier League: 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
FA Cup: 1990, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2004
League Cup: 1992, 2006, 2009, 2010
Champions League: 1999, 2008
Club World Cup: 2008
Super Cup: 1992
Cup Winners' Cup: 1991
Inter-Continental Cup: 1999
Charity / Community Shield: 1990 (shared), 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011