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Sir Alex Ferguson is the man responsible for making Manchester United the team of the 1990s. Ferguson has established himself as the most successful British manager of all-time and in doing so has made Manchester United, the long time under-achievers that couldn't win a League title for 26 years, into perhaps the best football team in the world. In times when managers frequently come and go, Alex Ferguson is the immovable object, no matter what happens Fergie and United are at the top, every season. Honest, fierce, driven, obsessive, charming, humorous, stubborn, aggressive - all of these words could describe the man who totally epitomises the heart and soul of Manchester United football club.

Born in Govan, Glasgow, Alexander Chapman Ferguson was an apprentice tool-worker on the cold hard-working shipyards of the Clyde until he was 23, during which he played part time for Queens Park and St Johnstone. He turned professional and joined Dunfermline in 1964 playing as a centre forward. Here he attracted the attention of his boyhood idols Glasgow Rangers and was bought for a then record 65,000 in 1967. However his time at Rangers was not a success and he moved to Falkirk in 1969 and eventually Ayr in 1973.

Eventually he gave up playing in 1974 to become manger of East Stirling where he was quickly spotted by St Mirren, whom he managed for 3 years until 1978. He had done well at St Mirren with limited resources but was surprisingly sacked after falling out with the chairman. Aberdeen soon took advantage of his availability and the Ferguson managerial legend began.

Again with limited resources, he turned the average Aberdeen into a team that dominated Scottish football during the early 1980s and broke the traditional iron stranglehold of the Glasgow "Old Firm" giants of Rangers and Celtic. Aberdeen were the team to beat in the early 80's and Ferguson capped it all by taking them to a glorious 2-1 victory over mighty Real Madrid in the 1983 European Cup Winners Cup, the last European trophy won by a Scottish team to date.

It was only a matter of time until the big guns came after him. He was approached by no less than Barcelona, Arsenal, Rangers and Tottenham (whom he seriously considered), but destiny in the end meant it could only be.......Manchester United.

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