Sir Alex Ferguson has announced he will retire as Manchester United manager at the end of the season, ending his 26-year reign in charge at Old Trafford.
The Scot, who took over in 1986, has made his announcement just two weeks after the club's record-breaking 20th league title win. Ferguson has delivered 13 of those triumphs, along with two Champions Leagues, five FA Cups, four League Cups and a FIFA Club World Cup.
The 71-year-old legend's retirement brings an end to the longest managerial reign in recent British football history.
And as to questions over who could possibly replace Ferguson, it would appear to all boil down to either Jose Mourinho or David Moyes. The Real Madrid and former ex-Chelsea coach is widely expected to leave the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer and the Portuguese was expected to re-join Stamford Bridge. However, given the surprising turn of events at the red half of Manchester, could we see the Special One follow Ferguson?
Meanwhile, Moyes may be the underdog in this race but the Everton boss is believed to have a staunch admirer in Ferguson. The younger Scot may not have the Champions League experience Mourinho will bring but his quieter and more controlled demeanour may work in his favour, given the theatrics that have surrounded Mourinho and Madrid in recent months.
For now though, regardless of his successor, IBTimes UK takes a look back at some of the best moments of Sir Alex Ferguson's United career
May 8 1994: Ferguson holds the Premier League trophy aloft with the then-assistant manager Brian Kidd at Old Trafford. The Scot led United to two back-to-back league titles, following Premier League’s inception in 1992.ReutersSeptember 19 1997: Prince Charles with Manchester Ferguson and players David May (3rd L), Ryan Giggs (2nd R) and David Beckham. The official visit to Greater Manchester that day was the Prince's first since the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales.ReutersMay 27 1999: Ferguson celebrates his first European glory at the MEN Arena in Manchester at the end of their parade of the city. United had won the treble that season: the FA cup, Premier league, and the European Cup.ReutersMay 25 2000: Ferguson shows his World Team of the Year Laureus sports award in Monte Carlo. The Scot is flanked by United players Giggs (L) and Ronnie Johnsen. The Laureus sports awards were the first annual ceremony to acknowledge sporting excellence across all disciplines and all continents.ReutersJune 18 2002: Ferguson with his horse Rock of Gibraltar and jockey Mick Kinane after winning the St James's Palace Stakes on the first day of Royal Ascot in Berkshire.ReutersJuly 22 2002: United's new signing Rio Ferdinand holds up his shirt with Ferguson at Old Trafford. United signed the centre-back for a then-British record of £30 million ($47.27 million) from Leeds United.ReutersAugust 13 2003: New United signing and Cristiano Ronaldo with Ferguson at Old Trafford. Ronaldo became United’s first-ever Portuguese player when he arrived at Old Trafford fro £12.24m from Sporting Lisbon. He would go on to become one of the best footballers of all-time and move to Real Madrid in a record £80m move in 2009.ReutersSeptember 1 2004: New United signing Wayne Rooney holds up his club shirt with Ferguson at Old Trafford. A teenage Rooney, who arrived in a £25.6m deal, said United were the only team he wanted to join once he knew the club were interested in him.ReutersApril 11 2005: Ferguson speaks as Britain's then-Prime Minister Tony Blair (L) and Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown listen during a Labour Party election rally in Oldham.ReutersAugust 4 2007: Ferguson and his son and then-Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson on the touch line during their friendly match in Peterborough.ReutersMay 22 2008: Ferguson celebrates his second European triumph. United, who had won the Premier League that season, beat Chelsea in the Champions League final in Moscow to become European champions again.ReutersDecember 21 2008: Ferguson lifts the FIFA Club World Cup after their win over Ecuador's Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito in the final in Yokohama, south of Tokyo.ReutersMay 16 2009: Ferguson lifts United’s 18th top division title at Old Trafford. United equalled Liverpool’s record of 18 top division titles that season. They would go on to break the record two years later.ReutersNovember 23 2012: Ferguson (L) attends the unveiling of a statue commemorating his career at the club with his wife Catherine (2nd L), club chief executive David Gill (3rd L), sculptor Philip Jackson (4th L) and television presenter Eamonn Holmes (R), at Old TraffordReutersApril 22 2013: Ferguson celebrates after United clinched their 20th league title with a win against Aston Villa at Old Trafford.Reuters
