Sir Alex Ferguson was not a man to mess with during his 27-year spell in charge at Manchester United. The 13-time Premier League winner is the greatest boss in the division's history, with his firm man-management style one of the key factors behind his success.
The legendary Scot never allowed his players to get too above their own station, even with all the major trophies they were winning at Old Trafford. As an example, Sir Alex wasn't afraid to get rid of his biggest players if he felt they'd stepped out of line.
Two examples are Jaap Stam and David Beckham. Both men were among the key players in the starting XI when they fell out with the manager. As they both found out, no one at Man Utd was bigger than Fergie. Stam and Becks were far from the only ones to feel his wrath.
Man Utd Star Held Back From Ferguson By Four Teammates
Sir Alex Ferguson with Premier League trophy
Sir Alex Ferguson with Premier League trophy
One man who was brave enough to stand up to the Scottish gaffer was Paul Ince. The English midfielder recalled a time he had to be held back by four Man Utd teammates after being on the receiving end of Ferguson's famous hairdryer treatment.
After a 3-1 win against Norwich City in the 1992/93 season, Ince was taken by surprise when Ferguson laid into him despite a solid victory.
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He told talkSPORT in 2024: "They were a very, very good team and I think we won the game 3-0 or 3-1, and with about five minutes to go I had the ball and I went on a little mazy run and I lost the ball, they went up the pitch and nearly scored.
“I didn’t think anything of it, so we got into the changing room, all the lads are patting each other on the back and saying ‘well done’ and I’m joining in the fun and then Sir Alex comes storming through the door like Rambo and absolutely slaughtered me.
“He was shouting, ‘What are you doing, Incey? You’re not [Diego] Maradona, get the ball and pass it to the best players!’."
"But it was all about standards for him and doing the right things all the time and not coming away from that, and that shows the greatness of the man. But me being the character I was at the time, I bit back, started having a shouting match," the ex-midfielder explained.
When asked about the rumours that four players had to step in to hold him back, Ince joked: "I thought it was eight but I’ll take four."
The pair would then have 48 hours without even acknowledging each other, as Ince continued to say he regrets his outburst: "I was having a go. I don’t think it was right. Now looking back, I don’t think players should confront a manager, any manager. That was it, we got back on the coach, he didn’t speak to me, I didn’t speak to him."
Man Utd Forced Ince Out and Fergie's 'Bully' Jibe
Paul Ince for Manchester United
Ince, who spent six successful years with the Red Devils, has gone into detail over exactly why he left to join Inter Milan in 1995. The England hero told Manchester Evening News:
"I had been there for six years, I was just about to sign a four-year contract. United broke my heart 'cause they allowed me to go to Inter Milan, they sold me and they broke my heart!"
"I didn't choose to go there. Man United accepted a fee for me from Inter Milan. I could have turned it down, but I didn't feel right. After six years at United, they accepted a bid behind my back. I wasn't too pleased about that," he added.
Ferguson even admitted he 'wanted rid' of the box-to-box midfielder in his autobiography. The now 84-year-old looked back on the transfer and said: "Yes, I wanted rid of him but if he had been determined to stay it would not have been possible to push the transfer through. There is no way you could force Paul Ince to do anything against his will."
Having cited Ince's 'arrogance' and knack for calling himself 'The Guv'nor' for wanting to move him on, Ferguson even laid into Ice during a team talk before his team would play against the England international. He told his players:
"If he tries to bully you he will f***ing enjoy it. Don't ever let him bully you. Right.
"You just make sure you are ready for him. That's all you need to worry about. He's a f***ing big-time Charlie."
While he did later express regret at those words being shown on camera, the label of 'big-time Charlie' has always stuck with Ince.