On November 6, 1986, Manchester United appointed a manager who would redefine the club’s history. This stunning special edition celebrates Ferguson’s 27-year reign and record-breaking success
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Celebrate Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United legacy - pick up this special edition now online and relive the trophies, the triumphs and the defining moments.
On November 6, 1986, an earthquake in the shape of Alex Ferguson hit English football. That was the day the Scot took charge of Manchester United — and the moment a new era began.
Over the next 27 years, Ferguson built an Old Trafford dynasty unlike anything seen before. On his watch, United won a record-breaking 38 trophies, a haul that underlines a simple truth: no single individual has made such a seismic impact on one club, over such a sustained period of time.
To celebrate the anniversary of Ferguson’s appointment, the Manchester Evening News has produced a stunning special edition, charting the story of a reign that changed the football landscape. For the best part of three decades, United dominated the back pages of the newspapers — and often the front too — as Ferguson’s team delivered drama, glory and an endless supply of headline moments.
From the start, Ferguson was clear about his ambition: to knock Liverpool off their perch after Merseyside dominance through the 1970s and 1980s. He didn’t just meet that challenge — he transformed United into the era’s defining force, creating a new generation of supporters for Britain’s biggest club.
Along the way, Ferguson’s reign became famous for its intensity and its theatre. Football was introduced to phrases like “squeaky bum time” and “Fergie-time” — with the former even finding its way into the Oxford English Dictionary. There were explosive feuds and fallouts too, with rival managers, referees, the media and, at times, his own biggest stars. Even icons such as David Beckham and Roy Keane discovered that Ferguson never hesitated to make ruthless calls if he believed the club demanded it.
Ferguson set the tone from day one, insisting on new levels of discipline and professionalism that underpinned the success to come. When he arrived, United hadn’t won the league since the 1960s, when Best and Charlton lit up Old Trafford. By the time he retired in 2013, the honours list was staggering: 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups, plus Champions League triumphs over Bayern Munich and Chelsea.
And the silverware didn’t stop there. Add in 10 Charity Shields, a European Cup Winners’ Cup, European Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and Intercontinental Cup — not to mention countless individual accolades -- and it becomes a one-man, one-club record that may never be matched.
And the silverware didn’t stop there. Add in 10 Charity Shields, a European Cup Winners’ Cup, European Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and Intercontinental Cup - not to mention countless individual accolades - and it becomes a one-man, one-club record that may never be matched.
The Manchester Evening News special edition captures that remarkable journey - the milestones, the legends and the moments that defined a golden era at Old Trafford.
Don’t miss it - get the special edition here and celebrate the Ferguson years in full. Available to purchase from participating retailers and supermarkets. Postage and packing charges apply.