The former Manchester United boss spoke about suffering the life-threatening ailment in an interview with BBC Breakfast
Bookmark popover
Sir Alex Ferguson opened up about suffering a brain haemorrhage in 2018
Sir Alex Ferguson opened up about suffering a brain haemorrhage in 2018 (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
Independent Membership
Become an Independent member to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.
Join today
Already a member? Log in
Your support helps us to tell the story
Read moreSupport Now
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
**Your support makes all the difference.**Read more
Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson has opened up about his ordeal after suffering a brain haemorrhage in 2018 and admitted he was “terrified”.
Ferguson is wildly regarded as the greatest manager of Man United and, possibly the Premier League as a whole, having won 13 top-flight titles during his time in charge between 1986 and 2013.
He also won two Champions League titles, five FA Cups, the League Cup four times and added the Club World Cup, European Super Cup, European Cup Winners' Cup and the Intercontinental Cup to the Old Trafford trophy cabinet.
His success and influence continues to drive the club over a decade after his retirement and Ferguson is a regular attendee at Old Trafford supporting the team.
When news broke of Ferguson’s admission into hospital eight years ago, United fans paid tribute to their former manager who, less than four months following an emergency surgery was back in the stands at Old Trafford cheering on the team.
"I was terrified," Ferguson admitted in an interview with BBC Breakfast about the surgery. "I wish I could say I was comfortable. I wasn't."
Ferguson praised his wife Cathy for guiding him through the days following the surgery and was with her in the directors’ box when he made his return to Old Trafford.
He said: "My wife was with me, and she was nearly crying. When we sat down, she said 'that's fantastic'."
But things were not immediately back to normal with the 84-year-old explaining that the surgery had caused him to lose his voice leaving him in a “frightening moment” when trying to communicate with his grandsons.
"I had lost my voice; I couldn't speak," he admitted when detailing the days after his brain surgery. "That was a frightening moment.
"I remember my grandsons coming to see me and I had lost my voice. Then they brought in a therapist and she started doing things like asking me to write down the names of birds, names of animals, names of rivers.
"That way my voice came back."
Ferguson’s appearance on BBC Breakfast was in promotion of as new book called ‘Games of My Life’ which details 21 defining matches from his playing and managerial career revealing fresh insights into his journey from working-class Glasgow to dominating the English game.