Alex Ferguson My Autobiography (37 page)

I was assistant Scotland manager alongside Jock Stein. He was touched by genius and I would bombard him with questions about management.

Martin Edwards, the United Chairman, stood by me in the dark days before my first trophy.

Did the 1990 FA Cup final replay win over Crystal Palace save my job as United manager? I reckon I would have survived. On the left is Norman Davies, kit man and close friend, who is sadly no longer with us.

Ryan Giggs was revered by the other United players. Here he floats past Wimbledon’s Warren Barton in his boyish early days.

Paul Scholes was better than Paul Gascoigne. ‘Too small,’ I thought when I first saw him as a lad. Wrong.

The 1992 vintage: coach Eric Harrison with the golden boys who became the heart of a great United Team, (
left to right
) Giggs, Butt, Beckham, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Scholes and Terry Cooke.

Eric Cantona could shape games in his own artistic image. His late goal won us the 1996 FA Cup final.

The banter always flowed between Steve Bruce (
left
) and Gary Pallister. But they were one of the greatest centre-half partnerships.

Peter Schmeichel was a mighty goalkeeper. A battering from Wimbledon’s Crazy Gang soon after his arrival failed to break him.

Never give in. Three–nil down at Spurs in 2001, we fought back to win 5–3. Here Verón has just scored our fourth goal.

David Beckham’s self-confidence never wavered. He was a fit boy and a marvellous striker of the ball.

Champions again, in May 2003. Beckham’s last match for us. David deserves great credit for reviving his career.

The Brazilian Ronaldo was given a standing ovation after his Old Trafford hat-trick for Real Madrid in 2003. United fans know what talent is.

The heart was in for a test on big European nights. Tension gnawed away at us in that 2003 Champions League tie against Real Madrid.