Life with Sir Alex A Fan's Story of Ferguson's 25 Years at Manchester United

by Tidey, Will

• ISBN13: 9781408149515
• ISBN10: 1408149516
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-03-15
• Publisher: A&C Black

Summary

This is the story of one of the most successful football clubs in history under one of the greatest football managers of our time. But it is also a book about what it has meant to be a Manchester United supporter during the remarkable 25-year reign of Sir Alex Ferguson. The book begins in the winter of 1986 - when Sir Alex found himself in charge of a demoralised club facing relegation - and describes the creation of his first great side, including Schmeichel, Bruce, Pallister, Keane, Ince, Giggs, Hughes and Cantona. It goes on to introduce Fergie's Fledglings - the generation of David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, Gary and Phil Neville - who were thrown straight into Ferguson's side as teenagers, won the double in 1995 and went on to seal the treble in Barcelona in 1999.It then describes how, after Beckham left for Real Madrid in 2003, United were knocked off their perch first by Arsenal, then by cash-rich Chelsea. Ferguson needed a response to Jose Mourinho's spectacular revolution ... And in Rooney and Ronaldo, playing alongside Rio Ferdinand, Scholes, Giggs, Tevez and Vidic, he found one. As much an homage to a great man as it is a passionate account of one fan's lifelong devotion to his team, Life with Sir Alexis a the perfect read for football fans all over the world.

Author Biography

Will Tidey is a football writer who regularly contributes to ESPN Soccernet, Eurosport-Yahoo! and Bleacher Report, amongst others. He is a lifelong Manchester United fan.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
Introduction	p. 1
(1988/87 to 1994/95)
New Dawn at Old Trafford	p. 6
Mark Robins and Other Unlikely Heroes	p. 15
One Step Forward; Two Steps Back	p. 20
The King is Born	p. 27
Rampant Reds	p. 37
I Am Not a Man… I Am Cantona	p. 48
(1995/96 to 2001/02)
The Kids are Alright	p. 60
Coming of Age	p. 70
Out-Gunnered	p. 78
Stand by your Man	p. 84
Road to the Promised Land	p. 92
Chest Wigs and Broken Dreams	p. 108
24 Hours in Barcelona	p. 118
Arise Sir Alex	p. 127
The Problem with Success	p. 131
Power Plays	p. 142
(2002/03 to 2010/11)
Good Morning Nevada Smiths	p. 156
The Backlash	p. 162
No. 7s	p. 174
Fergie's Fury	p. 184
The Oligarch and The Special One	p. 187
Roonaldo	p. 196
Moscow in Feltham	p. 202
New Arrivals, Looming Departures	p. 206
19 and Beyond	p. 218
Sir Alex Ferguson's Achievements at Manchester United (1986-2011)	p. 224
Acknowledgements	p. 225
Index	p. 227
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