50 Years Of Sir Alex In Football

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates a half-century in football on Saturday.

Ferguson made his debut for Queen's Park as a 16-year-old in their 2-1 defeat at Stranraer on 15 November 1958, scoring their only goal of the game.

Following the end of his playing career in Scotland, Ferguson led Aberdeen to league, cup and European glory before taking charge at Manchester United in November 1986.

Since then he has won 10 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, the League Cup twice, and the Champions League twice.

Sir Alex spent his entire playing career in Scotland, leaving Queen's Park for St Johnstone and Dunfermline in the 1960s, then signing for Rangers in 1967 (pictured, in Rangers shirt, left).

Ferguson scored goals but did not settle at Ibrox, joining Falkirk two years later before ending his playing days at Ayr United.

His managerial career began at East Stirlingshire and St Mirren. By 1978 he was Aberdeen boss - in the next eight years he won three league titles and the European Cup Winners' Cup (pictured right, with Hearts' Sandy Jardine, following Aberdeen's 3-0 victory in the 1986 Scottish Cup final).

Ferguson endured a turbulent initial relationship with Manchester United fans when he joined as manager in 1986.

His first years at the club lacked success, and his job appeared to be on the line following a 5-1 drubbing by Manchester City in 1989.

But Fergie recovered to win the 1990 FA Cup (bottom left, with Bryan Robson), then registered his first Premier League title in 1993 (top left, after a title-sealing victory over Blackburn at Old Trafford).

More league titles followed and Ferguson completed league and FA Cup doubles in 1994 and 1996 (right, with the 1996 trophies).

In 1999, Ferguson and Manchester United completed an unprecedented treble, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's goal at the Nou Camp, deep into injury time, handed United a famous 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich.

They had earlier beaten Arsenal to the league title by a single point, and defeated Newcastle 2-0 in the FA Cup Final.

Ferguson was knighted for services to football in June of that year, and United extended their success into the new millennium, winning back-to-back championships in 2000 and 2001.

After the success of the early 90s, not everything went Sir Alex's way.

1995 was memorable for Manchester United twice snatching defeat from the jaws of victory - first drawing 1-1 at home to West Ham to hand Blackburn the league title (left), then losing the FA Cup final 1-0 to Joe Royle's Everton (right).

But 1995 also marked the birth of Ferguson's famously youthful side of the late 1990s.
David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers all came through into the team, prompting Alan Hansen to declare: "You can't win anything with kids."

Though Manchester United won the league again in 2003, the team that had claimed seven Premier League titles in nine years struggled for silverware in the early 2000s.

But Ferguson splashed the cash on top players like Rio Ferdinand (left), who signed from Leeds for £30m in 2002, and Wayne Rooney signed from Everton two years later.

Ferguson also invested in a young Portuguese winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, with a view to the future.

Not every gamble paid off - expensive signings like Diego Forlan and Juan Sebastian Veron failed to sparkle.

The most famous of "Fergie's fledglings" was David Beckham, who made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old in 1992.

Beckham first wore the number 10 vacated by Mark Hughes, then Eric Cantona's relinquished no. 7 jersey, as he elevated himself to footballing superstar status.

But the relationship between player and manager was a rocky one. In 2003, following a defeat to Arsenal, Ferguson kicked a boot at Beckham, striking him above the eye.

A year later Beckham was gone, signing for Real Madrid in a deal worth £25m.

Club ownership plays an increasingly large role in modern football, and Manchester United are no exception.

Ferguson found himself embroiled in off-pitch politics in 2004 and 2005, as club majority shareholders John Magnier and JP McManus agreed to sell to US tycoon Malcolm Glazer (top left).

Ferguson also fell out with Magnier over the ownership of European horse of the year, Rock of Gibraltar (right, with Ferguson).

And who's this meeting Sir Alex in 2001? Thaksin Shinawatra, later chairman of arch-rivals Manchester City, is pictured below left.

Over the years, Sir Alex Ferguson has developed a reputation as a touchline firebrand.

Referee Jeff Winter was a particular target. Ferguson was sent off by fourth official Winter at Newcastle in 2003 (pictured) having earlier criticised Winter's "ludicrous" refereeing.

Ferguson also clashed on several occasions with referees' chief Keith Hackett, variously accusing officials of bias in favour of Chelsea, or against his club.

"Hackett has got a lot to answer for in this country," said Ferguson in March this year.

Sir Alex Ferguson's footballing legacy is already visible within the sport, as some of the players with whom he won league titles in the 1990s are now top-class managers in their own right.

Former stars Bryan Robson (left), Mark Hughes (top right), Paul Ince and Steve Bruce have all managed in the top flight.

Ferguson's relationships with his fellow Premier League managers have kept many a back page occupied during his tenure.

He and Arsenal's Arsene Wenger (bottom right) do not get on, while Kevin Keegan imploded on air as he declared he would "love it" if Newcastle beat United in 1996.

Ferguson won his second Champions League trophy and his 10th Premier League title last season, as the flow of silverware to Old Trafford continued.

But when will Fergie bow out? He has already been talked out of retiring once, by wife Cathy, in 2002.

Ferguson, 67 this New Year's Eve, recently said he does not expect to continue in management past the age of 70.

That could make 2012 the year the face of Manchester United finally changes, for the first time since 1986.