Ferguson turned down Villa job.

[Chris Smith]

I can't stand the dour bastard but I wouldn't even to try to argue that he wasn't one of the very best managers of all time. Yes, he's had some advanatges but to keep doing it, to keep the desire and hunger to build new teams and win more tropies at a time when most are looking to put their feet up is truly remarkable. That he won 3 successive league titles while Abramovich was shelling out at Chelsea speaks volumes.

However, I'm pretty sure that Doug would have managed to knock the ambition out of him given the chance.

[not3bad]

That he won 3 successive league titles while Abramovich was shelling out at Chelsea speaks volumes.

This might be the achievement that tops the lot for me.

[Dave Cooper please]

John e, you're having a 'mare mate, do yourself a favour and retire gracefully while you still have a tiny amount of credulity left!

[barrysleftfoot]

  Have to agree with john e, he is a good manager, possibly great, but i could have been at Old Trafford.

  Biggest club in the world, probably, biggest fan base, biggest turnover.

  For them to ONLY win the European Cup in the time he has been there suggests he is'nt that great to me.

  In the 80s, 9 teams won the league in a decade, only 4 teams have ever won the Prem.Only 3 can probably win it this year.For years they bought the lge, when only Arse were true rivals.

  Good ...yes, Great.....not sure.

[cdbearsfan]

I remember us stuffing them 3-0 on Boxing Day 1989 and the away end shouting "Fergie must go".

I wish they had got their way.

If we had played Oldham on grass we might have won the Cup and he might have got the boot. He's still undeniably a great manager. Don't overlook what he achieved at Aberdeen either. Other than a brief flourish from Dundee United no other buggers have been close to the Bigotted Two since.

[AV82EC]

  Have to agree with john e, he is a good manager, possibly great, but i could have been at Old Trafford.

  Biggest club in the world, probably, biggest fan base, biggest turnover.

  For them to ONLY win the European Cup in the time he has been there suggests he is'nt that great to me.

  In the 80s, 9 teams won the league in a decade, only 4 teams have ever won the Prem.Only 3 can probably win it this year.For years they bought the lge, when only Arse were true rivals.

  Good ...yes, Great.....not sure.

The biggest chink in his armour ability to stand alongside the greats has been his European Cup record.  Only 2 wins after continual qualification for the last 20 odd seasons.  He's been continually found out by the very best coaches tactically in that time and several United fans I know actually wanted rid of him about 6 or 7 years ago because they felt with all the inbuilt advantages he's benefited from over the last decade then a return of 2 European Cups was very poor.

[PeterWithesShin]

  Have to agree with john e, he is a good manager, possibly great, but i could have been at Old Trafford.

  Biggest club in the world, probably, biggest fan base, biggest turnover.

  For them to ONLY win the European Cup in the time he has been there suggests he is'nt that great to me.

  In the 80s, 9 teams won the league in a decade, only 4 teams have ever won the Prem.Only 3 can probably win it this year.For years they bought the lge, when only Arse were true rivals.

  Good ...yes, Great.....not sure.

In the 80s, 4 teams won the league, us, Liverpool, Everton and Arsenal. I don't get the 9 teams comment?

[barrysleftfoot]

 Think i got my facts wrong, i thought 8/9 teams had won the lge in the 80s......got it wrong, what a plonker.

[Ads]

That he won 3 successive league titles while Abramovich was shelling out at Chelsea speaks volumes.

This might be the achievement that tops the lot for me.

And a European Cup.

Best manager of all time in my view. I think he might jack it in at the end of the season though.