Ferguson won the lot during his time in charge of United between 1986 and 2013, including 13 Premier League titles.
He transformed them into a winning machine, and the history and tradition of United ran red through his veins.
As well as delivering two Champions League titles, Ferguson masterminded five FA Cup triumphs, won 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.
In his book, Ferguson has picked standout games in his career, from winning his first cup final playing for Govan High School in Glasgow in 1955 at the age of 13 through to his retirement as a manager in 2013.
“That was my starting point,” he says, holding the medal he received after that cup win 71 years ago.
“I played for Glasgow Schools, Scotland Schools and the Scotland youth team. The starting point of my career was there and I can look back with great satisfaction.”
Ferguson describes growing up in Govan as “the making of me”. He says he developed his inner confidence from his mother Elizabeth and a drive to succeed from his father Alexander, who worked in the Govan shipyards on the River Clyde.
“He was so proud of me and my brother,” says Ferguson.
“He was a hard taskmaster because whenever I scored a hat-trick or a goal, my mother would say ‘that’s great, son’.” His father, meanwhile, offered tough constructive criticism however many goals Ferguson had scored.
After making his debut as a 16-year-old striker for Queen’s Park, Ferguson ended up at St Johnstone, where he endured a frustrating spell and nearly quit football for a new life in Canada.
“I wasn’t enjoying it. I wasn’t playing first-team football; I was in the reserves all the time,” he says.
“I filled out all the forms and phoned my aunt in Canada, because you needed a sponsor then, and never told my mother and father.”
The next day St Johnstone, decimated by a flu bug in the team, arrived at Ibrox to take on Rangers. A 21-year-old Ferguson was promoted to the starting XI and scored a hat-trick.
That life-changing performance in 1963 revived his playing career and set him on the path to becoming one of football’s greatest managers.
“I would say this to young people – don’t miss the biggest opportunity in your life. It’s recognising it.”
