SoccerOct 2
Ferguson recounts fear on first Old Trafford visit after brain surgery
The former Manchester United manager describes anxiety on his stadium comeback, the loss of his voice in recovery, and how speech therapy helped him regain it.
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Anxious return to the directors' box
Sir Alex Ferguson has opened up about feeling terrified when he first went back to Old Trafford after brain surgery in 2018. Now 84, he suffered a brain haemorrhage at 76 and made that return four months later to see Manchester United face Wolves in the Premier League. He said he wished he could claim he felt at ease but admitted he did not. Ferguson and his late wife Cathy received a standing ovation as they took their seats in the directors' box. He recalled that she was nearly in tears and told him the reception was fantastic.
Losing his voice after surgery
Ferguson also spoke about the scare that followed the operation, when he could not speak in the days afterward. He called that period frightening and remembered his grandsons visiting while he still had no voice. A therapist then worked with him by asking him to write down names of birds, animals and rivers, a process that helped his speech return. He had stepped down as United manager five years before the haemorrhage after a 26-year spell that brought 36 major trophies.
Current health and upcoming book
Asked about how he is doing now, Ferguson said he feels quite good aside from small injuries. He has a new book in the works, Games of My Life, looking back at the 21 matches he believes shaped his career. His haul at Old Trafford included 13 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues, five FA Cups, four League Cups and the European Cup Winners' Cup.
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