Sir Alex Ferguson has paid an emotional tribute to the NHS staff who saved his life in a new memoir, as he celebrates 40 years since taking charge at Manchester United.
The 84-year-old took over as manager on November 6, 1986, and went on to transform the fortunes of the club and the game itself. He managed United for 26 years until his retirement at the end of the 2012-13 season, winning 38 major trophies, including 13 Premier League titles and two UEFA Champions League titles.
Brain haemorrhage and recovery
In his new book, 'Games of My Life,' Ferguson tells how he almost died after suffering a brain haemorrhage following Manchester United's match against Arsenal in May 2018. He describes how his late wife Cathy, who died in 2023, saved him. On the day of his collapse, he got out of bed "with a savage headache" and promptly collapsed against a shoe rack. Cathy heard him collapse, and he was rushed to Macclesfield Hospital about 20 minutes later, then to Salford Royal.
He did not come around until the next day, when he was asked a series of questions, including whether he had met the Queen and how many wives Henry VIII had. He joked: "I had indeed met the Queen, but I didn't remember meeting Henry VIII - or any of his wives."
Commitment of hospital staff
Ferguson describes how neurosurgeon Dr Alexandru Cotici was careful not to touch a drink throughout his return to Old Trafford four months later, and went straight to Salford Royal to start a shift after the final whistle. He tells his readers: "It is that sort of commitment from doctors, nurses and hospital staff all over the United Kingdom that helps millions of people a year. Without them, I wouldn't be writing these words."
He also recounts the day of his operation at Salford Royal: "On the day they operated on me at Salford Royal, four other patients had surgery for the same complaint. Only two of us lived to tell the tale."
Return to Old Trafford
Ferguson was accompanied by a team of medics to the Wolves game on September 22, 2018, his first match back at Old Trafford after the operation. He recalls: "It was one of the most memorable days of my life. As well as being able to thank all the people who saved my life, the reception I received from those in the crowd at Old Trafford that day meant more to me than anything."
In the 27th minute, the entire crowd stood to mark his 27 years as United boss and sang his name. One banner read: 'Every single one of us loves Alex Ferguson.' He writes: "I was greeted as if I had returned from the dead which, in a way, was true."
Ferguson notes that between 75 and 85 percent of people over 60 who have an incident like his die. He survived because Cathy was downstairs when she heard the shoes clattering down from the shoe rack on the wooden floor above. She called his son Jason, who phoned United's doctor Steve McNally, who suspected a brain bleed. Scans taken on May 5, 2018, confirmed a subdural hematoma.
In his final chapter, Ferguson reflects: "I am not one to dwell on what maker has in store for me, nor am I afraid of dying. I'm much more interested in squeezing the most out of life."
