For Manchester United supporters, Sir Alex Ferguson remains the ultimate symbol of strength and determination. Yet the years following his retirement from management in 2013 have tested the legendary Scot with profound personal challenges far beyond the football pitch.
A Life-Threatening Emergency and a Fight for Survival
The first major crisis struck in May 2018, when Sir Alex suffered a sudden brain haemorrhage. The incident required emergency, life-saving surgery at Salford Royal Hospital. Upon arrival, medical staff estimated his chance of survival was a mere 20 per cent.
Reflecting on that day in his 2021 documentary, 'Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In', he recalled the stark reality. "There were five brain haemorrhages that day," Ferguson, then 79, stated. "Three died. Two survived. You know you are lucky." He remembered it was a beautiful, sunny day and found himself wondering, "how many sunny days I would ever see again."
His recovery was arduous. An early setback left him unable to speak properly, sparking fears of permanent memory loss. "I was trying to force it out but I couldn't get it out," he explained, describing a moment of helplessness that brought him to tears in front of a doctor. He also confessed to feelings of intense "loneliness" and the fear of death during his ordeal.
The Loss of a 'Bedrock' and a New Chapter
After making a full physical recovery, Sir Alex faced an even more devastating blow. Towards the end of 2023, his wife of 57 years, Lady Cathy, passed away. Ferguson often described her as the "bedrock" of his life and career, noting she was the only person he never answered back to.
The couple met in 1964 at a typewriter factory and married two years later. Cathy's influence was pivotal, even persuading him to reverse his decision to retire from Manchester United in 2002. Her death left him grief-stricken. He admitted he "struggled to leave the house" and took trips to destinations like Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, and Bahrain to distract himself.
Upon returning, he joined a dementia support group and later made the significant decision to sell the couple's £3.25million Cheshire home. Sir Alex now resides in the village of Goostrey, near Knutsford, living next door to his son, Darren.
Manchester United Ties and a Dignified Exit
Football has remained a constant. Sir Alex is a regular attendee at Manchester United matches, often watching from the directors' box. However, his formal, paid association with the club changed last year.
As part of wide-ranging cost-cutting measures overseen by new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Ferguson's £2 million per year ambassadorial role was terminated. Ratcliffe, whose INEOS group bought a 25% stake in February 2024, described the conversation as "very grown up."
"I said, 'Look, the club isn't where you may think it is... we can't really afford to continue to pay you £2m a year,'" Ratcliffe recounted in March. He noted Ferguson was initially "a little bit grumpy" but, after consulting his son, returned three days later to agree to step away. Ratcliffe praised Ferguson, saying, "he put the club before himself."
The man who forged his identity through authority and success on the touchline has revealed a different side in retirement—one defined by vulnerability, humility, and quiet resolve. While fans will always remember the indomitable manager, his greatest victories in recent years have been fought in private: surviving a medical nightmare, mourning a lifelong love, and adapting to a new life with dignity.
