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Sir Alex Ferguson pictured through the years from 20-year-old St Johnstone striker to sitting in own Man Utd stand at 80

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SIR ALEX FERGUSON turns 80 today with no end in sight to his reign as the most successful manager in world football.

The legendary boss retired from the dug-out eight years ago.

Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates his 80th birthday on New Year’s EveCredit: Getty
The Scot is the most-successful manager in the top-flight’s historyCredit: Getty

But the legendary former Manchester United manager’s 49 trophies is still the biggest haul of any top-flight boss.

His 13 Prem titles put him clear of Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola all put together!

And no one has managed to emulate his 1999 Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup treble.

Even United have still not recovered ever since his departure.

Despite the efforts of David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the club have yet to lift the title again since Ferguson’s retirement.

The Scot enjoyed a landmark career with a host of memorable moments.

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And not all of them occurred at the Theatre of Dreams.

Here Sun Sport takes a brief trip down memory lane to mark the icon turning 80.

Have a great birthday, Fergie!

Fergie was on the brink of giving up football and moving to Canada when he scored a hat-trick for St Johnstone against RangersCredit: Offside

AT 20…

HAVING joined Queen’s Park in his teens as an amateur while he was an apprentice toolmaker in Glasgow, the young Fergie switched to St Johnstone at the age of 19.

He was playing as a forward for the Saints when he reached the age of 20 on December 31, 1961.

Sir Alex Ferguson was lining-up for Falkirk at the age of 30Credit: Scottish News and Sport

AT 30…

SPENT four seasons at St Johnstone and had three years at Dunfermline before a dream switch to Rangers for £65,000 in his twenties. 

But by the time he was 30 at the end of 1971, Fergie was playing for Falkirk, having moved to the Bairns when he was 28.

Fergie already had his first piece of managerial silverware by the time he was 40Credit: Getty

AT 40…

BY the time he was 40 on New Year’s Eve 1981, he had already enjoyed his first honour as a boss.

Fergie was 35 in 1977 when he guided St Mirren to the First Division title.

He won three top-flight crowns at Aberdeen with his first in 1980 aged 38 — he went on to lift the 1983 Cup Winners’ Cup.

Sir Alex Ferguson enjoyed European success at United in his 50th yearCredit: Rex

AT 50…

NOW entrenched as Manchester United manager after a rocky first few years, Fergie tasted his first European success with the club in the year of his 50th birthday.

United secured the 1991 Cup Winners’ Cup in Rotterdam, after beating Barcelona in the final 2-1 — Mark Hughes netted both goals.

He celebrated his 60th year with a seventh title in nine years

AT 60…

IN another milestone year, Fergie’s United continued their domination of the English game in 2001.

They won their seventh Prem title in nine years, this time with five games to spare.

The Scot also became the first boss to win three successive English titles with the same team.

Fergie had led United to their 20 league title by the time he turned 70Credit: PA:Press Association

AT 70…

AFTER leading United to their 20th league title in 2011, Fergie revealed he would retire at the end of the season but would remain at the club as an ambassador. 

He would also be handed the same role at Uefa before taking up a long-term teaching position at Harvard University.

Fergie now watches games from the Old Trafford directors’ boxCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun

AT 80…

SINCE recovering from emergency surgery on a brain haemorrhage in 2018, Fergie enjoys himself by tending to his racing horses, watching games at Old Trafford and spending time with his wife Cathy.

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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk

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