THE 24 MATCHES THAT HELP TELL FERGUSON'S STORY ..(Part 1)

1986 FIRST DIVISION: OXFORD 2 MANCHESTER UNITED 0

Early days: Ferguson was appointed United manager in 1986

Where it all began for Ferguson. It's hard to believe sometimes how long ago it was that the Scot first managed United.

Margaret Thatcher still had years to run as Prime Minister, video recorders were regarded as fairly new, while Den and Angie were still married in Albert Square.

Mikhail Gorbachev had been leader of the Soviet Union for a year, and Ronald Reagan was President of the United States. That's the one actually isn't it? Ronnie Reagan as President - that's how long ago we're talking.

Football was a very different beast as well back then, and there wasn't much glamour about Ferguson's first match in charge of the club, which took place on November 8 1986, two days after the Scot was appointed as United's replacement for Ron Atkinson.

United went down to a 2-0 defeat against Oxford, who may be in League Two these days but back then were plying their trade in the top flight.

The match was watched by 13,545 at the old Manor Ground. Come to think of it, nearly all grounds were old back then.

Ferguson was later to describe how shocked he was at the poor fitness levels of the United players. There was less of a winning culture at the club back then, and more of a drinking culture.

It would be the start of a long journey for all of us.

Where it all began: Ferguson watches on at the Manor Ground where United slipped to a 2-0 defeat in his first match in charge

1988 FIRST DIVISION: LIVERPOOL 3 MANCHESTER UNITED 3

Liverpool were still the premier force in English football and Alex Ferguson (he was just plain Alex in those long ago days) made changing that his top priority. I actually put this down as the best Liverpool team of my memory  - surely a team that would have been strongly fancied to win the European Cup were it not for the ban on English clubs at the time.

Bryan Robson gave United the lead at Anfield, but Liverpool came back with three goals either side of the break courtesy of Peter Beardsley, Gary Gillespie and Steve McMahon. Commentator John Motson screamed words to the effect that it was a magnificent performance 'even by Liverpool standards'.

Robson, who was time and again United's saviour in those years, scored again to give United hope but when Colin Gibson was sent off the points looked to be heading to the hosts. But then Gordon Strachan burst through to cooly score an equaliser for United, and his celebrations in front of the Kop (remember him smoking an imaginary cigar) would be one to savour for United supporters.

The match was memorable enough, but the post-match interviews were explosive, with Ferguson complaining bitterly on the wireless that decisions had gone against his side. Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish held up his baby daughter Lauren to say the press would get more sense out of her than the United boss.

Ferguson's men actually finished second that season, but in truth they were still miles behind their great north west rivals. It seemed then that Liverpool would go on dominating for ever.

1989 FIRST DIVISION: MANCHESTER CITY 5 MANCHESTER UNITED 1

A game that has become part of Manchester football folklore. Ferguson famously went straight home after this game and straight into bed, putting the pillow over his head. As he later admitted 'a sense of guilt had engulfed me'.

City were no great shakes, but they inflicted a painful defeat on their bitter rivals in front of a delirious crowd at Maine Road. David Oldfield, Trevor Morley and Ian Bishop put City 3-0 up in the first half, and even though Mark Hughes pulled a goal back, Oldfield and Andy Hinchcliffe put the gloss on victory for the hosts.

City and their supporters celebrated long into the night, and indeed for months and years after. As time wore on however one sensed the win may have become a millstone round their necks.

United's neighbours have barely troubled Sir Alex since - they are still waiting for a first pot since the 1976 League Cup, and even spent a season in the old third division. City have become a little noisier in recent times of course, but that's another story in itself. 

United team v Manchester City, September 1989: Jim Leighton, Viv Anderson, Mal Donaghy, Gary Pallister, Mike Duxbury; Russell Beardsmore, Mike Phelan, Paul Ince, Danny Wallace, Mark Hughes, Brian McClair. 

1990 FA CUP FINAL: MANCHESTER UNITED 1 CRYSTAL PALACE 0

Ferguson's first trophy and a landmark moment. United had struggled throughout the season, and at one stage fans at Old Trafford held up an infamous banner: 'Three years of excuses and it's still crap. Ta ra Fergie!'.

It is widely believed that the manager's job was under threat when United travelled to Nottingham Forest for an FA Cup third round tie - although Ferguson himself would later say that chairman Martin Edwards promised him that his job was safe, win or lose at the City Ground.

As it happened Mark Robins was the saviour for United on that January afternoon, scoring a priceless headed winner, and Ferguson's men went on a fine run in the competition. In the semi-finals United drew 3-3 with Oldham in a fabulous match, and then won a replay 1-0, courtesy of that man Robins, to reach their first final in five years.

A night to remember: Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates with Bryan Robson after United's 1990 FA Cup win

These were the days when FA Cup finals still really mattered, and with United always enjoying a special relationship with the old competition, Wembley Way was full of colour and genuine excitement for the clash with Steve Coppell's Crystal Palace.

The first match was a classic, with United going behind early on but rallying to lead 2-1 thanks to a Bryan Robson header and brilliant finish from Mark Hughes. Ian Wright turned the final on its head however, scoring two superb goals to put Palace in front. United were grateful - not for the first or last time - to Hughes for poaching a late equaliser.

Jim Leighton had a shocker as United's goalkeeper at Wembley, being directly responsible for a couple of Palace goals and generally looking extremely shaky. Ferguson later revealed that Leighton had his hands in his heads in the dressing room after the match, and looked 'a beaten man.' 

Ferguson kept that image in his mind in the days after the 3-3 draw, and eventually decided to make one of the brave decisions that would be one of the hallmarks of his time in charge. Ferguson dropped his fellow Scot for the replay and decided that Les Sealey would play instead.

For some reason Palace changed their tactics for the replay, despite worrying United constantly in the first match. The Londoners tried to kick United off the park, but it didn't work and Neil Webb's splendid pass set up Lee Martin to fire home a glorious winner. Ferguson was ecstatic, and United's joy at Wembley was unconfined.

Wembley joy: United players celebrate after beating Palace in the 1990 FA Cup final replay

1991 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS' CUP FINAL: MANCHESTER UNITED 2 BARCELONA 1

A game that gave United supporters belief that they could reach the heights under Ferguson. United went to Rotterdam as underdogs for this European Cup Winners' Cup final against a fine Barcelona side, but pulled off a famous victory.

Ferguson's men went 1-0 ahead when Steve Bruce headed a free-kick towards goal, and Mark Hughes touched in on the line, but it is the superb second goal from Hughes that will live longest in the memory. The Welshman seemed to have taken the ball too far round the Barcelona keeper but in classic Hughes fashion smashed home an unstoppable shot to put United 2-0 up.

Barcelona, who would go on to win the European Cup the following year, pulled a goal back through Ronald Koeman. United were then forced to survive a ferocious late onslaught, and Clayton Blackmore cleared a shot from Michael Laudrup off the line with time almost up. United held on though, and had won a first European trophy since 1968.

Joyous supporters sang 'Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life' in the Rotterdam rain, and to this day tales are still told by fans who travelled to Holland that night to witness a memorable victory.

Glorious: Mark Hughes celebrates with the European Cup Winners Cup in Rotterdam

1992 FIRST DIVISION: WEST HAM 1 MANCHESTER UNITED 0

Some United supporters were saying this night that they would never see their beloved club win the title.

The end to the 1991-92 season was painful indeed, with United ahead of Leeds going into the business end of the season but the wheels then coming off just when it mattered most.

United had lost to Nottingham Forest on Easter Monday, but the destiny of the title was still in their hands when they travelled to Upton Park 48 hours later.

You may remember the match for Ferguson's comment after the game that already relegated West Ham's effort had been 'obscene'. In my books he was right with that assertion -  you had to be there to believe it, as the Hammers tore into United with all the verve and passion of a club playing in a big semi-final.

The only goal of the game only poured salt on the wounds, with the ball bouncing off Kenny Brown in unlikely fashion and into the net. Ferguson later called it the 'luckiest goal imaginable'.

It was a terrible night for United and you could sense the stuffing had been knocked out of them. It was little surprise when Ferguson's men went to Liverpool the following weekend and lost 2-0. Leeds were champions in the final season of the old first division.

1993 PREMIER LEAGUE: MANCHESTER UNITED 2 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 1

The long wait is finally over: Steve Bruce and Bryan Robson celebrate United's 1993 title win

A game so important that fans of other clubs (or ABU's as United fans know them) still say 'Oh it's Old Trafford, they'll play until United score' some 17 years on.

United were battling with Aston Villa and Norwich for the league title. The misery of losing out to Leeds the season before was dissipating and optimism had been steadily growing since Ferguson audaciously pinched the mercurial Frenchman Eric Cantona from Leeds a month before Christmas.

The destiny of the title was very much up for grabs on this April afternoon, with United seeming to hit form at the right time after crucially beating Norwich 3-1 at Carrow Road five days earlier.

United were 1-0 down to Wednesday with time running out when Steve Bruce headed an equaliser, which would probably have partially satisfied many United supporters.

But deep into injury time, with Old Trafford baying for a goal, Bruce headed in the most dramatic of 96th minute winners. The ground exploded - with Ferguson and assistant Brian Kidd going simply mad on the sidelines. The result would give United the necessary impetus for the title run-in.

Ferguson would later admit that he had been continually complaining to the linesman in the second half about time-wasting and the need to add on time at the end, and that this must have had an influence on the number of minutes added on.

The United boss also insisted that the extra minutes were 'totally legitimate', and that he watched the video of the second half at home that night, using his stopwatch to time all the stoppages for injuries and substitutions. The Scot actually said there should have been 12 extra minutes.

Ferguson and those watches of his - they have been another enduring image of his long spell in charge.

1993 PREMIER LEAGUE: CRYSTAL PALACE 0 MANCHESTER UNITED 2

Can I really include three games against Crystal Palace in this selection of 24 matches? Well, the other two speak for themselves and simply had to be in there. But I think this one should be too, because it was the night that United and their supporters finally believed that the long and agonising 26 year wait for the title was over.

United's main challengers Aston Villa were losing 3-0 at Blackburn in a match that kicked off earlier on this Wednesday night, and Ferguson's men knew that victory would put them five points clear with two matches remaining.

Mark Hughes volleyed United ahead with another brilliant goal in a big match (has any other player ever scored so many fine goals in big matches?) and Paul Ince added a late second goal to send thousands of United supporters into ecstasy. 'We're going to win the league', they sung in belief rather than hope.

And when Aston Villa lost to Oldham in their next match, Old Trafford enjoyed the party of a lifetime as United beat Blackburn. Sir Matt Busby was there on a night of great emotion.

As far as winning league titles went, it opened the floodgates for what was to follow.

United team v Crystal Palace, April 1993: Peter Schmeichel, Paul Parker, Denis Irwin, Steve Bruce, Andrei Kanchelskis, Gary Pallister, Eric Cantona, Paul Ince, Brian McClair, Mark Hughes, Ryan Giggs.

Happy days: United celebrate at Old Trafford after winning the 1993 Premier League title

-Courtesy of dailymail.co.uk

Sabtu ni genap 24 tahun Sir Alex bersama team kesayangan kiter Man Utd!! Ini aku postkan bahagian pertama 24 games yg menceritakan kerjaya and kejayaan Sir Alex bersama United!! For me..You are the greatest manager of all times!! Glory glory Man Utd..