Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson has opened up about a dark chapter in his youth that saw him spend a night in jail, admitting his storied career in football almost never happened.
The Regretful Descent: Alcohol and a Family Fallout
In a candid revelation, the now 84-year-old football icon detailed a period in the early 1960s when he "went off the rails." At the time, Ferguson was a young forward for Scottish club St Johnstone, struggling with being left out of the first team and working a part-time job in a Govan shipyard.
Frustrated with his football career, he turned to alcohol and began going out, even on Friday nights before games. This behaviour sparked a major falling out with his father, who disapproved of his lifestyle choices. "That's when we fell out," Ferguson recalled. "It got to a point where he said, 'Go your own way and we'll see what happens.'"
The rift between father and son lasted for two years, between 1961 and 1963, during which they did not speak.
A Night in the Cells: The Drunken Brawl That Led to Court
The situation culminated one night when a drunken brawl led to Ferguson's arrest. He found himself behind bars and was later fined £3 in court. Reflecting on this episode, Ferguson described himself as a "bit of a black sheep" and expressed deep regret.
"That period has always been in the back of my head and I have always regretted it," he admitted. "Here's me with the background and upbringing I had, and I surrendered." This stark confession highlights how close one of football's greatest managers came to a very different path.
The Hat-Trick That Changed Everything: Reconciliation and Redemption
Ferguson's football career and personal life were transformed by a single, pivotal match. His fortunes changed dramatically when he scored a hat-trick for St Johnstone against Rangers.
This triumphant performance mended the broken relationship with his father. Ferguson immediately went home to share the news. "I wanted to go home and see my dad because I knew he would be proud," he said. His father's simple response, "That's the boy I had," signalled their reconciliation.
Ferguson has always viewed this as the turning point. "We were back pals. That changed my life, it was the biggest break of my life... It was the most important game of my life," he stated. This moment set him on the course to eventually lead Manchester United to unprecedented success, making them England's most decorated club before his retirement in 2013.
The story serves as a powerful reminder of the fragile moments that define a legacy, showing how a night in a cell nearly altered the history of British football forever.
