The Reds boss enjoyed a playing career north of the border that saw him take in spells with Queen’s Park, St Johnstone, Dunfermline, Glasgow Rangers, Falkirk and Ayr United. But it is not for his playing of the game that Sir Alex was to become a success.

Following a spell out of the game he moved into coaching, taking up the role of manager of East Stirlingshire, St Mirren then Aberdeen. It was his time at Pittodrie where he earned his reputation as a top coach. He broke the Glasgow dominance of Scottish football to lead Aberdeen to three Scottish titles, four Scottish cups, one League Cup and one European Cup Winners’ Cup.

Following the sacking of Ron Atkinson as manager of Manchester United, the Old Trafford hierarchy moved quickly for his services. They got their man on 6 November 1986.

Ferguson inherited a dispirited team of underachievers who had consistently, to their supporters’ discontent, failed to break Liverpool’s domination. Stuck in the bottom four of the Division One table, Ferguson immediately set about attempting to stave off the very real threat of relegation. Without resorting to the transfer market, he guided United up the table to and eleventh place finish.

By now it was clear to Ferguson that he faced a major job in turning the club around. United were an entertaining side but one that seemed unable to cope with the more physical aspects of League football. In his second season the Reds fared better finishing second behind Liverpool, but the position painted a false picture. The turning point came in the 1989/90 season.

Following a run of games in which the Reds were drawn away in every round, United picked up their first silverware of the Ferguson era. Lee Martin scoring the only goal in a final replay against Crystal Palace to in the FA Cup.

This first trophy opened the flood gates. The European Cup Winners’ Cup was won the following season in Rotterdam, Barcelona defeated 2-1 thanks to a brace from Mark Hughes. Then in 1991/02 the League Cup was added to United’s list of honours.

Sadly the title remained elusive. It was the Holy Grail to United fans, the 26 championships free years being exacerbated by Liverpool’s dominance of the domestic and European game.

In 1992/93 the long wait for the League championship came to an end. The Reds, inspired by £1m signing Eric Cantona, pipping Aston Villa in the final weeks of the season.

The shackles were broken: the double followed in 1993/94, the double-Double (with ‘kids’) in 1995/96, and another title in 1997. Finally United were matching off-field might with on-field success. Liverpool’s dominance was well and truly over.

Sir Alex’s greatest achievement came in 1998/99. No side before or since has achieved a treble haul of Premiership title, FA Cup and European Cup. On an unforgettable night in Barcelona his decision to throw on substitutes Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer assured history was made. The pair scored injury-time goals to win the Champions League and complete the treble.

Ferguson was knighted following that success and some suggested he should retire, believing his desire would wane following the realisation of a dream. Not a bit of it. Another title followed in 1999/2000 and he made it three-in-row in 2000/01. His eighth Premiership duly arrived in 2002/03; his fifth FA Cup came a year later, against Millwall in Cardiff.

The Reds had by now entered a period of rebuilding. The side of homegrown players he’d first put together in 1995/96 was now breaking up and he’d recruited new stars like Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo to spark a new era of success.

The rebuilding paid off with victory in the Carling Cup in 2005/06 and a ninth Premier League trophy in 2006/07. In May 2007 Sir Alex swooped for three players – Anderson, Nani and Owen Hargreaves – to bolster an already strong squad. This evolving team claimed more glory in 2007/08, defending the Premier League title and securing Sir Alex’s second Champions League triumph.

United followed European success by winning the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan in December 2008. The Reds then claimed the Carling Cup in March 2009 by beating Tottenham on penalties in the final.

On 16 May 2009, United achieved what had seemed an impossible mission when Sir Alex arrived in 1986, equalling Liverpool’s long-standing record of 18 league championships. Beating Liverpool to the 2008/09 crown – Sir Alex’s 11th title in 17 seasons – made the feat even sweeter.

He’d arrived from Everton, his boyhood club, a few weeks earlier, becoming the world’s most expensive teenager in the process. But it wasn’t his performances for the Toffees that had sparked United’s interest, mind you. Staff at Carrington knew about Wayne from a much, much earlier age.

“Our U-9 side played Everton’s boys one day and they absolutely hammered us,” now-Academy manager Paul McGuinness remembers. “Rooney scored a few [six, actually], but there was one that stood out. It was basically the classic overhead kick, the perfect bicycle kick, which for a kid of eight or nine years old was really something special.”

Given that, perhaps his performance on his United debut wasn’t that surprising after all! Indeed, it merely hinted at what was to follow. By the end of the 2004/05 campaign Rooney had amassed 17 goals in 43 appearances and was rightly named PFA Young Player of the Year.

Rooney’s second season at Old Trafford again saw him take huge strides. He ended the season with 19 goals in 48 matches and was voted both Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year by fans and PFA Young Player of the year (again) by his fellow professionals.

The young striker openly aims to better his goal tally each season and, despite a difficult World Cup with England in 2006, Rooney went on to net 23 times for United as the Reds lifted the Carling Cup and a first English title in three years.

Cristiano Ronaldo stole all the headlines in 2007/08, but Rooney chipped in with another 18 goals, a tally that included three league braces and four goals in Europe. His exciting strike partnership with 19-goal Carlos Tevez

was one of the key factors in the Reds’ Premier League and Champions League double triumph and cemented his iconic status at Old Trafford.

But it’s not just Wayne’s goals that have endeared him to the United faithful. A tireless worker, Rooney always gives 100 per cent and can’t stand losing. They’re traits that have, from time to time, landed him in hot water but Reds fans recognise the odd over-zealous challenge or act of petulance is merely a by-product of Rooney’s immense passion and will to win.

The striker’s ability to adapt is an attribute often overlooked. Although most at home leading the line or playing just behind a main striker, Rooney has delivered sparkling displays from out wide on numerous occasions. With pace to burn and an eye for a long, raking pass, Rooney’s just as effective creating chances as he is taking them.

That said, goals are Rooney’s bread and butter and not even the arrival of Dimitar Berbatov at Old Trafford in September 2008 could diminish Rooney’s potency. Indeed, the pair forged a strong partnership up front and, in January 2009, Wayne embarked on a scoring run that saw him net in five consecutive league games.

A month earlier, he stole the show in Japan as United lifted the FIFA Club World Cup, thanks to Rooney’s goal in the final and a brace off the bench in the semi.

There was more success to follow in 2008/09 as the England striker picked up his third league winners’ medal with the Reds in May. Sadly, however, Rooney and United couldn’t add another European title as Barcelona ran out victorious in the Champions League final in Rome.

The striker began the 2009/10 campaign in fine fettle, netting in the Reds’ opening two games against Chelsea, in the Community Shield, and Birmingham City in the league. Another energetic display from Rooney followed in the 5-0 thrashing of Wigan at the DW Stadium on 22 August during which he fired his 100th and 101st goals for the Reds.

The exciting young striker joined from hometown club Chivas de Guadalajara, for whom he had scored 29 goals in 79 games since making his debut as a teenager in 2006.

Unusually for a club of United’s stature, the transfer was conducted completely under the radar: only the player and his father were aware of the deal and there was no prior speculation in the media, either in the UK or Mexico.

‘Chicharito’ means ‘little pea’ and Hernandez attracted the moniker because he’s the son of Javier Hernandez, himself a top Mexican striker who played in the 1986 World Cup and was nicknamed ‘Chicharo’ (‘pea’) because of his green eyes.

An out-and-out striker, Chicharito is quick, two-footed and strong in the air, qualities that have already seen him likened to Reds legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

He’s already made an impact at international level, scoring twice for Mexico in the 2010 World Cup just days before completing his switch to United.

Those goals introduced him to a wider global audience and would undoubtedly have led to a clamour for his signature – precisely the reason why United moved fast to complete the deal before the tournament began.

“We first received some background knowledge of the boy in October [2009],” Sir Alex Ferguson said. “One of our scouts went to Mexico in December and watched a few games – the reports that came back were very good. At that time we thought we’d just wait because he was only young.

“But then he came into the national team and that created a potential problem: if he went to the World Cup and did well at the tournament then we could be in danger of losing him.

“So I sent our chief scout, Jim Lawlor, over to Mexico for three weeks to watch him and get some more background on the boy.

“Jim filed a fantastic report on the boy, so we sent our club solicitor over there with Jim to do the deal. We were delighted to sign him.”

The Chester-born forward notched up more than 200 goals for Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle United, plus 40 goals in 89 England internationals prior to signing for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men.

Owen burst to prominence at his boyhood side, Liverpool, where he scored on his first-team debut aged just 17. His lightning pace, untraceable movement and clinical finishing made him a Premier League revelation, and it wasn’t long before he took the international stage by storm.

The 1998 World Cup in France was Michael’s springboard, as he scored an incredible solo goal in England’s second-round tie with Argentina. While red-carded United midfielder David Beckham became something of a scapegoat for the Three Lions’ penalty shootout exit, Owen was hailed a national hero.

His Liverpool career went from strength to strength, and in 2001 his part in the Merseysiders’ triple cup haul of UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup – together with international feats including a hat-trick against Germany – earned him the Ballon d’Or and FWA Player of the Year awards.

Michael left Liverpool after eight years following the arrival of new manager Rafael Benitez, swapping countries with the new man at the Anfield helm as he moved to Real Madrid. Although he was only in La Liga for a season, Owen bagged 14 goals in 22 starts for Real before a surprise £16million move to Newcastle.

A spate of injuries underscored Owen’s career at St James’ Park, and his four seasons with the Magpies yielded only 65 starts, although he did still notch 30 goals in that time. Michael’s contract expired in the summer of 2009, at which point Sir Alex swooped to sign the famed goal-poacher on a free transfer, offering him a two-year deal.

He got his United career off to the perfect start with a winning goal on his non-competitive debut during the 2009 Asia Tour. After coming off the bench in the 61st minute, Owen pounced on a loose ball after Giggs had been tackled in the area and coolly slotted home to secure a 3-2 win over a Malaysian XI.

And the striker topped that early in the season with a goal that instantly catapaulted him into Reds folklore – the 96th-minute winner in the Manchester derby at Old Trafford in September.

Sir Alex likes players with plenty of charisma in the way they play, and the Bulgarian’s languid style is instantly recognisable on the field. It’s also an approach that has drawn comparisons with former United talisman Eric Cantona.

Like the captivating Frenchman, Berbatov loves to entertain with the ball at his feet, and he also shares Cantona’s happy knack for scoring important (often late) goals, which he showed more than once in his first season at United.

Berbatov started out at Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia. He joined The Armymen aged 17, following in the footsteps of his father, Ivan, who also played for the club.

He was a regular goalscorer and his talent quickly attracted attention from Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen, who made their move in January 2001 after Berba’s impressive start to the season for CSKA. National-team captain Berbatov made a slow start in Germany, but he regularly shone in the Champions League.

The only blot on his copybook is that he was part of the Leverkusen team that knocked United out of the Champions League semi finals in April 2002. He came on as a substitute in the final as the Germans lost 2-1 to Real Madrid.

Berbatov was eventually lured to the Premier League when Tottenham signed him in July 2006 for a reported £10.9million fee. He scored 23 goals in his opening season, which he matched again in 2007/08.

After months of speculation linking him with a move to Old Trafford in the summer of 2008, Sir Alex Ferguson finally got his man on transfer deadline day with just minutes to go. Berbatov signed a four-year contract on 1 September 2008 for an undisclosed fee.

Berbatov opened his account for the Reds the same month with two goals away at Aalborg in the Champions League, but was unfortunate to miss out on the Club World Cup in December through injury.

He struck up an effective partnership with Wayne Rooney in his debut season and finished with 14 goals in all competitions, including crucial league strikes against Middlesbrough, Bolton and Chelsea, as well as countless assists to help United to the title.

Aged just 17, the young Italian told MUTV it was “the best day of my life”. But while that goal heralded Macheda’s arrival on the biggest stage, his prowess in front of goal has been apparent ever since he arrived at United in September 2007. Indeed, just six days before his Villa winner, the boy they call “Kiko” netted a hat-trick for the Reserves in a thrilling 3-3 draw at St James’ Park.

Formerly a member of Lazio’s youth system, Macheda signed professional forms on 22 August 2008. A powerful forward with a natural eye for goal, he was born in Rome and is regarded in Italy as one of the most promising prospects of his generation.

Having relocated to England to further his career, Macheda has quickly moved up the ranks at United. He started out in Paul McGuinness’ Under-18s side, but has become a regular in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Reserves.

He began the 2008/09 campaign with a fine goalscoring run in the youth team and quickly translated that to Reserve team football.

His strength on the ball, positional sense in the box and clinical finishing haven’t gone unnoticed at the very top: Sir Alex Ferguson handed him a Champions League squad number midway through the 2008/09 campaign and then showed stunning judgement to introduce him against Aston Villa just when the Reds needed a goal most.

Just six days later, the Italian’s stock grew further as he reprised his match-winner status when it mattered most. Within a minute of entering the fray against Sunderland, with United chasing a winner, Macheda diverted home a vital winner to further aid the Reds’ defence of the Premier League title.

Prior to his arrival at Bordeaux, Obertan began his career with local club Paris-Pantin FC, before making the switch to Paris FC in 2002 and then Paris-Saint Germain. After spending a year at each, he moved to the famed Clairefontaine Academy in order to further his development, before being spotted by Bordeaux scouts.

He joined Les Girondins in 2005 and spent his first year plying his trade in the reserves. After being offered a three-year professional contract in 2006, he was promoted to the first team at the start of the 2006/07 season and made his debut, aged 17, on 30 September 2006 against Valenciennes. He fired his first goal for the club on 22 April 2007, scoring the second in a 2-0 win over Saint-Étienne. By the end of the campaign he had racked up 17 appearances, 16 of them as a substitute.

The following season, he featured in 26 matches and scored two goals, but he was still limited to mostly substitute appearances due to the abundance of strikers at manager Laurent Blanc’s disposal. That trend continued into 2008/09 resulting in Obertan being loaned out to fellow Ligue 1 side Lorient for the second half of the campaign, during which time he featured 15 times, scoring once.

On the international front, Obertan has progressed through the ranks for his country receiving caps at Under 16, 17, 18 and 19 levels. He is currently involved in the French under 21 squad.

Now a Red after signing a four-year deal, the versatile Frenchman is looking forward to the challenge that comes with playing at Old Trafford. “I am very happy to join Manchester United,” he said. “This is a big opportunity for me to play at such a great club. I am very excited to be here and I look forward to proving what I can do.”

The skilful 23-year-old has more than 30 caps for his country, including one in the 1-0 defeat to England in the 2006 World Cup. His performances at the tournament earned him a nomination for FIFA’s Best Young Player award and raised a few eyebrows among Europe’s top bosses.

It was Wigan boss Paul Jewell, however, who won the race for his signature and he arrived at the JJB Stadium on loan that year, having previously enjoyed stints in Spain at Recreativo Huelva (loan) and Villarreal. It was the latter who first spotted his talent, bringing him to Europe from Ecuadorian club El Nacional in 2005.

In his three seasons at Wigan, Valencia made 83 appearances, scoring seven times. One of his most memorable games actually came against United in January 2009, when he ran riot on the right wing in the Latics’ 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford.

Steve Bruce, who spent two years managing Valencia at Wigan, regards him as one of the most exciting prospects in the English game. His pace and ability to go past a man and reach the byline were key to Wigan’s rise under Bruce, and his supply to Emile Heskey helped ensure the team’s survival in the top flight in 2007/08.

“Valencia has got that thing which not many players have anymore – the ability to dribble,” Bruce said “People who can run with the ball, take it up the pitch and beat a man are a dying breed – there aren’t many around. We don’t produce players who want to dribble, we seem to produce the archetypal steady English player. If a player does want to take his man on and run with the ball, people will want to pay to go and see him.”

This attitude was never more visibly displayed than in the 4-0 thrashing of Arsenal [in February 2008] in which he headed two goals. He set the standard for the team with his indefatigable running, hassling, closing down and tackling which denied the Gunners time and space to play their usual passing game.

“I enjoy the added pressure of the big games,” admitted the midfielder, who scooped his second title medal in
May 2008 and was an unused substitute in the Champions League final in Moscow. “The atmosphere’s always special and the crowd spur you on.”

In terms of recognition for his exertions and qualities, Fletcher’s United career has been a slow burner. It is only with age, and with an ever-growing list of outstanding performances, that he has received due credit.

His United career almost got off to fairytale start when in May 2000, Fletcher was set to be included in the squad for the league trip to Villa Park, but FA rules – and his schoolboy status – denied him the chance.

He joined United officially as a trainee in July 2000, but injuries stymied his progress. He eventually made his debut against Basel in March 2003, but it was in the following season that Fletch made his mark, notching 35 appearances. By this stage, he was established as one of Scotland’s leading lights: he scored the solitary goal against Lithuania that earned a play-off for Euro 2004 and, later that season, aged 20, became Scotland’s youngest captain for 118 years.

The 2004/05 campaign brought Fletcher’s first goal for United, in a 2-0 win at Boro on New Year’s Day. His most famous strike to date was against Chelsea in November 2005 when he headed the goal that ended the champions’ 40-game unbeaten run. Subsequent seasons saw him used intermittently, but the trend of selecting him for the biggest, most important games indicated the high regard in which Sir Alex Ferguson holds his countryman.

That faith was displayed when, in October 2008. Darren signed a four-year contract extension. He admitted that just a few months earlier he had contemplated life away from Old Trafford, only for Sir Alex to field him regularly in the early stages of the 2008/09 season.

Fletcher struck up an energetic, dominant midfield partnership with Michael Carrick and began finding the net on a more regular basis, validating the judgement of his manager and finally yielding recognition from peers and supporters alike.

Heartbeakingly, Fletch’s finest season with the Reds wasn’t allowed a fitting finish. The Scot was harshly sent off in United’s Champions League semi-final victory at Arsenal, which left him suspended for the final against Barcelona. That the Reds so clearly missed Darren’s energy and drive in Rome spoke volumes for the midfielder’s sky-rocketing importance to the cause.

Part of the new wave of talent that ushered in Beckham, Giggs, Butt and the Neville brothers in the mid-1990s, Salford-born Scholes scored twice on his debut in the League Cup at Port Vale in 1994/95 – and on his first league outing against Ipswich – and hasn’t looked back.

A host of golden seasons at Old Trafford include 1995/96’s Double-winning campaign, in which he covered admirably during Eric Cantona’s suspension, finishing second behind the Frenchman in the scoring charts with 14 goals; he was a cornerstone of 1999’s Treble-winners, although suspension ruled him out of the UEFA Champions League final, and in United’s Premier League success in 2003, his 20-goal haul was vital.

Neat and compact, a misplaced Scholes pass remains one of the rarest sights in football. His superb eye for goal and late runs from midfield also served his country superbly on 66 occasions.

An eye problem kept the man the fans dubbed the ‘Ginger Prince’ out of action for a large part of 2005/06, but he burst back onto the scene during the 2006/07 title-winning campaign, playing a key role in helping the Reds reclaim the Premier League crown. Personal highlights included his opener in the 2-0 win over Liverpool in October 2006 and a volley of the highest calibre in the 3-0 win at Aston Villa two months later, which earned him the Goal of the Season Award at the club’s Player Awards ceremony.

His contribution was recognised by players and press alike – he finished third in the PFA Player of the Year category and fourth in the Football Writers’ vote – both of which were won by team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.

His good form continued the following season as he helped the Reds to a glorious double and finally buried the UEFA Champions League ghost of ’99 when his stunning strike against Barcelona in April 2008, booked United’s, and his own place, in the final in Moscow.

Having started United’s first four Premier League games in 08/09, Scholes then missed two months of action after suffering a medial ligament injury in the victory away to Aalborg. When he returned for the festive period, Sir Alex proclaimed: “It is like having an extra player.” The Reds stalwart looked as influential as ever, and when he didn’t start he often came on to steady the tempo of games and help close out narrow league victories. His opener in United’s 3-0 victory over Fulham in February 2009 – a game he dominated – proved he hasn’t lost his deadly ability to score from distance. Carrick’s corner found Scholes in a familiar position at the edge of the area, and he rolled back the years to thunder in a 25-yard volley that was simply too hot for Mark Schwarzer to handle. He followed that with a vintage header away at Sunderland in April 2009, and, in his 600th game for the Reds, delivered a masterclass in ball retention against Portsmouth ten days later.

Now in the top four highest ever appearance makers and the top twelve highest goalscorers at the club, Scholes is, indisputably, one of the finest talents in United’s history, and he’s still going strong – in October 2008 he was rewarded with a one-year contract extension, taking him through to June 2010.