Sir Alex Ferguson sacking as Man Utd ambassador blasted by Scots football greats

Ex-Aberdeen and Scotland star Alex McLeish and doyen of Scottish football commentators Archie Macpherson couldn’t believe the decision by Jim Ratcliffe.

Two Scottish football greats told of their “shock” after Manchester United sacked Sir Alex Ferguson as a club ambassador. Billionaire businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe brutally axed Fergie amid savage financial cuts at Old Trafford.

Ex-Aberdeen and Scotland star Alex McLeish and doyen of Scottish football commentators Archie Macpherson couldn’t believe the decision. Last night, Ferguson’s old friend Archie, 89, said the move was “no way to treat a legend”.

He added: “I’m shocked by the news that Fergie had to go. It’s no way to treat a legend and he is a legend.

“It seems almost as if you’re telling a pupil you’re expelled from school. He is a great man who created history for himself and the club. I’m still trying to recover from the news and trying to make sense of it, because, by comparison, they’ve probably got the worst manager in decades and Ratcliffe is playing around with Sir Alex.

“So it simply doesn’t make sense. I think it reflects on the man who’s now calling the shots at Old Trafford. I don’t know much about Ratcliffe other than that he’s a very successful businessman. Is he trying to show that he’s ruthless? If he’s doing that, he’s simply showing insensitivity and stupidity.”

He added: “I still feel that Fergie is seen as a symbol of renewal because he renewed Manchester United. He went down there and made them the club that they are now. Without him, they wouldn’t have had the achievements they’ve had.

“I think he’s so integral to the Manchester United image. You think Manchester United, you think Fergie. He’s a legend in terms of managers who ranks with Jock Stein. In my opinion, they were the two great Scottish managers. There were others, of course, but Fergie is somebody who won a European trophy with a club that was considered provincial – Aberdeen.”

McLeish – a stalwart in Fergie’s great Dons side of the 70s and 80s – also said he was shocked at the move.

He added: “Listen, I would have thought that a job for life would have been absolutely a certainty. That would be my view given what he’s done for the club. I just cannot believe it because he was such a great manager for Manchester United and won so many trophies during his time at Old Trafford.

“He was a terrific role model for so many young managers. When I went into management, he helped me so much and I know he’ll have done the same with so many others.

“You know, I’ve visited United many times down the years and to lose an iconic figure like him from around the club will be sad.

“He was there as an ambassador but he never interfered with anything his successors were doing. He just kept to himself. But my view is that Sir Alex should be allowed to walk in that door any day he chooses. I just feel that given what he’s done for United, yes, he should be treated with the highest respect.”

Former United star Eric Cantona slammed the decision. Posting a picture of himself with Fergie on Instagram, the Frenchman wrote: “Sir Alex Ferguson should be able to do anything he wants at the club until the day he dies. Such a lack of respect. It’s totally scandalous.

“Sir Alex Ferguson will be my boss forever! And I throw them all in a big bag of s***!”

Ex-United defender Rio Ferdinand tweeted: “If Sir Alex can be taken out, then NO ONE IS SAFE at Man Utd – anyone can get it now. Ineos sending a message to ANYONE at the club?!?”

Manchester Utd’s minority shareholder Ineos will stop an annual £2.1million payment to Sir Alex at the end of the season.

The legendary Scot, 82, stepped down after 26 years at the helm in 2013 but penned an agreement which saw him become a global ambassador for the club immediately after.

He is said to have amicably accepted the decision to no longer be a paid ambassador and has been told by the club’s new regime he will remain welcome to attend matches home and away.

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The Scot won a staggering 38 trophies at United – including 13 Premier League titles and two European Cups. His career highlight was the 1999 treble.

Before that, he took Aberdeen to Scottish league and cup titles and a European Cup Winners Cup final win against Real Madrid. The ambassadorial arrangement continued for more than a decade, coupled with his duties as a director on the club’s board alongside the late Sir Bobby Charlton.

Since acquiring 25 per cent of the club, Ineos owner Ratcliffe has cut 250 jobs and slashed a series of perks in a bid to balance the books. The club were the second-highest spenders in the English Premiership in this summer’s transfer market after committing more than £200million on transfers in a bid to reshape manager Erik ten Hag’s squad. But they remain mid-table with calls for the manager’s head to roll.

Every department and all levels were affected by the redundancies, with performance analysts, the kit man and members of the groundstaff losing their jobs overnight. Manchester United insist the decision is amicable and Fergie will remain a non-executive director on the ceremonial football board.

Archie believes fans are likely to be divided at best over the decision. He said: “Manchester United are one of the clubs, like the Old Firm, where the affections run deep and tradition is very important. I think many fans will see this as a kind of insensitive move.

“There are others, of course, who, looking at Manchester United’s position, would simply say, well, it’s part of the attempt to renovate a club that seems on the slide by comparison.”

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