Sir Alex Ferguson inducted into Premier League Hall of Fame

Wednesday 29 March 2023 10:00

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.

Our legendary boss is recognised for winning the title a record 13 times during his glorious reign at Old Trafford, with his old adversary Arsene Wenger, the former Arsenal manager, also celebrated.

During a 27-year stint that predates the start of the competition, in total, the Scot won 528 of his 810 matches and was named Manager of the Season 11 times, scooping the monthly award on 27 occasions.

“I’m truly delighted to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame," said Sir Alex. "It’s an honour when you receive recognition like this. However, it’s not just about me as a person. It’s about the job at Manchester United and the bond we had over many years, so I’m also proud for the club, the staff and my players.

“My job was to send the fans home happy. United’s history and my own expectations were the things that drove me, and I then had to try to develop all my players with the same expectations and make sure we could go out and achieve them.

“I feel Arsene is a very worthy inductee as he transformed Arsenal Football Club fantastically. They became a tough team to compete with and we both wanted to win, which motivated us further. Through the years since retirement, we’d go for dinner together in a little restaurant he knows well in Switzerland. He is a really interesting man and I enjoy his company, but it is still my job to pick the wine!"

Wenger, who led the Gunners to three Premier League titles and enjoyed numerous memorable battles with the Reds, commented: “To share this with Sir Alex is a great honour for me. It’s like two boxers, you fight like mad and go the distance together. At the end of the day, you have respect and it will be a great opportunity to meet with him, share a good bottle of wine and memories of our old battles.”

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: “We are delighted to welcome our first two managers into the Premier League Hall of Fame. Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger both made a remarkable contribution to the history of football in this country.

“They brought unparalleled levels of success to Manchester United and Arsenal respectively, raising standards and thrilling fans with a rivalry which resulted in an astonishing 16 title wins between them. The dominance of Manchester United under Sir Alex remains unmatched after he guided them to an incredible 13 titles across 21 Premier League seasons. To maintain that level of success for such a long period means he is quite rightly regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time."

Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson have both joined the Hall of Fame.

An event in May will formally honour the inductees, who receive a medallion engraved with their name and the year of induction, in addition to a £10,000 donation made by the Premier League to a charity of their choice.

The Hall of Fame is the highest individual honour awarded by the league and "recognises and celebrates individuals who have an exceptional record of success and have made a significant contribution to the Premier League since its inception in 1992."

Six former Reds have already been awarded this accolade - Peter Schmeichel, Roy Keane, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Eric Cantona and Wayne Rooney.

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