19
team. And that is correct because it will
keep them in a job. But I always believed
in building a football club, and a
stepping stone for young players to get
into the first team.
If you give young people an
opportunity they don’t want to let you
down, they are often inspired by being
given their opportunity. I showed real
interest, and looked for them to thrive.
As our Founding Donor, you
have supported nearly 300
students through the Sir Alex
Ferguson Scholarship and
Awards Fund. How do you feel
when you hear the impact your
support has had?
The reason I chose Glasgow Caledonian
University was when I came up to
receive an honour, they took me round,
and I saw this primary school in one of
the lecture theatres. So, when Jason and
I decided we wanted to do something,
to give support, it was an obvious
choice, your whole university is about
young people. And that was the right
platform for me – no question about
that.
Every time I go there, and I meet all
the young people, some are buoyant
and some are shy. You see the different
personalities, and characters, but overall
they are all thriving on the opportunity
of being supported.
When I receive the applications, and
I am reading them, sometimes I am
nearly crying at the challenging
situations they have come through. Be it
their mother is ill, or dad unable to work.
It is amazing how society today has
such a large percentage of young people
suffering. And that inspires me to do
what I can for Glasgow Caledonian –
and it is the right place.
What is the best advice you’ve
ever received?
Don’t miss an opportunity. The big
opportunity in my life came when I tried
to call off from a game with St
Johnstone. I had broken my nose,
cheekbone, and my eyebrow in a head
clash in the reserve team, and I was out
for six weeks. That’s when I met my wife
Cathy for the first time. She didn’t know
if I was a gangster or a boxer!
Anyway, when I got the plaster off, I
wasn’t doing well in the team, so I took
out papers to go to Canada as that’s
where my aunt was, my dad’s family
were all over there.
Then the next day I scored a hat-trick
against Rangers. And from that moment
on, I did not miss the opportunity to be
a footballer.
Who inspired you?
Mrs Thompson, she was fantastic. She
came from the other side of the road,
she came from Hillhead. When she
came to Broomloan Road Primary
School it had the highest absenteeism
in Glasgow, and she used to go round
every boy and girls house and speak to
the parents “if your boy or girl is not in
my class tomorrow I will be up to see
you again." She had such determination.
What is next for Sir Alex?
Well, I had a bucket list when I retired,
so I went to the Oscars. It was fantastic!
I went to the Masters, the Kentucky
Derby, and I’m still trying to talk my wife
into letting me go to the Melbourne
Cup, but I am too old she says!
What do you want your legacy
to be?
People look at the successes. But for me
my legacy is that I gave young players a
chance, and that is really, really
important. You gain the loyalty from
them, the trust from them, and even
today many of them keep in touch
with me.
It’s the Ferguson motto; success after
difficulties – you have to keep going and
you get there in the end - never give in!