Glory, Glory Man Utd. Harry Harris
when he was awarded a guard of honour by his own players prior to the post – match lap of appreciation. Moyes would have sympathised if some supporters, who sang his name throughout, were not happy with his departure. He commented, “I am a football supporter and if I had been on the terraces today I would have clapped the manager – I might not have liked what he was doing but I would have certainly applauded. I think just by the reaction from most people in the last few days I thought it would be okay but if you are a football supporter you are entitled to support your team and if someone is not on your team you donʼt know what will be the reaction.
“It was really emotional from the moment I came in: all the stewards were standing clapping me and I didnʼt know what to do. I came here 11 years ago and it was really emotional walking out on to the pitch, a lot of people didnʼt know who I was I donʼt think. I got off to a great start (winning 2 – 1 over Fulham) so I am really fortunate I had a reception like I did today. I am gobsmacked, very thankful and humble for what the people of Everton have shown today. What I will miss is what you saw in the middle of the second half – the supporters were not cheering David Moyes, they were cheering their football club and standing up for it. I thought that was the toughest part for me today – it was a difficult time – because the crowd showed how big Everton are and what it means to them. More important for me was how well Everton played today. I thought they played like a top team today – I donʼt mean a team in fifth or sixth, I mean a top team. I think we would have been a match for any side: the players were terrific in showing a level of professionalism just to make sure they couldnʼt get caught up in anything.” David Moyes was applauded out of his final press conference at by the media.
After a quarter of a century of unbridled success, a big down turn was predicted with bookmakers lengthening their odds of Manchester United retaining their Premier League title, with City installed as firm favourites, although that was prior to their shock FA Cup Final defeat by Wigan! One bookie commented, “No one knows how to build a title winning side like Sir Alex and for that reason we have had no option but to ease the price of the Reds winning the League next season.”
However, after the emotionally charged long farewell at Old Trafford there was a deep feeling that this was not just the end of an Old Trafford era, the end of a United dynasty, but the possibility of one of British sports greatest institutions hitting a dramatic downward turn, very much the way Liverpool dominated English and European football when no one could see that ever ending. Has Unitedʼs time come to an end? As Micheal Laudrup pointed out in the BBC studios as a first-time guest on Match of the Day, Sir Alexʼs boots are pretty big and will take some filling. One of world footballʼs biggest legends as well as now a success with Swansea, Laudrup stressed that this was now the biggest job to fill in world football simply by the extraordinary duration Sir Alex had held office at Old trafford and with such unparalleled success. Little wonder Sir Alex wanted his fans and Board to back the new manager.
The Victory Parade
Sitting in the Sky studios commenting on Manchester Unitedʼs victory parade and the second Fergie Farewell, it struck me that, just like his favourite crooner Frank Sinatra, would we ever see a Sir Alex comeback? My view to the manager that enjoyed a melody of songs including ʼMy Wayʼ at his final game at Old Trafford is that he wonʼt be able to sit in the stands for too long watching before he gets itchy feet.
As he prepared for his third farewell with the final game of his managerial tenure at West Bromwich Albion, there was a suspicion that Sir Alex wonʼt be able to keep his hands out of the fun and excitement of recruiting players as he, for so long, manipulated the transfer market to such devastating effect with his contacts, knowledge and personal charisma which was a lure for many players to join United.
Sir Alex had seen plenty of victory parades in his time, but never one like this. When handed the microphone on the open top bus before it departed Old Trafford, the emotion of the day before came flooding back.
I felt it was indicative of his inner self that he wore that emblem of a football manager, a thick padded puffer jacket emblazoned with the United crest and his initials. My point is that he has yet to get the ʼcoachʼ mode from his psyche, perhaps understandable as he will be in the dugout for one final time.
As one might have anticipated, the United bus was decked out as a Thank You to Sir Alex, but shortly after the joyful victory parade with around 150,000 in the streets of Manchester, the taxi arrived for Roberto Mancini. It was a vastly different goodbye for Sir Alex to the one afforded the City manager, who lost the Premiership crown to United.
United supporters in party mood gathered at Old Trafford as the open – top bus tour got under way, and the parade travelled towards the city centre and arrived at Albert Square, where the bus was greeted by more fans. Many who had turned up early to secure a good vantage point suffered a down pour and thunder and lightning, but as current and former players arrived for the parade, sunshine broke through. With 20,000 fans packed into Sir Matt Busby Way, roads were closed prior to departure.
Speaking from the bus, Sir Alex thanked fans for their support over the years, telling them that his farewell match at Old Trafford the day before had been “a day I will never forget – it was wonderful”. He added, “It was something all my family enjoyed and the grandkids will never forget it.”
Talking of the phenomenal turnout for his retirement party, the manager added, “I thought that ʼ99 could not be beaten but youʼve beaten it today. Thank you for the fantastic support. I hope weʼre here to win this many times again. You always think about it [whether you are doing the right thing]. But I think it is the right time. I really do. We have a young squad, with a lot of good young players, who are going to get better. The big test is to win it three times in a row. I hope the boys can do it.” As I pointed out on Sky...”no pressure then”, on successor David Moyes.
The bus left the stadium via Sir Matt Busby Way, with fans lining every part of the route from the stadium through the suburbs to Deansgate and finally Albert Square. Vantage points as precarious as scaffolding and one storey shop fronts were taken over and police refused entry to any more fans after the streets near Manchester imposing town hall filled to capacity. Some supporters let off red flares, several climbed lamp posts for a better view of the bus, others leaned from windows and stood on rooftops. Health and Safety officers must have been having kittens.
Once they got on stage the players were in a typically celebratory mood. Ashley Young ditched the crutches he was using to nurse an ankle injury that ended his season and Paul Scholes was coerced onto centre stage for a rare interview. The ginger haired midfielder, hailed as the best English footballer of his generation by opponents and colleagues alike, said “It [winning the league] means everything. We set out each year to try and win the league and most of the years we do it. It is great to see this turnout and Iʼm so proud to play for this club.” Jonny Evans was asked by MUTV interviewer Helen McConnell, who also happens to be his fiancee, whether he was going to have a good summer. “Yes,” Evans replied. “I am getting married, to you Helen.”
For many of the United stars it was business as usual being involved with celebration parades. But this was a first for Robin van Persie. He was clearly enjoying his first piece of silverware as he said, “Itʼs incredible. It is even nicer than I expected – there are so many people. It [his winners medal] didnʼt leave my neck since yesterday. It is a heavy trophy but it is great to win it. This is for the players, fans, staff, every single one here. It has made so many people happy and Iʼm very pleased to see that.”
Michael Carrick added, “Iʼve been getting a bit carried away. Iʼve nearly fallen off three times. This turnout is just amazing, the whole week has been special. Celebrating winning the league but with Scholesy and the manager retiring it is a fitting send off. I never thought we would get anything like this. I have been singing quite a bit lately – you can probably tell by my voice.”
So was Wayne Rooney still going? As I suggested on Sky, he had few options anyway. Chelsea? No, as United were unlikely to sell to a Premier League rival, after all they saw what happened to Arsenal after they sold Robin van Persie to them! Paris St. Germain? Can you really see Rooney abroad? I donʼt think so. Not for long, anyway. But anything