Ferguson, Alex - Alex Ferguson My Autobiography

Racing helped me escape the pressures of management. Fellow owner Ged Mason and I celebrate What A Friend’s big win at Aintree.

Ruby Walsh tells me how he guided What A Friend to victory. I always enjoy the company of jockeys.

Out in front. What A Friend leads them home in The Betfred Bowl Chase.

Vidić and Ferdinand were a rock to build a team on. Nemanja has just scored against Inter Milan in the Champions League and Rio is hitching a ride.

Left-backs are like rare birds. But we had one of the best in Patrice Evra, a born winner.

The greatest goal in my time at United was this bicycle kick by Wayne Rooney against Man City in February 2011.

We prepared meticulously for the 2011 Champions League final against Barcelona at Wembley. Plans don’t always work.

The best team I ever faced. The great Barcelona side of 2011.

What better man could you have beside you than Bobby Charlton? He was a loyal and wise friend to me.

It’s not an old bus stop, it’s The Cliff, our training ground until 1999. Scholes and Giggs travel back in time with me.

Lyn Laffin, my indispensable P.A., helps me with the daily mountain of admin.

Daid Gill was the best chief executive I worked with. Straight-talker; knew the game; always loyal.

Read all about it. Phil Townsend, our communications director, talks me through the day’s papers.

Staff numbers increased enormously in my 26½ years at the club. I valued them all. Here I am with the laundry team.

Albert Morgan, kit man, friend and wisecracker, in the Old Trafford changing room, August 2011.

Edwin van der Sar was one of the great goalkeepers of the last 30 years. I should have signed him earlier.

David de Gea, a magnificently athletic young goalkeeper, who grew in stature after joining us from Spain.

The tunnel of love. Making my way to the pitch, Old Trafford, August 2011.

The one-time King of Old Trafford, Eric Cantona, returns for Paul Scholes’s testimonial in the summer of 2011.

Mick Phelan and René Meulensteen were my trusted assistants at the end. I owe all my coaches a great debt.

The indestructibles: Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville.

My 25th anniversary dinner, in November 2011. Some of our foreign players might have been a bit confused by the kilt.

I felt Roberto Mancini was hassling the fourth official too much in this Manchester derby and told him so. A brief skirmish, soon forgotten.

I respected Mancini’s work at City. I saw a few City managers off in my time.

The Hillsborough commemoration at Anfield in September 2012 was brilliantly handled by both clubs. Sir Bobby Charlton and Ian Rush clasp hands.

The press gave me a cake with a hairdryer on as parting gift. I was fierce in news conferences, but there were laughs too.

My successor, though I didn’t know it then. David Moyes brought Everton to our ground in February 2013.

The final ingredient. Robin van Persie’s hat-trick against Aston Villa secured our 2012–13 title win. A great buy.

I still don’t know how David Gill persuaded Cathy to unveil a statue of me. She refused to bow at its feet.