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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Robbie Copeland

Sir Alex Ferguson revels in epic Aberdeen ovation as Pittodrie icon 'humbled' by statue unveiling

Sir Alex Ferguson has been lapping up the ovation as he returns to Pittodrie for the sold out clash against Dundee United.

Ferguson, Aberdeen 's greatest ever manager, has been honoured with a special homecoming event which started with the unveiling of his statue on Friday night - with the man himself doing the honours.

A humbled Ferguson posed with the statue and soaked up the atmosphere before their game on Saturday - the first time he's attended a Dons game since 2018.

He's received a rapturous ovation from fans having overseen the greatest period in their history in the early 1980s.

Ferguson won two European trophies - including the 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup in which they famously beat Real Madrid - as well as three league titles before he left for Manchester United.

Speaking to Red TV he said he has been "humbled" by the response from the fans.

Sir Alex Ferguson at Pittodrie (SNS Group)

"It's been very humbling to get that kind of reception from the fans. It's fantastic," said a proud Ferguson..

"It also brought back fantastic memories of my time here. That never goes away.

"To receive the reception I got was quite humbling."

Ferguson is recognised as one of the best managers of all time, owing largely to the unprecedented success he achieved at United.

Sir Alex Ferguson and Dave Cormack (SNS Group)

He spent 27 years at Old Trafford and won 13 Premier League titles - a record that will almost certainly never be broken.

But his achievements at Aberdeen are held in just as high regard as far as the Pittodrie faithful are concerned and that's been recognised by the 20,000+ in attendance for Saturday's clash.

In the hours before the game he signed autographs for starstruck fans who came out to see him.

Sir Alex Ferguson signs autographs (SNS Group)

A host of Dons legends have also paid tribute with Cup Winners' Cup winning captain Willie Miller hailing his "fearless" ambition.

He said: "He had a fearless determination to be successful.

"You've got to remember, what he achieved at Manchester United was phenomenal, but what he achieved here was sensational.

"You've got to be special to be able to do that. You've got to have the drive, the determination, the courage... then you've got to put all that together.

Willie Miller shakes hands with Sir Alex Ferguson (SNS Group)

"At the end of the day you knew what the goal was and you believed in it. The goal was to be better than Rangers and Celtic, that was the first goal.

"Then it was be better than Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, and Hamburg as well - they were the European champions and we managed to beat them.

"It started from fractious beginnings until he got the team in place that he wanted, everybody in the same mindset. Then we took on the Old Firm domestically and took that into Europe.

"That's what I remember of him and what he brought to the club, and how the club was at the time. A sensational time in the history of Aberdeen FC and it was a pleasure to be a part of it."

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