The above statement is true to a lot of Manchester United fans. I was just 12 months old when Sir Alex took over the reins at Old Trafford from Ron Atkinson. One of my first ever games was the title winning fixture against Blackburn in 1993. Success has been, I hate to say it, a given.
Manchester United is an absolute commercial powerhouse. They seem to add sponsor-after-sponsor every week. Key to that commercial value has been Sir Alex Ferguson. He has created something that brands have latched onto – the way that the club has acted since announcing his retirement has been, and I may sound bias, different class and a sponsors dream.
The question now is – will the club retain that commercial stronghold without him? It’s hard to say – it’s very much a case of the unknown when David Moyes takes over on July 1st. However, the club couldn’t be in a stronger position with more sponsors than ever, long-contractual deals with the likes of Chevrolet and Aon and now, more importantly than ever, a Premier League trophy in the bag.
Having worked with the club, it’s difficult to see how the club will operate without Sir Alex. His level of control and detail was staggering in comparison to other clubs. Impressive, nonetheless. However, I’m sure plans have been put in place to ensure a smooth handover and the club will want that to continue with the new manager, I’m sure.
The next 12 months are going to be an interesting watch, both on and off the pitch. Will the red flag by kept flying high? I have no idea…
