Sir Alex Ferguson opens up on 'worry' as he talks about 'leader of the band' wife's passing
Former Aberdeen manager Sir Alex Ferguson has opened up on the loss of his wife Cathy in a candid interview along with his fears about his health after seeing close friends battle dementia.
Ferguson, who previously managed Manchester United for 26 years, had been married for nearly 60 years to Cathy - who he previously described as his "bedrock"
She passed away in October last year at the age of 84, and speaking on the loss of Cathy in the rare interview, the 82-year-old told the BBC: "Well, 58 years is a long long time, she was a great great wife, a fantastic mother and a great grandmother. She was the leader of the band, no doubt about that."
The couple met in 1964, when Ferguson was 23 and playing for Dunfermline Athletic, and married in 1966, shortly before his move to Rangers.
She was at his side throughout his managerial career, as he moved from East Stirlingshire to St Mirren, before Aberdeen and Manchester United, and also taking the reigns of Scotland, writes the Daily Record.
They had three sons, Mark, Darren, and Jason, and earlier this year it emerged she left him more than £3million in her will, as she had built up a £3,299,823 estate by the time of her death.
Ferguson, who retired 11 years ago and suffered a brain haemorrhage in 2018, also told of his fears of losing his memory after seeing his old Man Utd pals such as Bobby Charlton and Denis Law struck down by dementia - to highlight the issue amid increasing evidence of a link between the condition and football.
Aberdonian Law, also 84, said previously the condition had caused him frustration, distress, anger and confusion.
Charlton bravely battled the neurological condition - which can see suffers experience problems with problem-solving, language and memory - but passed away last October, just a week after celebrating his 86th birthday.
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Sir Alex said: "I'm 82, obviously I worry about it. Genuinely, my memory is quite good, praise the lord, touch wood. I don't know if it will stay that way.
"But I worry about it, 100%. I would be lying if I felt I was anywhere different. I read a lot, I do quizzes a lot and I think that helps. You have those YouTube quizzes, 100 questions. I think to myself if I don't get to 70% I'm struggling."
Speaking about the struggles of his fellow United legends, including Nobby Stiles, Ferguson said: "I think the main bearing on that is their family.
"We are outside the door of it all. I was a great friend of Bobby, a great friend of Denis Law, Nobby worked for me. It takes its toll."
Asked if football is doing enough on the condition, Ferguson said: "I don't know where we [football] are at the moment.
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"I know there is an interest, and a care about it, because we don't want to see it. Bobby was very close to me and a wonderful man, an absolutely superb human."
The Glaswegian won a host of honours with Aberdeen, including the 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup and European Super Cup, before leading Manchester United to four Champions League finals.
And he told how his life has changed since he stepped back from the game. He said: "I retired 11 years ago now so you find a way of adjusting, keeping yourself out of trouble.
"I miss it sometimes, my first year after retiring we [Man Utd] were in a European final and I said to Cathy [his wife], this is what I miss. The big games, the European games.
"I go to most of the European finals because it is something I can relate to. It is what I would like to have done every day. These are the things that a club like United should always be involved in."
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In Managing My Life, his first official autobiography, Sir Alex hailed Cathy as critical to his success. He said: "It is she who has carried the main burden of bringing up our three sons.
"This is more than I could have asked for and they have turned out to be fantastic sons and fantastic people. We have all got to thank her for being such a great wife and mother. It has always been Cathy's way to stay in the background.
"But now it is time for her to accept some limelight. I gratefully acknowledge her role in any success I have had. Without her down-to-earth attitude to life and her unstinting support none of it would have been possible."