I think he's making the wrong move, I think he will regret it.
This prediction from an Aberdeen supporter captured the immediate shock following Alex Ferguson’s decision to leave the Scottish club for Manchester United on 6 November 1986.
The departure of the manager, who had led the Dons to three league titles, four Scottish Cups, the UEFA Super Cup, and the European Cup Winners’ Cup, ended an eight-year era of success at Pittodrie. While the news dominated sporting bulletins, it arrived on a day when national news was primarily focused on the Chinook helicopter disaster in Shetland, which claimed 43 lives.
Roddy Forsyth breaks the news at an Aberdeen hotel
The story of Ferguson’s move to the English First Division was uncovered by BBC Scotland football broadcaster Roddy Forsyth. Tasked by his editor to investigate rumours that the Aberdeen boss was in talks with Manchester United, Forsyth travelled from Glasgow on a flight largely composed of journalists heading north to cover the Shetland tragedy.
After arriving in Aberdeen, Forsyth tracked Ferguson and Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards to an airport hotel. He had contacted the hotel by chance to speak to a Mr Edwards from Manchester
, and a receptionist directed him to the restaurant area.
I heard some voices and made my way to them,
Forsyth said. There was Martin Edwards and Alex Ferguson, and I said ‘are you the new manager of Manchester United?’ and he said ‘yes’.
Forsyth noted that the pair were drinking champagne, and Ferguson poured him a glass to toast the new appointment.
Reactions from the club and supporters
The revelation was described by Aberdeen vice-chairman Ian Donald as a shattering blow
that occurred virtually overnight
. He noted that the club was losing what he considered to be the best management team in Britain.
Supporter reactions at the Pittodrie Bar, broadcast on BBC Reporting Scotland, ranged from disappointment to accusations of hypocrisy. One fan argued that Ferguson had been preaching about having loyal players
only to walk out on the club himself. Another expressed a certainty that the move would backfire, stating: It is a sad case for Aberdeen, and I think he is making a wrong move. I think he will regret it in years.
Ferguson’s tenure at Old Trafford
At his first press conference as the new Manchester United manager, Ferguson addressed the decision to leave his highly secure position at Aberdeen. He stated that he had left what he described as the most secure job in British football with a life contract
because Manchester United was the only club that could tempt him away.
History eventually moved past the initial backlash. Ferguson was granted the freedom of Aberdeen in 1999. During a 26-year tenure at Old Trafford, he won 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League victories, five FA Cups, and four League Cups.