Sir Alex Ferguson fined Man Utd staff week’s wages – because he missed a train
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Sir Alex Ferguson missed his train because he was watching horseracing on his phone – and was so furious he fined his staff a week’s wages.
His former right-hand man at Manchester United, Rene Meulensteen, said Fergie didn’t see the funny side when the rest of backroom team burst out laughing over his gaffe. The Dutchman said: “When we were travelling for away games in the Premier League, we would always set off the day before in the afternoon, having trained in the morning.
“We would normally jump on the train in Wilmslow where we had two first-class carriages to ourselves. I would always share a table with the boss, who sat opposite me, and Simon Wells, who sat next to me.
“However on this day, we were to depart from Macclesfield station. Normally the boss and I would share a ride, but not this time. Whilst waiting at the station I didn’t see him anywhere, so I thought he must have jumped on somewhere else. When I got on the train, only Simon was in his seat. ‘Where is the boss?’ I asked. ‘No idea.’
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“We asked Kevin, the conductor, if he had seen him. ‘No, not seen him.’ I stood up and walked to the next carriage to see if Mick [Phelan] or anyone else had seen him. They also said no.”
In his new book, 'Sir Alex, and Me', Rene, 59, said the mystery was solved when Fergie, 81, got on the blower to deliver one of his famous ‘hairdryer’ rants.
What's your favourite memory from Sir Alex Ferguson's stay as Man United boss? Let us know in the comments section below.
He said: “Then Albert the kit man’s phone rang. It was the boss! ‘Albert, where the hell are you?!’ he fumed through the phone. ‘We are on our way to London, boss, where are you?’
“’In the car park at Macclesfield station, I missed the bloody train!'
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“‘I was watching the horseracing on my phone and forgot what time it was!’ We all cracked up, but the boss was less amused as we found out later at dinner. ‘You’re all fined a week’s wages.’ So we all assumed the horse hadn’t won either. We all did have a good laugh about it though.”
Ferguson cultivated a certain reputation for driving high standards across his 27-year stay at Old Trafford, but even the legendary manager had his lapses
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