Sir Alex Ferguson Recalls Fear After 2018 Brain Haemorrhage

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken about the fear and uncertainty that followed emergency surgery for a brain haemorrhage in 2018.

Ferguson, who is approaching his 85th birthday, recounted the experience in reflections reported by BBC Sport on Friday.

The former United boss suffered the haemorrhage in May 2018. He was 76 at the time and had retired from management five years earlier.

Four months after the surgery, he returned to Old Trafford to watch Manchester United face Wolves in the Premier League.

Despite spending 26 years in charge of the club and becoming one of football's most successful managers, he admitted he felt uneasy about the return.

"I wish I could say I was comfortable. I wasn't," Ferguson said.

Sir Alex Ferguson on Old Trafford return

Ferguson was accompanied by his wife, Cathy, when he returned to the stadium. The pair received a standing ovation from supporters as they took their seats in the directors' box.

"My wife was with me, and she was nearly crying. When we sat down, she said 'that's fantastic'," he recalled.

The early stages of recovery were particularly difficult. Ferguson said he lost his voice after the haemorrhage.

"I had lost my voice; I couldn't speak," he said. "That was a frightening moment."

He recalled that his grandsons visited him during that period and saw him struggling to speak.

"I remember my grandsons coming to see me and I had lost my voice," Ferguson said.

A therapist later helped him to begin regaining his speech through a series of exercises.

"Then they brought in a therapist and she started doing things like asking me to write down the names of birds, names of animals, names of rivers," he said. "That way my voice came back."

Reflections in new book

Ferguson said he is now feeling well, despite dealing with some minor injuries.

The Scot has reflected on his career in his new book, Games of My Life, which recounts 21 defining matches from his playing and managerial career.

Ferguson managed Manchester United for 26 years, winning 38 trophies and establishing himself as one of the most decorated managers in football history.

His account offers a personal insight into that career and the health challenge that followed.