Former Manchester United captain Ashley Young has revealed the reaction of the Old Trafford dressing room after Sir Alex Ferguson announced his plans to retire.
Sir Alex Ferguson, who is considered one of the best managers of all time, walked away from football management in 2013 after a legendary career in the sport.
The 82-year-old Manchester United legend achieved incredible success at Old Trafford, including capturing an iconic continental treble in 1999.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s trophy haul at the Red Devils included 13 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues, five FA Cups and four League Cups.
Ashley Young had started his United career under legendary former manager Ferguson after he was signed from Aston Villa in 2011.
The 38-year-old former United star, who currently plays for Everton, was part of the last Red Devils squad to lift a Premier League title in the 2012-13 season.
Young on Man Utd meeting and Ferguson
Ashley Young continued his career at Manchester United long after Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, with the Everton player later becoming club captain.
The former Aston Villa and Watford star played under four United managers in the post-Ferguson era before his departure from Old Trafford in 2020.
Young appeared in the Sky Sports studio and was on punditry duties for United’s 4-0 Premier League drubbing at the hands of Crystal Palace on Monday.
Speaking on Sky Sports, the ex-England international revealed that the United players felt ‘something was not right’ when Ferguson called for a meeting in 2013.
“We obviously knew his wife’s sister wasn’t well,” he said, as per The Daily Mail.
“I can think back to the day he came in the dressing room and the boss never really had a meeting with us in our dressing room and he called a meeting and everyone was like, ‘Something’s not right here.’
“We were driving in and people were talking to each other and we were saying things seem a bit odd. We heard things on the radio when we were driving in.”
Young reveals Ferguson apologised
Young lifted a Premier League title, a Europa League, an FA Cup and a League Cup before he left United and signed for Serie A side Inter Milan.
The former United skipper briefly played in Italy and lifted a Serie A title before he returned to England for a second spell with Aston Villa in 2021.
Young’s second run with Villa came to an end last summer after his contract expired and the former Three Lions international signed for Everton on a free transfer.
Speaking on Ferguson’s retirement, the former Inter and United player revealed that the iconic Scot “apologised to a couple of [the] players” that he had signed.
“When he came in and he explained his reason, of course, everyone understood it fully and you knew why he was having to step aside,” Young said.
“How everyone’s got that respect for him, there were tears in the dressing room because of him leaving and players had been with him for so long.
“Even players that had just come in, he apologised to a couple of players that had just been signed.
“It was tough to take, it was tough to handle but everyone knew the decision why he took it.”
