Six Years Of Ed - Part 1

Replacing Alex Ferguson after his retirement in 2013 has to be one of the most daunting tasks ever faced by a professional football club. How do you replace the greatest manager in football? Who do you bring in? How do you make the transition from one dynasty to the next?

Undoubtedly, these were questions going through Ed Woodward's mind once Fergie had officially announced his retirement. This was the first major hurdle a post-Fergie United was going to have to clear - appointing someone who could maintain the culture and success of a club who had won it all and were used to it being that way.

Under usual circumstances, this would fall to the chairman of the club. However, the chairman of United at this time was Malcolm Glazer, a man unique within the infrastructure of the club as being the only person on United’s board who knew less about football than Ed. So that ruled him out. Buck passed onto Ed.

But whilst Ed may have years of business experience to draw upon were we discussing a chairman or director of United stepping down, or the facilitating of another takeover - under such circumstances he would likely prove himself highly competent - this wasn't just another case of replacing Martin Edwards post-toilet antics, or buttering up some dubious Arab royalty; this was finding a replacement for Alex Ferguson.

It was unsurprising, then, that Fergie's last act in charge was to name his own successor. It certainly seemed to be a better solution than allowing a man with no professional football experience to make the call (rumour has it that Ed's strategy was to go to his local newsagents and buy all the Match Attax cards they had, opening each packet until he came across someone he'd heard of).

The plan was simple - keep the ship on its current course. We had the champions of England. We had a backroom staff with years of experience. We had a youth setup that had proved its worth time and time again. We had a winning culture throughout the club. All we needed was someone to maintain the status quo.

David Moyes is appointed manager.

The reason given is that he is “cut from the same cloth” as Ferguson, although you have to wonder if Fergie - upon his appointment as manager of Manchester United in 1986 – had the blood “drain from his face”, and if, good a judge of character as he is, he didn’t immediately begin to question his decision upon hearing Moyes recall the moment he was anointed in such terms.

But that was that – Fergie had spoken, and Moyes was given the key to the kingdom.