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In Pictures: The Alex Ferguson Years

With Alex Ferguson due to retire at end of season, Al Jazeera English looks at players, teams and titles that mattered.

Alex Ferguson
Appointed as Manchester United manager in 1986, Alex Ferguson did not claim his first top flight title until 1993. It ended the club(***)s 26-year wait and ensured United were the first team to win the Premier League - which had just begun [GALLO/GETTY] 
Published On 8 May 2013
Alex Ferguson
But there was another star behind United(***)s 1993 success. Arguably the best signing of Fergie(***)s career was Eric Cantona. The Frenchman(***)s arrival from archrivals Leeds United brought new success for Fergie(***)s team. Fittingly, United was the last team he would play for [GALLO/GETTY]
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Alex Ferguson
Youth was not something old Fergie shied away from. He carefully developed the talents of Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes - who would form the backbone of his side for years to come. With Ryan Giggs even outlasting the great manager himself [GALLO/GETTY] 
Alex Ferguson
A Manchester United fan will never forget 1999. Ferguson led his team to the treble, with victory in the Premier League, the FA Cup and The Champions League. But it was the manner of the European victory that remains unforgettable. (***)Fergie time(***) saw his players pull back two goals in injury time against Bayern Munich [GALLO/GETTY]
Alex Ferguson david beckham
Things didn(***)t always run smoothly with players. There was one player in particular who often overshadowed Fergie and his team. After six league titles together and an infamous (***)boot kicking(***) incident - David Beckham and Alex Ferguson parted ways. With Fergie the team was paramount [GALLO/GETTY]
Alex Ferguson
Out with Beckham, in with Ronaldo. When it comes to nurturing talent Alex Ferguson is a pro. And what a talent he had to nurture when this kid turned up. Ronaldo won three Premier League titles with United before Real Madrid bought him for $124 million. And we all know what(***)s happened since then [GALLO/GETTY]
Alex Ferguson
An all-English Champions League final in 2008 saw Fergie(***)s men victorious once more, this time against Chelsea. The team had evolved considerably since the 1999 win, proving that Fergie knew how to keep quality in his sides [GALLO/GETTY]
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Alex Ferguson
Ferguson famously once said he would knock Liverpool off their perch. And in 2011, he finally did by winning Man United(***)s 19th top tier title - and surpassing the record set by their bitter rivals [GALLO/GETTY] 
Alex Ferguson
Many have come and many have gone. But one man Fergie has always had by his side is former United player and current director Bobby Charlton. Charlton was on the board that selected Ferguson as their next manager - and what a decision it turned out to be [GALLO/GETTY]