Ferguson has flirted with retirement in the past, announcing that he would be stepping down at the end of the 2002 campaign.

Despite nearing pensionable age, he has an indefatigable footballing spirit and captain Gary Neville says: "It wouldn't surprise me if he carried on for another 10 years."

As for Ferguson, he says: "It is scandalous that people are saying it is time for me to retire because it is none of their bloody business!

"If you don't win then you're not going to be here 20 years, that's for sure. It's been an incredible spell and the way we have done it has been good. It has been the right way - the United way."