Sir Alex Ferguson's career in pictures

Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson has announced he is stepping down as manager of Manchester United. It comes only two weeks after he celebrated winning his 13th league title for the Red Devils following a 3-0 victory against Aston Villa at Old Trafford

Born in Govan on 31 December 1941, Alex Ferguson enjoyed a 17-year playing career as a striker - turning out for Queen's Park, St Johnstone, Dunfermline Athletic, Rangers, Falkirk and Ayr United

Ferguson managed both East Stirling and St Mirren, but it was at Aberdeen when he emerged as one of the leading coaches in Europe. He broke Rangers and Celtic's dominance in Scottish football. Between 1978 and 1986, he led the Pittodrie club to three league titles, four Scottish FA Cup victories, one Scottish League Cup win and lifted the European Cup Winners' Cup and European Super Cup in 1983

Following the sudden death of Jock Stein (right) in 1985, and while still Aberdeen boss, Ferguson was appointed Scotland's caretaker manager and led the national team at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. He rejected the chance to take the job permanently

Alex Ferguson replaced Ron Atkinson as Manchester United manager in November 1986, with the club second from bottom in the Division One table, and led them to 11th by the end of the season

Ferguson struggled in his early years at Old Trafford and, after his first two full seasons had ended without any trophies, pressure was beginning to mount. After an eight-game spell in the league without a win, reports suggested that if United lost to Nottingham Forest in their FA Cup third-round tie on 7 January 1990, Ferguson would be dismissed; Mark Robins scored the winner that went down as the "goal that saved Fergie"

After overcoming that difficult start to his career at Old Trafford, Ferguson won his first trophy at the club in 1990 when he led them to an FA Cup final replay victory over Crystal Palace at Wembley - Lee Martin scoring the only goal after the first match had ended 3-3

Mark Hughes celebrates winning the European Cup Winners' Cup, having scored United's two goals in the 2-1 victory over Barcelona. It was the second time Ferguson had won the trophy, having led Aberdeen to the same title in 1983, but this was the Scot's first European silverware as United's manager

Ferguson considers the £1.2m signing of Eric Cantona midway through the 1992-93 campaign as the catalyst for success at Old Trafford. United signed the Frenchman when Bill Fotherby, the Leeds managing director, rang Martin Edwards to inquire about Denis Irwin. Ferguson refused but told his chairman to ask about Cantona, who had led Leeds to the title the previous season, and the rest is history

Steve Bruce scores a stoppage-time winner as Manchester United come from behind against Sheffield Wednesday on 10 April to earn a vital three points in the race for the 1992-93 title. As United trailed 1-0 worries spread around Old Trafford that they may miss out in their quest for their first championship since 1967, but Bruce scored twice and Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd celebrated on the pitch. United were crowned champions when Aston Villa lost 1-0 to Oldham on 2 May

Sir Alex Ferguson was famously told by a stranger that United had ended their 26-year wait for an English league title while he was out playing golf, having opted against watching title rivals Aston Villa lose to Oldham

In total, Ferguson has won the FA Cup five times - including against arch-rivals Liverpool in 1996 when Eric Cantona (centre) scored the winner in the 85th minute to complete a league and cup double

Despite dominating in England during the '90s, Ferguson always spoke of his desire to win the Champions League. His moment came in 1999 and in true United fashion under Ferguson, it was a stoppage-time winner from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that secured his first European Cup in 1999. Fellow substitute Teddy Sheringham had equalised a couple of minutes earlier

Ferguson admitted he thought the game was beyond United heading into stoppage time but by beating Bayern Munich in the final in Barcelona, they completed a historic treble which also included the Premier League and FA Cup. No English team has ever completed the same feat

To complete a remarkable year for Ferguson, he was awarded a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours in June 1999, picking up the honour alongside his wife Cathy

Ferguson gave David Beckham his Manchester United debut and was instrumental in the midfielder's growth into one of the world's top players. Beckham won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League under Ferguson. The United manager famously kicked a boot at Beckham in 2003 following an FA Cup defeat to Arsenal that cut him above the eye. The midfielder left in the summer for Real Madrid

Sir Alex's famous time-keeping led to the phrase 'Fergie-time' being coined - a term to describe the amount of time added on at the end of a match. A study in 2012 showed that United played longer than any other team when losing

Edwin van der Sar saved the penalty that secured Ferguson's second European Cup in 2008 with a shootout win over Chelsea. Ferguson had struggled to find a replacement for Peter Schmeichel, who left the club after their 1999 European success, until he signed Van der Sar in 2005 from Fulham

After winning the Champions League once, it became an obsession of Ferguson to win the trophy again - and he achieved it on a rain-soaked night in Moscow to complete a double as United had already secured their 17th Premier League title

Another of Ferguson's big signings was Cristiano Ronaldo. The United boss signed the Portuguese star in 2003 for £12.24m following recommendations from his players, who had faced Ronaldo in a friendly against Sporting Lisbon. Ronaldo won three league titles, a European Cup, an FA Cup and two League Cups before leaving for Real Madrid in the summer of 2009 in a record £80m deal

United's title success of 2011 was particularly poignant for United, because it eclipsed arch-rivals Liverpool's record of 18 English league victories

Following that historic 19th title, United named a stand at Old Trafford after Sir Alex Ferguson - their most successful ever manager

Neighbours Manchester City, under new rich owners, pipped United to the league title in 2011-12 but Ferguson soon restored United's superiority and they wrapped up a 20th championship in 2012-13 by beating Aston Villa to win the league with four games to spare. Robin van Persie, signed by Ferguson in the summer of 2012 to deliver the title, duly delivered with a hat-trick in the game

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