Sir Alex Ferguson returns with tribute to Willie Cunningham

"He was never the type to gloat or blow his reputation up, his record was quite substantial having played for St Mirren, Leicester and Dunfermline.

Manchester United Manager, Sir Alex Ferguson was back in Dunfermline on Friday 7th September to attend the funeral of Willie Cunningham.  He sat alongside many of his and Willie's former  team-mates - Alec Totten, George Miller, Ron Mailer, Dan McLindon, Alex Smith, Alex Edwards, Pat Wilson, Jim Thomson, Charlie Dickson, Harry Melrose and Billy Malone.  Speaking exclusively to the official website Fergie revealed just what a huge part this quiet Irishman had played in shaping his own destiny:

"First of all he was instrumental in bringing me to Dunfermline, I was having a bad time in Perth at St Johnstone. I had been part time and there was no way I was going to go full time, but this was a Club I really believed in.At that time Dunfermline were rising fairly strongly through Jock and then Willie.

"I went there full time, he gave me my first opportunity as a full time footballer. Then of course he left and I went to Rangers that summer after he resigned because I really wanted to leave then.

"He then gave me a really good break when he brought me back from Rangers at a time when I was really down. I was out the Rangers team, I was training on my own and he took me to Falkirk. What he showed then was that he believed in me, he really did believe in me.

"At times, with the type of temperament I had - always ambitious to do well, it was always a combustible relationship at times, but he never held a grudge and I never held a grudge so we always got on.

"He then made me Player Coach at Falkirk and then later on when he left Falkirk I said 'what am I going to do now'?  He said 'apply for the job, you should get the job'. I was only 31 and they gave the job to John Prentice. I left and went to Ayr United for a year and then became the Manager of East Stirling.

"I was there for three months when Willie phoned me one Sunday night to say he had had enough and asked me if I would like the St Mirren job. At that time he was still in the St Mirren job but I thought I couldn't really do it. He said 'this is a really big Club Alex, I've had enough and I really think you can take it on'. He recommended me to St Mirren and they approached me.

"I took the job and so there are three periods in my life where he intervened and shaped my future. So I have always had a very high regard for him.I didn't always phone him every week, but I always sent him a card and he came down to one of my games with his grandson and son to Old Trafford. It was great to see them.

"I phoned him once before I concluded my autobiography to see if he was happy with what was included in it. He was perfectly happy with it so those were the kind of moments we kept in touch with one another."

Fergie's autobiography "Managing My Life" describes his emotions on discovering fifty minutes before kick off  that Willie Cunningham had decided that his top goalscorer would not play for Dunfermline Athletic in the 1965 Scottish Cup Final against Celtic.  There was an outburst but Alex reflected this afternoon that his boss had been quite correct:-

"You have to get on with things, I never hold grudges long. I have a terrible temper at times but it usually blows over after a couple of hours. It doesn't last for long and I don't hold grudges against anyone, especially people I respect.I respected Willie, he had a difficult job that day. I missed a sitter the week before when we could have won the League against St Johnstone.

"It was a sitter, so I can understand the Manager going into the Final that day with a player who has maybe cost the League the week before - do you trust him in that particular game? The experienced players were coming back; Harry Melrose had been out, John McLaughlin had been out and came back. It is unfortunate because I played in all the rounds and missed the final.

"I gave him and the Chairman a blast at the time in the dressing room in front of all the players because the anger was there. I think he would have preferred that rather than someone saying 'Oh thanks boss I didn't really want to play today'."

Sir Alex concluded with a very accurate and recognisible summary:-

"Willie Cunningham was not a trumpeter of his life, he wasn't dour but was very reserved.  He was never the type to gloat or blow his reputation up, his record was quite substantial having played for St Mirren, Leicester and Dunfermline and with his success at Dunfermline.  He was a good manager, a decent man and you can always measure someone like Willie Cunningham when you see his family.  You can see he has worked hard at his family with his wife Maureen.  It is a very respectable and lovely family he has got and it is good to see that.It is a sad day, but I owed him a lot."

1965: Willie Cunningham - middle row, extreme right, Alex Ferguson just beside the Manager separated only by Tommy Callaghan