Back to the Manchester United Newsfeed

PICTURE SPECIAL - Fergie through the years: Sportsmail looks back through the archives to see how a Glasgow boy went from baby-faced assassin to Manchester United and football's biggest personality

He's arguably the greatest manager of all-time and definitely the most successful in terms of trophy wins - Sir Alex Ferguson is celebrating his 80th birthday this New Year's Eve after an incredible life in football.

The Glasgow-born young striker emerged into one of football's biggest personalities, becoming a cult hero at Aberdeen before his incredible 26-year career at Manchester United.

From his infamous 'hairdryer treatment' to the tactical genius that made him the only manager in English football to win the Treble, Ferguson dominated both the front and the back pages of Britain's broadsheets as he forged a career that has yet to be matched.