Ex-Manchester United star reveals disdain for Sir Alex Ferguson, admits to garden vandalism

Former Manchester United star Alan Brazil has opened up about his past animosity towards Sir Alex Ferguson, confessing to sabotaging Ferguson’s garden during his youth, Soccernet.football reports.

Ferguson, who went on to become one of the most iconic managers in the sport’s history, found himself in the bad books of Brazil due to their footballing rivalry, with Ferguson representing Rangers during Brazil’s formative years in Glasgow.

Growing up as a Celtic enthusiast just a stone’s throw away from Ferguson’s residence, Brazil harboured no neighbourly affection for his Rangers counterpart. Instead, he vented his disdain by targeting Ferguson’s garden whenever passing by.

Brazil has recounted his mischievous antics, recalling how he and his peers would pluck flowers from Ferguson’s garden as a provocative gesture towards the Rangers No.9.

“A little story about Fergie,” the former Scotland international said on the Formula For Success podcast. “I was born in the same hospital as Fergie, over in Govan, near what I call Castle Greyskulls.

“And then we moved to a little place called Simshill, and Fergie was very close to me! And he was the Rangers centre forward at the time, and I’m ashamed to say we’d go down to a place called Linn Park [in Glasgow] and play football down there.

“And on the way back, we’d always pass Fergie’s house – and I would pick his flowers, because he was the Rangers No.9. And that’s shocking, that is. Those were bad days.”

Despite his allegiance to Celtic, Brazil’s professional career led him to England, where he enjoyed stints at Ipswich Town, Tottenham Hotspur, and eventually Manchester United. Ironically, he narrowly missed crossing paths with Ferguson at Old Trafford, having been sold to Coventry City just before Ferguson’s arrival.