Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that his decision to retire as Manchester United manager in 2013 was motivated by a desire to support his wife Cathy, who was struggling to cope with the loss of her sister.
Ferguson, 82, had spent 27 years at the helm of the Red Devils, leading the team to numerous successes, including 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League victories.
Although it was widely assumed that Ferguson's retirement was due to his age, 71 at the time, he recently shared with Rangers and Scotland legend Ally McCoist on his podcast, Ally's Social Club, that there was another factor at play.
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Ferguson recalled: "Cathy's sister had died in the previous October, and she was lost. She was definitely lost, so at Christmas, I said to her, 'Look, I'm going to retire at the end of the season'.
"I knew by her reaction that she was delighted because she was on her own. She had given her life to me, everything to me.
"[She was] looking after me because of my job... bringing the kids up. When I said I was going to retire, she was delighted, and I knew that. I could tell by her body language."
Ferguson departed the managerial stage with a 13th Premier League winners medal, outstripping earlier squads as United clinched the title by an 11-point margin over local rivals Manchester City.
Reflecting on his crowning glory, he shared: "I always said when I got to January what I did every January 1st, I wrote down every year where our opponents' games could be won or lost and I put us down to win by 10 points.
"The team was playing really well, and I thought we'd do that. But I think it was 11 points.
"They did really well, the team did really well and Van Persie was fantastic, his goals, his thrust in the game, his power and confidence."
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Post-retirement, Ferguson's commitment to the club continued for 11 more years in the role of a global ambassador and director. Yet, his long-standing tenure is set to close at season's end.
The esteemed Scotsman's departure is reportedly linked to cost-cutting strategies taken by United, which have so far resulted in 250 staff cuts.
On the field, the club faces challenges, stumbling into the international break after a poor start - their most dismal since 1989.
