'Fans wanted Ferguson out in early years'

Outgoing Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards claims Sir Alex Ferguson would have been forced out of Old Trafford if fans had had their way.

Edwards, who leaves his role as chairman of the football club board at the end of the season, believes the United faithful would gladly have seen the back of him in his early years.

Edwards defended his record at the United helm, claiming only his faith in Ferguson gave the Scot the chance to establish the club at the pinnacle of English football.

He also revealed Ferguson’s decision to offload fans’ favourites such as Andrei Kanchelskis, Mark Hughes and Paul Ince in 1995 caused unrest among supporters.

Edwards, who stepped down as chief executive in August 2000, told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It hasn’t always gone well with the fans but I ran the club as I thought it should be run.

“I think Alex Ferguson would have gone if fans had had their say in the early years.

“I think he would have gone in ‘95 when Hughes, Kanchelskis and Ince went.

“Fans want cheap entrance, they want the best players and sometimes when you run a business you have to make unpopular decisions.”

Ferguson came close to ending his United career last year but he had a change of heart over his planned retirement.

Now Edwards says the Scot could have a role to play in the Old Trafford boardroom when his management days are over.

He added: “With regard to giving Alex a bigger role, his success has been as team manager.

“Alex could well be offered a useful role advising on the football side and that would be on the football board not the plc board.”

Ferguson’s horseracing connections to United shareholders John Magnier and JP McManus had led to speculation he may one day become United chairman, but while Edwards dismissed that notion, he admitted the club could be taken over for the right price.

He said: “Manchester United is a public company. If an individual or a consortium got together and purchased enough shares it is possible to take control of Manchester United.

“But United is currently valued at around £350m (€501m) – it would take a bid big to make that happen, you are probably talking £500m (€717m).

“It is possible it can happen but I don’t necessarily believe any of the current shareholders are about to make a bid for the club.

“If a bid comes in and the board thinks it is in the interests of the club we would have to consider it.”

McManus and Magnier have been tipped as potential buyers of the club after increasing their shareholding in recent months, although Edwards does not consider them avid United fans.

“I don’t think that Magnier and McManus are football fans,” he said. “I’ve seen them at one game, a foreign game, so I don’t think they have ever been to Old Trafford.”