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Sir Alex Ferguson’s wife, Lady Cathy Ferguson, has died aged 84, with Manchester United hailing her as his ‘tower of strength’.
The Glaswegian mother-of-three and grandmother-of-12 was described by her husband as his ‘foundation’, who had helped him regain health after his stroke following his retirement after 26 years at the club in 2013. They almost married. 60 years.
The Ferguson family confirmed the news in a statement released this afternoon, which read: ‘We are deeply saddened to confirm the passing of Lady Cathy Ferguson yesterday, survived by her husband, three sons, two sisters, twelve grandchildren and one great-grandchild. ‘
Announcing his retirement as United manager in 2013 after an unprecedented period of success for the Red Devils, Sir Alex said: ‘My wife Cathy has been a key figure throughout my career, providing both stability and encouragement. Words are not enough to express what this has meant to me.’
He has described her as the only person in the world he doesn’t answer to.
United released a statement today saying: ‘Everyone at Manchester United extends our sincere condolences to Sir Alex Ferguson and his family on the passing of Lady Cathy. Lady Cathy was a beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother, and a tower of strength for Sir Alex throughout his career.”
At Old Trafford, the flags have been lowered into half-masks in tribute to Lady Cathy. United will wear black armbands for their match against Brentford tomorrow, while the women’s team are expected to have them tonight when they play Arsenal.
Lady Cathy Ferguson, wife of Sir Alex Ferguson, has died, the family has announced.
Lady Cathy had been married to Sir Alex since 1966 and the couple had met when they both worked in a typewriter factory in Glasgow.
Cathy and Alex Ferguson embrace in an undated photo. They had been married since 1966
The happy couple pose for a photo with their new son Mark. This photo was taken in 1968 when Sir Alex played for Falkirk
Lady Cathy had been married to Sir Alex since 1966 and the couple had met when they both worked in a typewriter factory in Glasgow.
In the 2021 documentary Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In, directed by their son Jason, Cathy revealed that she had initially thought Sir Alex looked like a ‘thug’ before she softened him up and they went on a cinema date.
She said: ‘I just saw him walking past and I thought he was a criminal. Then I found out he was a football player and that didn’t make him any different from me.
‘He bought a box of all kinds of liquorice at the cinema, which he ate, and a local newspaper when we came out. That was my romantic day.
‘We got married in 1966 at the Glasgow registry office and that was the beginning. I went to work and he went to his football.’
The city was divided by sectarianism at the time – Lady Cathy was Catholic while Sir Alex was Protestant – but the then footballer followed the example of his father, who had himself ‘broke a taboo’ by marrying a Catholic woman.
In a 2021 documentary about his life, Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In, the football legend recalled being questioned about his wife’s religion when he signed for Rangers in 1967.
He said he said nothing at the time because he was desperate to play for the club he had supported growing up in Govan, Glasgow, but he regretted not telling the club to ‘fuck off’.
He said: “Glasgow is a divisive city. It’s Protestant and Catholic, Rangers and Celtic.
“I heard Rangers wanted to sign me and having supported Rangers as a boy and living 200 meters above the ground I was quite excited about that.
“He says, ‘I have to ask you a question about your wife.’ I believe she is Catholic, did you get married in a chapel?”. I said, ‘No, we got married at the registry office,’ and he says, ‘Oh, that’s OK.’ I should have told him to fix it.
‘I should have done that, but because you supported Rangers as a boy and got the chance to play for Rangers, you’re prepared to put up with nonsense. I disappointed myself there and let my wife down – that was the most important thing – because she was a devout Catholic.”
Alex, Cathy and their three sons, Mark, Darren and Jason, with the European Cup Winners’ Trophy and the Scottish Cup Trophy
In the 2021 documentary Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In, directed by their son Jason, Cathy revealed that she had initially thought Sir Alex looked like a ‘thug’ before she softened up on him and they went on a cinema date.
Sir Alex with Lady Cathy in a black and white family photo with their twins, Jason and Darren
The couple in the kitchen of their Glasgow home when Sir Alex was still playing for Rangers
The Glaswegian mother of three and grandmother of 12 was described by her husband as his ‘foundation’. She is in last year’s photo
Ferguson said his memories of Rangers were ‘not very happy’ and he never played for the club again after that was made the ‘scapegoat’ for the 4-0 Scottish Cup Final defeat to Celtic in 1969.
He became the most successful manager in English football history, with 49 trophies. At Manchester United alone he won thirteen Premier League championships, five FA Cups and two Champions League titles.
In 2002, Lady Cathy had been instrumental in convincing Ferguson to reverse his decision to retire at that time, after which she would manage the club for a further eleven years before finally receiving a reprieve following the death of Cathy’s sister .
Recalling the conversation they had when he first tried to retire, Sir Alex said: ‘Firstly, your health is good. Two: I don’t have you in my house. And thirdly, you’re too young.’
But in 2011, the United legend finally decided it was time to leave Old Trafford.
‘I will be in charge here for a maximum of three years. No doubt. I can assure you of that,” he said at the time.
‘You have to think about time for yourself. I think my wife deserves a little of my time too. The older you get, the guiltier you feel about it.
“My wife, Cathy, was the one who talked me into retiring last time, but she wouldn’t do that again.”
The Fergusons had three sons together – Mark, born in 1968, and twin football managers Darren and Jason, born in 1972 – and twelve grandchildren.
About their family life, Alex once said: ‘Cathy is fantastic with the kids.
‘It’s a military operation with her. If any of them misbehave, they’re in the doghouse.”
The Fergusons watch a football match together from the stands on September 8, 2022
Lady Cathy leans in to chat with her husband during a match between Peterborough and Ipswich in 2009
The couple before the unveiling of a statue of Sir Alex at Old Trafford in 2012 (left) and at an event in 1996
The couple pose in front of a plaque announcing their presence at the unveiling of a statue of Sir Alex in Manchester
In the 2021 documentary about Sir Alex, Ferguson dedicated his career to Cathy.
Jason Ferguson said in the film that his mother was his father’s “rock”, adding: “She allowed him to indulge his obsession.”
“She kind of raised me and my brothers on her own and made sacrifices to make him do what he did.”
Today, Manchester City responded to United’s post on
The Fergusons (center) during the UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in Milan in 2016