Ferguson fears he won't live to see Man Utd's new stadium as he reflects on mortality at 84

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that death “crosses his mind” and that he fears he may not live to see Manchester United’s proposed new stadium, in candid reflections published in his new book, Games of My Life.

The 84-year-old, who survived a severe brain haemorrhage in May 2018 and the loss of his wife Lady Cathy, writes with characteristic directness about his mortality. “I’m not one to dwell on what my Maker has in store for me, nor am I afraid of dying,” Ferguson writes. “Mortality is always with us, even at the most unexpected of times.”

The prospect of United’s planned £2bn, 100,000-capacity replacement for Old Trafford — announced in 2025 with a predicted five-to-six-year construction timeline — prompted a rare moment of personal doubt from the 13-time Premier League champion. “When United announced their plans for a fabulous new stadium to replace Old Trafford, I found myself wondering whether I would be around to celebrate its opening,” he writes. “I hope they get to break ground quickly, because if it takes five years to complete, I’ll be pushing ninety. However, I know I’ll be at the ceremony one way or another — in person or in spirit.”

The book, which focuses on 21 matches that defined his career and personal life, includes a chapter on his first return to Old Trafford following the 2018 haemorrhage — a Premier League draw with Wolves that ended 1-1. Ferguson describes how close he came to not surviving the operation at Salford Royal. “On the day they operated on me, four other patients also had surgery for the same complaint. Only two of us lived to tell the tale,” he writes. “I survived, not because I received special treatment, but due to a series of fortunate events.”

He credits quick-acting family members, informed medical advice, prompt paramedic response, and timely scans for his survival, adding: “My heart goes out to the families of those who weren’t as fortunate as me that day. I’m lucky I’m still here.”

Of his return to Old Trafford for the Wolves match, Ferguson recalls an emotional reception from the moment he arrived at the ground. “From the moment I got out of the car at the stadium, I felt as if an entire community was opening its heart to me,” he writes. “It was overwhelming. I felt like I was returning to a familiar and much-loved cocoon.”

Games of My Life represents Ferguson’s most personal public reflection to date, offering a rare look at the private thoughts of one of football’s most decorated and guarded figures.