Manchester United's players quickly became aware of Sir Alex Ferguson's tough character, but his famous dressing-room tirades, known as the hairdryer treatment, did not emerge immediately. Ahead of the 40th anniversary of the Scot's appointment in November 1986, former United players have recalled his early days in the dressing room.
Ferguson's first match ended in a 2-0 defeat to Oxford United, leaving his team third from bottom in the First Division. Midfielder Clayton Blackmore admitted he had expected a storm, having been warned about the manager's fiery temper by Gordon Strachan, who had played under Ferguson at Aberdeen. Instead, the Scot was even smiling, leaving the players bewildered.
The calm did not last. Three weeks after another defeat to Wimbledon, Ferguson unleashed his anger on his players. Former winger Peter Barnes recalled goalkeeper Gary Bailey being the first to bear the brunt, followed by Norman Whiteside, Kevin Moran and Paul McGrath.
The manager's message was clear:
I didn't come here to mess about. Either you play for this shirt or there's the door.
Ferguson also told defender John Sivebaek directly:
If you don't learn how to defend, son, you'll be on the next ferry back to Denmark.
Blackmore also recalled an incident in 1987 when Ferguson asked the players to conduct their own pre-match team talk. After listening to captain Brian Robson's basic instructions, Ferguson exploded:
Is that fucking it?
Even the 4-2 win that followed did not satisfy the demanding Scot, for whom only absolute perfection would do.
