The morning after Manchester United’s collapse at Turf Moor, Carrington felt tense, like the hush before a storm. Word of Darren Fletcher’s explosive reaction in the dressing room had already spread, but at 8:00 AM, a sleek black Mercedes arrived and shifted everything.
Sir Alex Ferguson had returned.
He bypassed the usual stops—the director’s box, the canteen—and went straight to where Fletcher was, hunched over, replaying the 2-2 draw. Without a word of introduction, Ferguson sat down, pointed at the screen showing Lisandro Martinez losing his mark, and finally broke his long-held silence.
“You handled that correctly, Darren,” Ferguson said, his voice raspy yet piercing. “I saw it all from the stands. His reaction, his glance at the bench after the second goal—it spoke volumes.”
Fletcher looked up, stunned by the sudden visit. Ferguson leaned closer, eyes fixed on the paused frame. “This is exactly why he had to go,” he continued, referring to the old regime’s failure to control star players. “You can’t build a winning culture if someone thinks the badge doesn’t matter. I saw this coming—a late arrival here, skipped recovery there, and eventually, collapse at Burnley.”
For years, people at Old Trafford spoke of a “virus” among players, usually flair stars or unsettled midfielders. Ferguson’s diagnosis, however, was precise. He wasn’t attacking talent—he was targeting entitlement.
“It spreads,” he said. “When a senior player, a so-called leader like Martinez, decides he’s done enough because he’s already won medals, the younger players take the same path. That kills your tactics. You can have the perfect plan, but if your central defender isn’t willing to fight for every ball at Burnley, the plan crumbles.”
Within minutes, Fletcher’s phone buzzed with messages. Ferguson’s words carried enormous weight at United: approval could elevate a career, while criticism could destroy it. The player once adored by the Stretford End found himself isolated. Ferguson had not only exposed the problem—he had given the green light to remove it.
“Don’t hesitate, Darren,” Ferguson warned as he stood to leave. “If you allow him back in now, you lose the club. Get him out.”
The fanbase is split—some urge forgiveness, while others demand the “Butcher” be sold immediately.
