Fergie awarded degree

Yakub Qureshi

July 14, 2009

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SIR Alex Ferguson may be Britain's most successful football manager but he has revealed the sporting world nearly lost him to the restaurant industry.

The United boss, who trained as a chef before turning to football, told students graduating in food, tourism, and hospitality courses, how a stint in the kitchen was `one of the best years of my life'.

Sir Alex, who was receiving an honorary award from Manchester Metropolitan University, said: "I used to work in a kitchen many years ago in Glasgow. It was fantastic."

Also receiving an award was Gerry Yeung - owner of the city centre Yang Sing restaurant and a key player in Manchester's business community.

Vice-chancellor John Brooks said: "We are honoured to be able to recognise the huge contributions of these immensely gifted and dedicated professionals who have made such an impact on Manchester."

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The City Chippy, Sydney (14/07/2009 at 10:20)

Oh my word, who dressed Ferguson? Any chance of throwing me a degree in Fish & Chips?

Steve (14/07/2009 at 11:33)

What a load of sanctimonious tosh. What has Furguson done for Manchester that a hard working, gifted and dedicated professional such as a nurse working nights hasn’t?
Awards such as this given by the pompous, to the rich and famous just undervalue the real hard workers in society.
How about Manchester University recognising the care they receive from nurses when they or their relatives are ill. Or the school crossing patrol who stands in all whether to ensure their children cross our busy roads safely. Or maybe a prison officer who in his / her daily work faces people the rest of us prefer to forget about.
There are millions of people out there ten times more dedicated than the likes of football managers.
What has Feruson done that has helped the rest of us, oh yes I forgot, he ensures kids who are not old enough to drink can afford 17k watches and drive cars that are to powerful for them putting the rest of us in danger.
How about reducing Fergusons wage by a few thousand pounds and see how dedicated he is then?

Gifted and dedicated my eye.

Teesicha, Planet Earth. (14/07/2009 at 11:45)

Steve ,
I agree with you 100%.

Mike S, Manchester (14/07/2009 at 12:11)

At least Manchester Poly only gave him an honorary degree; didn't Bolton Poly give Vernon Kay an honorary doctorate last week? The mind boggles.

barca99, Salford (14/07/2009 at 12:52)

What has he done for Manchester? Are you having a laugh mate? These degrees as stated are for the contibution to the city itself and lets be honest from a sporting point of view who has done more for the city than SAF?? I totally agree that nurses/school crossing patrol do a fantastic job (well most) but what that has to do with sport is beyond me.

Why also do you insinuate that its SAF who ensures that his youth players buy 17k watches and high performance cars? Does he pay them directly? Does he force them to buy certain items??

What do you think a young lad who earns daft money is going to do with it? Buy a £5.99 watch from Argos and drive a clapped out banger??

'Gifted and dedicated my eye'!! Gifted? The most gifted manager that has graced our shores (see titles won both here and in Scotland, see the amount of world class players that he's nurtured).
Dedicated? See 'Gifted' and then ask anybody in football (certainly at OT) who is first in (about 6.30am) and last out (about 7.00 pm) everyday at United and SAF will be the answer.

Whether or not you or anybody else likes the man , the one thing that cannot be denied is that as awards go (and i'm not a big fan of them either) he is most certainly as deserving as anybody when receiving one.

Blue Dude, Manchester. (14/07/2009 at 12:59)

Laugh out Loud moment on Five Live earlier when they reported that he was getting this HONORARY degree (ie Honorary = no element of study or work required, its just a PR stunt for the educational body).

He said he always wanted to study languages....

lovinthebanter, Manchester (14/07/2009 at 13:10)

'What has Feruson done that has helped the rest of us, oh yes I forgot, he ensures kids who are not old enough to drink can afford 17k watches and drive cars that are to powerful for them putting the rest of us in danger. How about reducing Fergusons wage by a few thousand pounds and see how dedicated he is then?'

Gifted and dedicated my eye.
Steve ,
14/07/2009 at 11:33

The 26th of May 1999 comes to mind, that would be enough on it's own, for many tens of thousands of people, unfortunately you sound like one of the few blue in Manchester that he has done so much against so if it was done on a vote basis I guess it would resound that he deserves this.

Clara, Manchester (14/07/2009 at 13:19)

A nice bit of light hearted news turned into a war.

I think it's a nice to see football bodies promoting our fantastic educational establishments!

Knowsleyman, Paphos (14/07/2009 at 15:57)

Was the Degree awarded for his contribution to promoting the Chewing Gum industry?

Prestwich Red, Prestwich (14/07/2009 at 17:54)

He'll probably be getting a bumper award from the Glazers too. After all, he managed to slice £80m off the clubs debt after failing to invest following the sale of his most prized asset.

Chapman (14/07/2009 at 18:13)

Thes honorary degress really get to me whoever it is.I don't care what their line of business is.That guy from Bolton,Vernon Kay,is another example.
I slaved for years to get my Degree and Management qualifications and I think these honorary degrees are just self promotion by the educational institutions who hand them out.

Steve (15/07/2009 at 08:09)

Lovinthebanter, not being a supporter of football in any of its form I had to look up what happened on the 26th of May 1999.

And you base your comments and the justification on that?

Bacca99, exactly what has this award got to do with sport? Its beyond me as well!
And he may not force these kids to buy performance cars but maybe if he was as a responsible manager as you suggest he is he would consider not paying a 17 year old so much so he could! Do you think you could have handled the public pier pressure and such finances that these kids are put under at 17?

Gifted and dedicated, well I must just be in a queue for my award then as on a normal day I work on average 2 hours longer than he does!

And why do football supporters always assume that everybody else will know the acronyms they use to excess?
I take it OT = Old Trafford. Was it to much to spell?

Could I also point out the definition of ‘mate’ is friend, trusted associated, person with whom you copulate with to reproduce. Do I fall into this bracket with you? Do I live with you, drink, sleep or relax with you? If the answer to anyone of these questions is no then I’m not your ‘mate’

There’s none as blind as those who don’t see.

My Goatee, Manchester (15/07/2009 at 11:32)

Its an 'honorary degree'..............

It means nothing and they are used as adverts for the University! Don’t get so excited.

I went to a 'red brick' and as a laugh the Rugby Team nominated a stray cat we used to feed for the job of the Sports Officer in the Students Union. There was much to do about nothing really until the cat won the election and pulled in more votes than the other candidates.

The prats who take the Students Union seriously got all upset, contacted the National buffoons and got someone else re-elected.

It shows that its just a seat of learning, those there for a real education do that and quite rightly be proud of the odd achievement, but Honorary Degrees, Students Unions and those up their own backsides need to take it all with a pinch of salt.

Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (15/07/2009 at 13:02)

That's another Doctorate given out, diminishing the value of those who've studied for years to obtain a real one. It's not an Bachelors degree, they don't wear cloth caps and colourful gowns for any other than Phd

Mr Manchester (15/07/2009 at 16:19)

The ensuing debate here is fascinating, and looking at honorary degrees on Wikipedia shows the act of conferring them goes back several hundred years. It would be incorrect to say it means nothing.

A colleague of mine has an honorary doctorate from a Scottish university -- it was simply their way of acknowledging and celebrating some 30+ years of research, which he had contributed to a specific industry on an international level.

nyb, ex manc (15/07/2009 at 16:36)

Some sour comments from people have have "earned" their degrees.

Well I've news for you, life is the greatest educator, and Honorary Degrees recognise that fact. I've worked with dozens of graduates through my life, and without wishing to fall in to the trap of generalisations, very few had the commonsense or nouse to perform half as well as those educated in the school of life.

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