Editing Alex Ferguson (section)

===="Fergie Time"====
It has also been suggested that Ferguson's intimidation of referees resulted in so-called "Fergie Time": that is, unusually generous [[Association football#Duration and tie-breaking methods|injury time]] being added in matches where Manchester United were behind. The phrase is at least as old as 1998,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-fergie3/135173835/ |title=Air raid puts United to flight|work=Guardian|location=UK|date=9 March 1998|access-date=11 December 2023|first=Jeremy|last=Alexander}}</ref> but the concept first appeared on 10 April 1993 when [[Steve Bruce]] scored a 97th-minute goal (seventh minute of injury time added on by the referee) against [[Sheffield Wednesday]] to win the game for United: they went top of the league with this win and remained there until the season ended.<ref name="Fergie Time"/> The term got wider coverage when United came from behind to win the [[1999 UEFA Champions League final]] with two goals in injury time.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo-fergie1/135173806/ Time to reflect on Fergie glory], Liverpool Echo, 5 June 1999</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news-fergie-time/135173789/ Blue's timely gratitude], Manchester Evening News, 12 June 1999</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-post-fergie2/135173812/ Good, but not that Good !], Birmingham Post, 29 May, 1999</ref>

The concept cropped up in the media (and by opponents) whenever games seemed to be having more injury time than expected.<ref name="Fergie Time"/> A statistical analysis by ''[[The Times]]'' suggests that this concept might be valid, though the article points out that other footballing criteria may explain the correlation between extra added time and United being behind.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gray |first=Sadie |title=It's a fact! Fergie time does exist in the Premier League |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/fink_tank/article6887985.ece?print=yes&randnum=1151003209000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604221013/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/fink_tank/article6887985.ece?print=yes&randnum=1151003209000 |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 June 2011 |work=The Times |location=UK |date=24 October 2009 |access-date=21 February 2010}}</ref> Analysis by [[Opta Sports]] of Premier League matches played between 2010 and 2012 found on average that 79 seconds more time was played in matches where Manchester United were losing.<ref name="fergie time"/> This was a greater figure than for other top clubs, although most of these clubs seem to benefit from a "Fergie Time" effect, particularly in their home matches.<ref name="fergie time">{{cite news |first=Charlotte |last=Pritchard |title=Fergie time: Does it really exist? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20464371 |work=BBC News |date=23 November 2012 |access-date=23 November 2012}}</ref>