Alex Ferguson Will Pay For BBC Boycott

Ollie Irish

23rd, August 2010

12 Comments

ALEX Ferguson still refuses to have anything to do with the BBC. This season it was expected that Man Utd’s manager would finally end his self-imposed boycott of the corporation, which he once accused of “breathtaking arrogance”. The stand-off resulted when, in 2004, BBC show ‘Panorama’ aired an investigation into Fergie’s son Darren, currently the manager of Preston North End, but working as a football agent at the time. Ferguson senior branded the documentary ‘nonsense’.

After Man Utd’s 2-2 draw at Fulham on Sunday, Fergie was a no-show for his post-match interview with Match of the Day, which under new Premier League rules (made to force United’s boss to end his boycott), he is obliged to give. He will be fined for refusing to turn up – he sends assistant manager Mike Phelan instead – but we’re talking amounts in four figures (£1k per snub, reportedly), which won’t really concern a multi-millionaire.

Match of the Day anchor Gary Lineker said: “It’s a shame. We would like him to speak to us because we respect him and his teams, and always have done.

“It makes no difference to the programme because it’s action-led. But it does make a difference to the Manchester United fans. They are the ones missing out.

“I get letters saying: ‘We never hear from Sir Alex,’ and I have to explain. It’s something he feels very strongly about, so what can you do?”

I’m with Lineker here. It’s frustrating when Ferguson doesn’t show up because he remains one of the most fascinating and volatile men in British football – the very opposite of Mike ‘straight bat’ Phelan. The Scot may not always be right, but he is almost always worth listening to. That said, if the Beeb made a film about one of my family which I judged to be a hatchet job, I would hardly be rushing to speak to them. But it’s been six years now and Ferguson should really move on.

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12 Comments

  1. Conan says:

    why doesnt he just boycott panorama and not motd?

  2. yank says:

    The man has won more matches than Jesus. He can do whatever he wants. As a United fan, I’d rather have him lead the team to victory than share his thoughts with a bunch of douchey pundits.

  3. M4RN says:

    Please get your facts right, it wasnt his Son Darren but his other one. The step from football agent to manager of a championship team doesnt really happen! I think it was his son Jason.

  4. m4n uN!73D 4 says:

    Hes not boycotting panorama cos they’re not exactly gonna do another story on the subject are they, the reason he’s blocking the bbc all out is cos at the end of the day they authorised and funded the program in the first place.

    as for ferguson having to get over it, i don’t think so ollie. at the end of the day it was his family concerned and he has every right to act the way he is. If ppl wanna here from him then stop whining and get urself sky sports or MUTV.

  5. Meji says:

    BBC should say their story is BS (if it was) if they want him to talk to them. Alex Ferguson is a G for not showing up.

  6. lumsh says:

    United fans are missing out? I don’t think so Mr. Lineker. They can easily watch Sky or watch it on the internet. I think Fergie should stand his ground no matter how high the fines get. If the Beeb don’t apologize why should Fergie talk to them? That is his name and reputation that they were looking to tarnish. I think the FA and BBC see this as a chance to get one over SAF but they will never make him bow to their pressure. Fergie would step down as manager first!! Anyone who says they won’t take the same stand if someone publicly slagged off their son/family member without any proof, is flat out lying. Not talking to them would be the least of their problems if it were me, and that’s a fact.

  7. chimpo says:

    the beeb are fairly weak though (£1k fine for someone worth £22m)

    wouldnt be surprised if they ended up apologising to him

  8. Enoch Soames says:

    On 5 February 2004 – THREE months BEFORE the BBC programme – several national newspapers reported that Alex Ferguson was blaming allegations by John Magnier and JP McManus for the media investigation into his son, Jason. He blamed a legal action he had taken out against the two Manchester United shareholders. The Independent quoted Ferguson as saying: “All of a sudden because of a private matter about a racehorse it is all coming out.” I repeat: this was three months before the BBC reported anything. So why did Ferguson later go on to blame the BBC for the whole story, when it was merely responding to widespread media coverage? Could a journalist ask him? Is there one brave enough to highlight the illogicality and hypocrisy at the heart of this man’s childish boycott of a public service broadcaster?

  9. Ed Boyle says:

    The son was Jason according to the Beeb not Darren. Any way Fergie is doing it his way. He has a right to refuse to speak to anyone but in this case it will cost him. Business is business.

  10. David James says:

    Good luck to him. It should be up to him to decide who he talks to. Who do the Premier League think they are, trying to force someone to talk to the BBC? If Sir Alex did agree to speak to the BBC would they then specify the minimum number of words that he spoke when answering a question? How ridiculous! I’m with Sir Alex all the way on this. The Premier League and the BBC need a reality check, they don’t yet (or at least shouldn’t) have the power to force individuals to speak to people that they don’t want to.

  11. Alex Fuckerson says:

    Volatile? Yep. Fascinating? Nah not really. Just a washed up fuckwit scot who people should ignore, and he’s given them the perfect way to ignore him. I wouldn’t give a shit if he never turned up again, except maybe in a fucking ambulance, stupid halfwit cockface.

  12. […] hit by a £65,000 fine (it will probably end up being less) this week due to Ferguson’s continued refusal to speak to the BBC. […]

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