FLATTERY'LL GET YOU NO WHERE

Ternent said: "Alex has been bringing good players through for years and years. Just think of the quality these players have to be to get into the first team.

"It is easy for us to keep a check on the young players at United because we go and watch the reserves.

"Kieran Richardson is an extremely good player, and Michael Stewart is very good but that is the standard they have to attain.

"They have to be able to compete at the top of the Premiership week-in week-out, they have to cope with the top European competition every year and so they have to be right out of the top drawer.

"Believe me, Alex could field three teams that would have a good go at winning the first division."

Ternent said: "He is still the top man, you don't have to worry about that. He is the best manager this country has seen for a very, very, very long time.

"You are not just the manager of a team like Manchester United, it is a dynasty not a football club.

"Manchester United is a way of life and I don't think some people can even imagine how hard that guy works. It is not easy having to manage multi-millionaires.

"Arsenal are up there now as the Double winners but for the last ten years United have been the yard-stick. They expect to win the championship and be in the Champions League.

"That is the standard they set - our standard is to stay in the first division.

Ternent built a close relationship with Fergie when he was the manager at Bury, a club that has developed close ties with United through the Neville family.

"I signed David Johnson and had John O'Kane on loan. There was also Gary and Phil Neville whose family had long connections with Bury and used to come over.

"Alex used to ring me up and ask for friendly games for his sides and we played them a couple of times when Eric Cantona was out injured. We even beat them a couple of times!"