Mark Robins has been followed by a question about saving Sir Alex Ferguson’s job every time the FA Cup has rolled around during his 18 years as a manager.
And this week, quite timely as he prepares for his first cup game as Stoke City boss at Sunderland on Saturday (3pm), that old story is back in the headlines thanks to a new Ferguson documentary.
Ferguson and a bunch of his old Man Utd players have recalled the third round tie at Nottingham Forest in 1990 when the club was widely believed to be ready to sack the manager if they didn’t win. But in a vital and much-replayed moment, Toddy Orlgysson lost possession for Forest, Mark Hughes slipped in a super pass and Robins – who had just turned 20 – scored the vital goal.
So Ferguson kept his job and, under his watch, United went on to win the cup as well as 13 Premier League titles, another four FA Cups and two Champions League trophies.
“As far as some people are concerned they think it was the only game I played in my career,” he told CoventryLive last year after taking Coventry to a semi-final against United at Wembley.
“I played in a semi-final and scored against Newcastle up there, played against Sheffield United in a quarter-final and against Oldham in the semi-finals, and I came off the bench and scored the winner in the semi-final in the second game.
“I went to Wembley and played in the first game when I came on when there were only two subs then, and then the replay I didn’t get on because we were in the lead and just holding on to it. But to be involved in the squad at that point – there were just 13 of us – was fantastic and it’s an evening I will never forget. It was a Thursday and lifting the FA Cup was unbelievably good.”
Ferguson had left Aberdeen for Old Trafford in November 1986 but was under increasing pressure at the start of the 90s. They were in the middle of two-and-a-half months without winning a league game when they rocked up at the City Ground, with banners calling for his head.
“The real crux of the matter is that I wasn’t doing well in 1989 and I did need someone to stand by me,” he said. “For that I’m grateful to the club because they did stick by me.”
Discussion about this post