Aberdeen to erect statue of Sir Alex Ferguson to honour club legend's contribution

Aberdeen have commissioned a statue to be built of club legend Sir Alex Ferguson at Pittodrie.
Aberdeen have announced they will erect a statute of Sir Alex Ferguson at Pittodrie. (Photo by Bill Murray / SNS Group)Aberdeen have announced they will erect a statute of Sir Alex Ferguson at Pittodrie. (Photo by Bill Murray / SNS Group)
Aberdeen have announced they will erect a statute of Sir Alex Ferguson at Pittodrie. (Photo by Bill Murray / SNS Group)

With the team in Gothenburg to face Hacken in the Conference League qualifier this evening, the announcement, fittingly, was made from the Ullevi Stadium in the Swedish city.

The ground was the scene of the club’s most famous night when Ferguson led the team to Cup Winners’ Cup success over Real Madrid in 1983.

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The statue will take pride of place on the external concourse outside the Richard Donald Stand and will likely be unveiled later this year.

Produced by Andy Edwards, a renowned sculptor of Cornovii Edwards, it will be bronze and based on Ferguson’s celebrations at Easter Road in 1980 following confirmation that Aberdeen had won the Scottish Premier Division with a 5-0 victory. It was the club’s first league title since 1955 and the first time a team outwith Celtic and Rangers had won the league in 15 years.

‘Lasting impact’

“Sir Alex’s contribution to the club was immense and it’s fitting that we honour him in this way,” chairman Dave Cormack told the Aberdeen website.

“His arrival at Pittodrie heralded the start of the most successful period in the Club’s history and put Aberdeen firmly on the football map of Europe. The year after next marks the 40th anniversary of our European Cup Winners Cup triumph in Gothenburg, along with winning the European Super Cup, so while this honour is long overdue, it comes at a fitting time.

“We began exploring the idea of a series of statues to recognise those legends who have made a lasting impact on the Club, over 18 months ago, but the process stalled due to the pandemic. It’s now very much back on our agenda and, when it came to deciding the subject of the first one, there was of course only one option, Sir Alex Ferguson

Ferguson success

Ferguson, who would go on to lead Manchester united to 38 trophies across 27 years, made his name as a manager at Pittodrie.

He steered Aberdeen to three league titles, four Scottish Cups, a League Cup, the aforementioned Cup Winners’ Cup and a European Super Cup.

“I am thrilled and honoured by this recognition from Aberdeen Football Club, where I spent a fantastic and memorable part of my managerial career," he said.

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"I am particularly pleased with the image the Club has chosen to base the statue on and with the choice of sculptor whose recent work is incredibly lifelike. I can’t wait to see it!”

The Ferguson statue will be first of a series to honour Aberdeen legends and heroes having been brought forward by the club in conjunction with the AFC Heritage Trust.

All statues will be able to be relocated when the club moves to a new stadium.

AFC Heritage Trust’s Chris Gavin said: “We are delighted to be involved with this project. Sir Alex is not only the greatest Aberdeen manager, but one of the great living Scots, known throughout the World for the top‐class boss that he is.”

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