Sir Alex Ferguson once fined Man United staff a week’s wages because he missed a train

Sir Alex Ferguson once fined Manchester United staff a week’s wages after he missed a train.

During what was a stellar career in charge of United, Ferguson won 38 trophies in his 26-year tenure.

As a result, the Scotsman is often regarded as one of the best managers in the history of the sport.

One of his former assistants, Rene Meulensteen has recently recalled an incident where he and other staff members were fined a week’s wages because Ferguson missed his train.

As per the Daily Star, the Dutchman said: “When we were travelling for away games in the Premier League, we would always set off the day before in the afternoon, having trained in the morning.

“We would normally jump on the train in Wilmslow where we had two first-class carriages to ourselves. I would always share a table with the boss, who sat opposite me, and Simon Wells, who sat next to me.

“However on this day, we were to depart from Macclesfield station. Normally the boss and I would share a ride, but not this time. Whilst waiting at the station I didn’t see him anywhere, so I thought he must have jumped on somewhere else. When I got on the train, only Simon was in his seat. ‘Where is the boss?’ I asked. ‘No idea.’”

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Meulensteen continued: “We asked Kevin, the conductor, if he had seen him. ‘No, not seen him.’ I stood up and walked to the next carriage to see if Mick [Phelan] or anyone else had seen him. They also said no.”

In his new book, ‘Sir Alex and Me’, the 59-year-old touched on the incident.

He said: “Then Albert the kit man’s phone rang. It was the boss! ‘Albert, where the hell are you?!’ he fumed through the phone. ‘We are on our way to London, boss, where are you?’

“’In the car park at Macclesfield station, I missed the bloody train!' I was watching the horseracing on my phone and forgot what time it was!’ We all cracked up, but the boss was less amused as we found out later at dinner. ‘You’re all fined a week’s wages.’ So we all assumed the horse hadn’t won either. We all did have a good laugh about it though.”