Ferguson reveals his great time con
His penchant for late game watch tapping was the stuff of legend.
But former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson admits it was all a ruse to con opponents and referees and gain a psychological advantage.
"That’s why I used to go to my watch," he told British TV presenter Clare Balding during a recent interview.
"I never looked at my watch, I didn’t know how many minutes (were left in a game).
"It gets across to the opponents and the referee, which is a little trick."
Under Ferguson's tenure, the Red Devils famously made a habit of scoring late goals to win or at least draw matches.
More often than not, the strikes came after Sir Alex had stalked the sideline, furiously gesturing to his watch.
It was a sight that used to infuriate rival fans - and occasionally opposing managers - who moaned that his antics bought United undeserved extra stoppage time.
The practice was such a big part of United's make-up that it was dubbed "Fergie time".
In one famous incident in 2009, Manchester United edged out rivals Manchester City 4-3 with Michael Owen scoring after six minutes of stoppage time when Ferguson could be seen giving his watch plenty of attention.
It sparked post match complaints from City boss Mark Hughes about the late whistle, but to no avail.
And just like MC Hammer's famous rap of the eighties, "Hammer Time", it was a case of "can't touch this".
