Sir Alex Ferguson famously ruled his Manchester United empire with a rod of iron, never allowing any one player to get the better of him.
His brusque and sometimes downright rude manner made him a few enemies, but it’s unlikely to have worried the Govan native who was only ever interested in winning.
Those players that took him to task for one reason or another, or were considered surplus to requirements, were quickly dispensed with.
Given how many trophies he won, and for how long a period the Red Devils were at the top, one can only deduce that his way was, ultimately, the right way.
It’s long been said that the players were scared of him and his ‘hairdryer’ treatment in particular, but one person could always get away with mocking him – the dinner lady, Carol.
“Carol was a very funny lady. I loved speaking to her and having a laugh over a cup of tea at the training ground,” Rio Ferdinand told The Sun, cited by the Daily Mirror.
“She would treat everybody the same, academy players, Premier League champions or Sir Alex Ferguson, one of the biggest names in the history of football.
“I remember once he walked in wearing a smart pair of cream chinos as I was talking to Carol.
“She stopped our conversation and just said to him ‘what are you wearing?!’ which made us all laugh.”
She sounds like one very brave lady.