The prized snooker table where Sir Alex Ferguson persuaded top footballers to join his teams after showing off his own cue skills is up for sale.
With its green blaize, the unique table took price of place in the manager’s home on a clan Ferguson tartan carpet surrounded by pictures of himself with the likes of Nelson Mandela. And the new buyer will have it personally signed by the star himself.
It is being sold by snooker boss Jason Francis on a Facebook post which read: “Offers are invited for this full-size table which has taken pride of place for many years in the home of the most decorated football manager in history. The cushion will be personally signed by Sir Alex himself and a certificate will be provided."
Snooker has played a massive part in Ferguson’s life.vHe told former player John Parrott in 2015 on the BBC programme Talks Snooker: “I have played since I was a little boy, around seven or eight years old, in the local clubs in Govan. It’s always been there. I watch the snooker every year, particularly the World Championships.”
Snooker played a hand in transfer negotiations when the Scottish icon gaffer famously convinced Roy Keane to sign for the Red Devils instead of Blackburn Rovers over a game.
Pictures of the sale show the memorabilia-decked room highlights Fergie’s career highlights around the full-sized table, from personal footballing success and Scotland shirts to his meeting with anti-apartheid activist and former South African president Nelson Mandela.
Alongside, Sir Alex also has pieces of Snooker collectables, including a cue gifted to him by Irish player Ken Doherty and the set of balls used in the 1985 World Championship final win by Dennis Taylor.
Ferguson was known to play his players at games of snooker at work in places like the Pittodrie stadium gym and in his home against stars like Paul Ince when he was at United.
Ince wasn’t the only United employee to take on Sir Alex at snooker in his Cheshire property, with his brother, Martin Ferguson, being a regular opponent, with Fergie describing the tense sibling games as “agony”.
Jason was appointed as Chairman of World Seniors Snooker in June 2018 and created Snooker Legends, a company which stages events featuring retired snooker players, such as Alex Higgins’ last ever playing performance in The Crucible and a testimonial for Jimmy White, are responsible for the listing.
When asked by the Sunday Mail, he described it as a “private sale” and declined to comment further. A representative of Ferguson was unable to be reached yesterday.
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