Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin wants to make Sir Alex’s Pittodrie homecoming a day to remember by leading the Dons to their first league win of 2022.
The new Dons boss makes his Pittodrie debut as he takes charge for his first home game against Dundee United on Saturday.
Pittodrie is on course for a sell-out for the first time since the Boxing Day match against Celtic in 2018 due to Ferguson’s return which coincided with a statue unveiling in his honour on Friday.
Excitement is building in the Granite City for the return of the most successful manager in the club’s history and Goodwin is eager to make the weekend a special one.
He said: “I’m really looking forward to it, to be honest with you, I’m really, really excited.
“I’m delighted we didn’t have a midweek game as it gave us a really good lead in to the game.
“But outwith the game, obviously, there is a hell of a lot else going on around the place.
“We have a big event on Friday at Pittodrie with the unveiling of Sir Alex Ferguson’s statue.
“So it will be a great moment, not just for the football club but also for the city as a whole.
“Hopefully we can give Sir Alex a performance on Saturday which will tie in nicely with the whole weekend.”
Goodwin’s previous meeting with Sir Alex
The new Aberdeen manager has only crossed paths with Ferguson once in his career but he would love nothing more than to get the chance to build a relationship with the iconic football manager.
He said: “Last year he came to an event at his charity foundation when funds were being donated to a new development at Harmony Row.
“I was present along with Tony Fitzpatrick at the reopening of that facility.
“Willie Haughey was there and I think Sir Alex was actually travelling up to Aberdeen later that day.
“But I was in the room with him, probably along with another seven or eight people.
“There were a number of his friends there, not just from football, but also people he grew up with.
“People he’s obviously kept in touch with over the years.
“I just sat quietly in the corner and listened, to be honest. Just to be in his company was a great thing.”
New Dons boss would love to build a relationship with the club’s iconic former manager
Goodwin hopes to get the chance to catch-up with the former Dons boss on his return to the club this weekend but understands if Ferguson’s commitments mean it is no possible.
He said: “I’m sure he’ll be extremely busy this weekend but I hope on Friday or Saturday I may get a couple of minutes with him.
“I won’t put too much pressure on him, though, to try and meet me as I’m sure the whole of the football club and everyone here will be desperate to try and grab a moment of his time.
“But no-one needs me to say what Sir Alex Ferguson has done for football, and not just Aberdeen.
“He did so much for the whole of Scotland and the UK as well given the job he did at Manchester United.
“If I got the opportunity to build up a relationship with him then that would be great, I’d love to do that.
“If that opportunity came my way then absolutely but I’m not going to put any demands on Sir Alex for advice.
“If he wants to offer me some then I’d be very stupid not to take it. So hopefully that will happen.”
