Lady Cathy Ferguson, wife of Sir Alex Ferguson, has died aged 84, the family has announced today. 

The Glaswegian mother-of-three and grandmother to 12, was described by her husband as his ‘bedrock’, who had had helped nurse him back to health after his stroke after he retired after 26 years at the club in 2013. They were married for almost 60 years.

The Ferguson family confirmed the news in a statement released on Friday afternoon.

‘We are deeply saddened to confirm the passing yesterday of Lady Cathy Ferguson, survived by her husband, three sons, two sisters, 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild,’ the statement read.

Lady Cathy Ferguson, wife of Sir Alex Ferguson, has died, the family has announced.

Lady Cathy had been married to Sir Alex since 1966, with the couple having met while they were both working at a typewriter factory in Glasgow

The Glaswegian mother-of-three and grandmother to 12, was described by her husband as his ‘bedrock’. She is pictured last year 

Lady Cathy had been married to Sir Alex since 1966, with the couple having met while they were both working at a typewriter factory in Glasgow. 

At the time the city was divided by sectarianism – Lady Cathy was a Catholic while Sir Alex was Protestant – but the then footballer was following the example of his father, who himself had ‘broken a taboo’ by marrying a Catholic woman.

When he announced his retirement as United manager in 2013 after an unprecedented period of success for the Red Devils, Sir Alex said: ‘My wife Cathy has been the key figure throughout my career, providing a bedrock of both stability and encouragement. 

‘Words are not enough to express what this has meant to me.’

He has also described her as the only person in the world he does not answer back to.  

In 2002, Lady Cathy had been instrumental in convincing Ferguson to reverse his decision to retire at that point, going on to manage the club for a further 11 years before eventually calling time after the death of Cathy’s sister.

The Fergusons watching a football game together from the stands on September 8, 2022

Sir Alex with Lady Cathy in a black and white family photo with their twins, Jason and Darren

The couple in the kitchen of their home in Glasgow when Sir Alex was still playing for Rangers 

The happy couple pose for a photo with their new son, Mark. This photo was taken in 1968 when Sir Alex was playing for Falkirk 

Interviewed in a documentary called Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In released in 2021 Cathy revealed Sir Alex had taken her to the cinema on their first date.

‘He bought me a box of liquorice allsorts at the movies, of which he ate all of them, and a local paper when we came out. That was my romantic day.

‘We got married in Glasgow registry office in 1966 and that was the start. I went to my work and he went to his football.’

Lady Cathy leans over for a chat with her husband during a match between Peterborough and Ipswich in 2009 

The couple before the unveiling of a statue of Sir Alex at Old Trafford in 2012 (left) and at an event in 1996

The couple pose before a plaque announcing their presence at an unveiling of a statue of Sir Alex in Manchester 

The Fergusons (centre) during the UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in Milan in 2016