The legendary Red Devils coach: The road to success

Chapter 66: Scotland Searches for Guns

"Scottish striker McClair is one of Ferguson's most valuable signings. If you consider that Ferguson ran into obstacles everywhere and was looked down upon everywhere, and that McClair has already achieved success in a Scottish giant, this signing is even more valuable."

--Inscription

Ferguson knew it was difficult to find the players he wanted in English League One, but the team was in urgent need of a striker and time was very tight, so he turned his attention to the Scottish League, which he was more familiar with and had more connections.

Ferguson coached the Red Devils for half a year, and his deepest experience was that the team lacked firepower. This was also the area in which he determined that the team needed to improve and strengthen. Look at these data: Davenport scored 86 goals in the 87-14 season, Whiteside ranked second with only 8 goals, Stapleton 7 goals, and then Robson 7 goals... Such a number of goals and such offensive power can be said to be extremely shabby.

The Red Devils' firepower was far from meeting the requirements, and Ferguson was also worried about the injuries of the players. When Ferguson first came to the Red Devils, he was stretched to the limit. He couldn't even put together a healthy forward combination, and Robson, the core of the midfield attack, was lying in bed. Although Whiteside was loved by the fans, he was still a chronic patient, often injured, and even a frequent visitor to the local hospital in Manchester.

Stapleton has good goal-scoring ability, but the player is already in his twilight years, so Ferguson decided to give up on him; Davenport is in good physical condition, but he only scored 41 goals in 14 games in a season, which is not a strong player at all. Ferguson believes that this data is not even acceptable.

Ferguson is even more desperate for Whiteside, who is the most favored by the Red Devils fans.

Ferguson was devastated. How could such a Red Devils team dare to insist on attacking?

The ironic topic was constantly brought up by the media. When Davenport was bought by Atkinson in March 1986, it was to fill the gap left by Mark Hughes' departure. But selling a stronger one for a weaker one, how can this be considered a good deal?

Davenport is not without goal-scoring ability, but his style is more like a traditional English center forward, which is not what Ferguson needs.

What does Ferguson need?

A striker who can play regularly, score more than 20 goals every season, and provide sufficient support for the offensive line; a more flexible striker who should score more than 15 goals or create 20 scoring opportunities per season. If possible, Ferguson even hopes to have two rotating substitutes, who should score about 20 goals in total. This is what Ferguson thinks in his heart, and it is also the standard configuration he thinks is necessary.

Whiteside and Davenport? Less than 25 goals between them, both are wimps by any standard.

Not only that, Ferguson thought the entire Red Devils' attacking line was too weak.

There were certainly excellent strikers in the English First Division, but Ferguson’s repeated pursuits were fruitless, so he had no choice but to return to the Scottish League to look for a striker.

Ferguson had a wide network of contacts in Scotland and was recommended by several head coaches. Among the many candidates, Ferguson already had a target in mind and recommended a rising star to the Red Devils board.

This forward is the Celtics' main forward Brian McClair.

Ferguson had been keeping an eye on him when he was in the Scottish League and wanted to buy him when he was coaching Aberdeen.

In the six months since Ferguson left Scotland, McClair has shined even more and achieved even more results.

Brian McClair was born in Bellshill, Scotland on December 1963, 12. He joined the youth training of Aston Villa in England when he was a child, but did not get a professional contract. After returning to Scotland, McClair went to many clubs for jobs until he joined Motherwell Football Club in 8.

McClair was a late bloomer. He grew up quickly in the Motherwell club and soon became the team's main training target. Under the team's careful guidance, McClair gradually emerged and became the team's main striker. After two more seasons of tempering, his offensive talent suddenly broke out in 1983. McClair, who was not yet 20 years old at the time, performed a hat trick and helped Motherwell beat the giant Glasgow Rangers with a score of 3:0, which shocked the entire Scottish football world. Not only that, two weeks later, McClair once again showed his power and helped Motherwell beat Celtic 2:1 on his own, defeating two major Scottish giants in a month.

This is a feat that Ferguson couldn't accomplish back then!

The Celtics immediately bought the rookie in the summer of 1983. McClair made his stunning debut in Scotland.

McClair went through a period of discomfort, and it was not until the seventh game of the league that he scored his first goal for Celtic. This goal was like opening the seal on him, and he could not stop from then on, repeatedly destroying the city in the league and becoming the firepower of the team. In the game where Celtic defeated Dundee United 7:6, McClair staged a big four, setting a new record in his career.

In the 1985-1986 season, McClair continued to play for Celtic. He continued to score goals and his ability to play with his back to goal became stronger and stronger. This season, Celtic kept chasing Hearts, who were at the top of the standings, and retained the hope of winning the league. In the last league game, only if Hearts lost, Celtic would win by more than 3 goals to win the championship. McClair showed his heroic qualities in the crucial game, leading the team to score the first goal and breaking the deadlock. McClair also scored the team's last goal, and finally helped Celtic beat their opponents 5-0. When Hearts was defeated by Dundee United on the other side, Celtic won the league championship this season in a thrilling way!

McClair is undoubtedly the biggest contributor to this game and he is also the best performing player of the season.

McClair continued to improve in the 1986-87 season, scoring 44 goals in 35 games, and his offensive ability was further improved. He was the most stable and powerful attacker on the Celtics and won the honor of league top scorer.

Ferguson liked McClair very much, but he did not have the absolute power to dominate the transfer. When Ferguson proposed to introduce McClair, many directors actually expressed doubts.

Ferguson finally had to pass the question to the board. Who could the Red Devils buy without McClair?

Edwards eventually decided to go to Scotland himself and went to Glasgow with Ferguson to observe the player in person.

Edwards didn't know much about football. Before he came, he sought Charlton's opinion and still supported Ferguson's buying players, but he just wanted to see if he could reduce the cost as much as possible.

Edwards also wanted to meet Jimmy Delany, who was a hero in the Red Devils' FA Cup win in 1948 and was living in Scotland at the time.

Ferguson could certainly help arrange the fulfillment of the chairman's wishes.

Ferguson recalled: "After the signing was completed, we went to Delaney's house together. They held a grand ceremony to welcome us, which stunned Edwards. The neighbors around were helping to bake and arrange. A long table with an exquisite tablecloth was filled with apple pies, cream cakes, sandwiches, baked cookies, etc. It was very rich. Edwards felt very proud, but also puzzled. He quietly asked me why the Scots had such a lavish afternoon tea."

Ferguson's Scottishness rose up and he grinned like a lion. "Because they are not as poor as you. Martin, you never have a biscuit in your house."

Ferguson thought that Edwards would come to visit and give out some bonuses or some valuable souvenirs on behalf of the club, but Edwards had nothing.

The stingy club president made a big show of gratitude in front of the enthusiastic host, only expressing his gratitude with words and not even taking out a ticket.

Ferguson said: "Martin is famous for his stinginess, but this damn guy didn't even bring a club badge. Fortunately, I made preparations in advance and asked the staff to buy some Red Devils jerseys, scarves and some peripheral gifts, and also gave Delaney's children a pair of shoes."

Edwards went to the Celtics to negotiate, but it didn't work. The Celtics even wanted to temporarily raise the price, but because McClair expressed his hope to play under Ferguson, they maintained the original price of 85 pounds.

The Red Devils successfully brought McClair from the Celtics. He then personally introduced McClair to the Red Devils fans and media reporters, and let McClair wear the No. 9 jersey and play for the Red Devils.

BBC reporters were full of sarcasm when reporting on this transfer, "Ferguson has no presence in England at all, and can only go back to his hometown for comfort. People from small places are not necessarily country bumpkins, but their eyes are still on small places. McClair can stir up trouble in Scotland, but he can't be worth the huge sum of 85 pounds. Edwards must have been ripped off by the Celtics."

The Manchester Evening News reported that: "The Red Devils are used to poaching players from the Scottish league. The previous one was Strachan, then the head coach Ferguson, and now McClair. The club is closely linked to Busby and is closely connected to Scottish football through the meritorious coach. Now it is Ferguson. The striker Ferguson wanted in England could not succeed, so he had to settle for the second best. McClair proved himself in Scotland, but can he prove himself in the Red Devils? Can he adapt to the English football environment?"

The Guardian's focus is very special. "We don't know how McClair succeeded in Scottish football, but he is only 179 cm tall and weighs no more than 85 kg. It is hard to imagine that he can gain a foothold in England. He will inevitably be overwhelmed by England's tall and strong defenders. We are worried that the Red Devils' crosses from the wing will never find a target."

Ferguson was unwilling to spend too much energy on refuting. He was actually a little secretly happy, hoping that these reports and comments could mislead his English League One opponents.

In Ferguson's eyes, McClair, who is strong and has excellent shooting skills, is actually worth much more than this price. Some of McClair's characteristics are similar to those of Mark McGee, the center forward signed by Ferguson in Aberdeen: excellent mobility, smart and always ready to take responsibility for the team. McClair is better than McGee in terms of confrontation. Although McClair is at a disadvantage in height, he is sturdy and weighs 83 kilograms. He is strong enough and has an advantage in confrontation. McClair has been fighting in the fierce Scottish league for many years. His lower body is particularly stable. When fighting, kicking and colliding with opponents, he can stay rooted for three feet without moving at all. He also has an extraordinary ability, which is that his physical fitness is very outstanding. He is known as the most capable striker in Scotland. When he was in Celtic, McClair could play as a single striker, form a double striker with other partners, play as a shadow striker, and even become a free man in the frontcourt when needed. McClair can play in multiple positions and has very comprehensive abilities. He is not just a fulcrum striker.

McClair is not tall but has a strong physique, not fast but can run very well; not only is he strong enough to play as a fulcrum with his back to the goal, he is also good at getting forward to seize position and launch sneak attacks; not only does he react quickly in front of the goal and has a good awareness of starting early, but he is also good at seizing opportunities for supplementary shots; he does not have a high jumping height but is an excellent header, and can find the right position to score with a header; he has balanced left and right feet, and his shots can not only be violent but also produce tricky arcs.

McClair is the prototype of a center forward in the modern football sense, an all-around striker.

Red Devils captain Robson was extremely impressed with his new teammate. "After just the first training session, we all got to know McClair. He is a very different guy. He has an excellent shot, and is very good at scrambling for points and long shots. Another characteristic of him is that he can run really fast."

Regarding the new striker's personality traits, Robson said: "McClair is simple, he is very low-key and humble, like a guy who doesn't need to emphasize his presence, but you can't ignore his existence."

Strachan, who has known McClair for a long time, said, "This guy is like a bull on the Scottish grassland. He has a strong impact, can run very fast, and has amazing physical fitness. I think there will be 'surprises' for opponents in the new season."