Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson made a “special” phone call to congratulate a former Premier League manager on replicating a feat that he had previously achieved.
Ferguson enjoyed incredible success in Scotland with Aberdeen before he replaced Ron Atkinson as United manager at Old Trafford in 1986.
The 82-year-old legendary Scotsman led Aberdeen to three Scottish Premier Division titles, three Scottish Cups and a Scottish League Cup during his spell at the club.
That’s not to mention Ferguson securing a memorable triumph with Aberdeen in the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1983 against Spanish side Real Madrid.
Ferguson would build on his success at Old Trafford, with the iconic Scot hoovering up major silverware during his illustrious 26-year reign at United.
The legendary former United manager’s accolades included 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies, five FA Cups and four League Cups.
Ferguson, who led United to a continental treble in 1999, called it time on his legendary career after his former side’s Premier League triumph in 2013.
Brendan Rodgers achieves same feat as Ferguson
Brendan Rodgers made his sensational return to Celtic in 2023 after Ange Postecoglou left the club and went on to manage Tottenham.
The 50-year-old enjoyed a successful first spell at Celtic, having arrived at the Scottish side in 2016 after he was sacked by Liverpool in 2015.
Celtic were undefeated in their domestic campaign in Rodgers’ debut season and the former Liverpool boss completed a domestic treble with the club.
Rodgers would lead Celtic to back-to-back domestic trebles, with the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup being captured in the 2017-18 season.
The Celtic boss lifted another Scottish League Cup in 2018 before he left the club in 2019 and signed for Leicester City.
Rodgers saw success at Leicester and led the Foxes to their first FA Cup trophy after a 1-0 win over Chelsea in the final at Wembley in 2021.
The former Leicester manager’s FA Cup success meant that he achieved the same feat as Ferguson in winning both the FA Cup and the Scottish Cup.
United legend Ferguson called Rodgers
Rodgers was axed from Leicester last April after an underwhelming season and the Foxes would ultimately be relegated to the Championship at the end of the campaign.
The Celtic manager said that it was a “lovely touch and [a] nice thing to do” after Ferguson phoned him and congratulated him on his FA Cup and Scottish Cup feat.
Speaking to The Scotsman, Rodgers said: “It was a tough run of games to get there.
“We had Brentford, Stoke, Brighton, Man United in the quarter-final, Southampton who were doing well under Ralph Hasenhuttl, then obviously Chelsea in the final who two weeks later won the Champions League.
“So it was an incredible moment and one I’ll never forget. It was such a special time for the club.
“It was the first final with the fans back – the fans’ final they called it – and obviously the underdog came through to win.
“I remember getting a phone call from Fergie a couple of days later which was great, because he and I were the only managers to win the FA Cup and Scottish Cup.
“He said he thought he’d be the only one … that was such a lovely touch and nice thing to do. It made it even more special.
“I was so happy for the players. That moment, to win it and be together on that day, was a brilliant feeling.”
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