`Retiring` Fergie says 2013 Premier League celebrations tops Treble party of 1999

Johannesburg: Retiring Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has said that the celebrations for United`s Premier League victory had surpassed even those of 1999 when the club completed an unprecedented trophy treble of Premier League, FA Cup and European Champions League all in one season.

Thousands of Manchester United fans gathered to salute the Scot, who is retiring after guiding the Red Devils to the English Premier League title for a 13th time and his final English champion side following the culmination of an open-top bus parade from Old Trafford to Manchester Town Hall on Monday. According to Ferguson, he had thought that the celebrations of 1999 would never be beaten but hailed the public of surpassing them, thanking them for supporting him during his 26-and-a-half year reign. Ferguson, who is one game away (against West Bromwich Albion) from completing his eventful but successful career, will lead United midfielder Paul Scholes and one of his mainstays, into retirement. Thanking the 75,000-plus supporters inside Old Trafford, who gave him a rousing send-off after United`s 2-1 league win over Swansea City, Ferguson said that he will never forget this day, adding that it was incredible that he got through a 38-week programme of Premier division (football) and won it in style with a great group of players. After Ferguson was seen singing ‘Glory, Glory Man United’, the club`s theme song, from the Town Hall balcony, he briefly took to a specially constructed stage in an Albert Square heaving with thousands of joyful Red Devils` supporters all bedecked in the club`s red, white and black colours. ANI