By Lucy Norris

Copyright hellomagazine

Sir Alex Ferguson has opened up about the loss of his late wife Lady Cathy Ferguson and revealed he struggled to leave the house in the wake of her death two years ago. The former Manchester United manager, 83, was married to Lady Cathy for almost 58 years before she died aged 84 on 5 October 2023. Sir Alex has since made a heartbreaking admission about how he has dealt with his devastating loss and outlined his decision to sell his Cheshire mansion and move deeper into the countryside to be closer to his children.

Speaking about the months following Lady Cathy’s death, Sir Alex said he “was stuck in the house a lot”. He continued telling the BBC: “I moved house, into the country, next door to my son. But it’s not good enough just to sit watching TV, so I decided to travel. I went to Saudi [Arabia], Hong Kong and Bahrain. Occupy yourself. Dealing with the dementia group has been good for me. It’s something that I enjoy.” Sir Alex now lives in the village of Goostrey, near Knutsford, next door to his son Darren.

A match made in 1964

A Glaswegian native, Lady Cathy first met the football icon when they worked together in a typewriter factory in 1964. Two years later, in 1966, the couple decided to tie the knot at the Glasgow registry office. Sir Alex and Lady Cathy went on to parent three sons, Mark and twins Darren and Jason. Over the course of their marriage, they also became grandparents to 12 grandchildren.

Sir Alex previously described his wife as his “bedrock” after she helped nurse him back to health following his stroke in 2013, which he had after he retired from Manchester United, ending a 27-year tenure at the football club. Lady Cathy is widely credited for Sir Alex’s success in the sport, supporting him as he became one of the most respected managers in English footballing history.

An outpouring of condolences

Announcing her death back in 2023, the sad news was shared by her own family in a statement that read: “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 family asks for privacy at this time.”

Sir Alex’s old club expressed their condolences in a statement of their own at the time: “Everyone at Manchester United sends our heartfelt condolences to Sir Alex Ferguson and his family … Lady Cathy was a beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother, and a tower of strength for Sir Alex throughout his career.”