Football
20y

Soccer-United's Ferguson hits out at "distressing" treatment

MANCHESTER, England, Jan 30 - Manchester United
manager Alex Ferguson hit out at his "distressing" treatment at
the end of a week when United, under pressure from their largest
shareholders, announced a review of his transfer dealings.

"It's incomprehensible that I would abuse my position at
this club. I have been here 17-1/2 years and no one has ever
raised a doubt about that," he told reporters on Friday.

"All of a sudden, because of a private matter regarding a
racehorse, it's all coming out. It's not easy to take."

John Magnier and J.P McManus, who hold a 25 percent stake in
United through their investment vehicle Cubic Expression, forced
the English champions to announce the review this week after
they threatened to demand an independent audit.

Ferguson is involved in a row with Magnier over the
ownership of record-breaking racehorse Rock of Gibraltar and the
income from its stud rights.

Newspaper reports have linked Ferguson's son Jason, a
players' agent, with the activities of United, implying there
was a potential conflict of interest.

"I found it distressing. My son has had a terrible time.
People have been stealing his mail, binliner bags and hiding in
bushes and things like that," Ferguson said.

"He has had to call in the police and that's not nice. It's
all a result of what we read about this transfer stuff."

Ferguson, 62, has been at the champions since 1986 and won
eight titles. He signed a new rolling 12-month contract on
Wednesday, which starts in June 2005.

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