How Man United used to train in the 1990s

In the final instalment of this series, Brian McClair sheds light on the training regime of none other than Sir Alex Ferguson that took place during the 1990s. McClair, known favourably by the United faithful as Choccy, was a key part of our success in the early years of the Premier League, including winning the league and cup double in the 1993/94 season. 

“I was always at the back, dead last,” admits Choccy, with a halfsmile. “Maybe it was a mental thing with me. If a ball had been brought out then, I’d have run all day long. The manager would get on your case and try to cajole you into doing more work, but you have to judge what people are capable of achieving.

“Some players are excellent at long distance running, whereas others simply aren’t. You’ve got to work out how they are, what position they play in, what their body shape is and what we’re looking to get out of them. You’re trying to pitch it so that everybody’s getting the best things out of training that they can.