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Alex Ferguson and the BBC finally settle their differences

Old Trafford has buried the hatchet with the BBC after seven years of silence, and will now give interviews to the corporation again.

MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER Alex Ferguson has ended his boycott of the BBC, following talks with the company’s director general Mark Thompson and BBC North director Peter Salmon.

The Scot stopped talking to the broadcaster in 2004, after it made allegations against his son Jason in a documentary entitled ‘Father and Son.’

Ferguson said at the time: “They [the BBC] did a story about my son that was whole lot of nonsense. It all made-up stuff and ‘brown paper bags’ and all that kind of carry-on. It was a horrible attack on my son’s honour and he should never have been accused of that.”

In the intervening years, Ferguson has sent a number of assistants and coaches – including Carlos Queiroz and Mike Phelan – out to face the BBC cameras for Match Of The Day, but he has now kissed and made up with the company and United can now stop paying the fines that have accrued from his lack of face time with John Motson and pals.

“Sir Alex Ferguson and the BBC have decided to put behind them the difficulties which led to Sir Alex feeling unable to appear on BBC programmes,” read a statement on both the BBC and Manchester United websites.

“This follows a meeting between Sir Alex and the BBC’s director general, Mark Thompson, and BBC North director Peter Salmon, and the issues have been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties.”

Read the full statement on the official Manchester United website here >

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3 Comments
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    Mute Johnny Fitz
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    Feb 26th 2014, 9:50 AM

    The man talks a lot of sense. People started playing GAA to play the sport not to train for 11 months and play only a handful of games. GAA needs to full address the fixture issue and to bring in a closed season.

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    Mute Keano
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    Feb 26th 2014, 10:36 AM

    There is a closed season Johnny, except it’s for inter-county teams.

    The GAA needs to tighten up the inter-county championship season. How does it take almost 5 months to play a hurling championship in which there are realistically (and I use the term loosely) 8 potential winners? Start it in May and have it finished in August at the absolute latest (I think it could easily be played out in 3 months but let’s not get too drastic here).

    League: Feb – Apr.
    Champ: May – Aug.
    Club: Aug – Nov when All-Ireland club champs take place.
    3rd level: played through the winter as usual

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    Mute Mr T
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    Feb 26th 2014, 9:08 AM

    Yes. Clubs should play during the championship.Must be frustrating for non county players to sit on their hands when the weather is good and conducive for good games.

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    Mute Frainc Ó Broin
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    Feb 26th 2014, 11:52 AM

    No need for the long breaks between matches, finish the club championships before Christmas

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    Mute Einne O'Reilly
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    Feb 26th 2014, 1:24 PM

    Every year people talk about what a shame it is to have the provincial club championships on in November/ December in terrible playing conditions, pitches, weather etc. Barring a radical change in the county season however, there is no alternative time to play them. Thus, moving the all- ireland series to December would result in the best club teams in the country having to play in the worst possible conditions, reducing the quality of the games and the standards of the competition.

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    Mute James O Regan
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    Feb 26th 2014, 10:33 PM

    could be finished sooner. championship in cork county can be held up for weeks an weeks if a team you are due to play has an intercounty player, even if they are a panel member an not likely to even play. season is far too long, you need time for family, work, partner, kids etc.

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