Sir Alex Ferguson fell out with Ed Woodward during his time at the club because he was critical of the way in which David Moyes’ sacking was handled and questioned United’s lavish spending.
Woodward was appointed chief executive of Manchester United the summer that Ferguson retired, he took over from David Gill.
While Ferguson and Gill had a good relationship, the Scot had unprecedented power at Old Trafford and had the final say in all decisions.
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Woodward ushered in a new dawn, with the Red Devils loosening the purse strings and operating in a new fashion.
Moyes was Ferguson’s choice to replace him but he lasted only ten months at the club after guiding United to 7th in his first campaign.
The West Ham manager was sacked in April 2014 but news of his dismissal hit the media 48 hours before he was sacked.
Woodward was accused of leaking the news and that sat uneasy with Ferguson, who spent his career at the Theatre of Dreams ensuring things stayed ‘in-house’.
Under Louis van Gaal, United spent big on players like Angel Di Maria, Schweinsteiger and Radamel Falcao but finished 4th and 5th under the Dutchman.
That spending continued under Jose Mourinho but they haven’t won the title since Ferguson’s final campaign at Old Trafford.
According to the Athletic, the Scot raised major concerns about the lack of direction at the club and how so much could be spent without mounting a serious title challenge.
Woodward was unhappy with the comments, and tried to distance Ferguson from club matters. He felt the Scot was too influential and then tried to sideline him in affairs.
But, since Woodward’s exit and the appointment of Richard Arnold as his replacement, Ferguson has been welcomed back into the fold at United.