Emma Hayes apologises to Sir Alex Ferguson for missing out on offer after celebrating too much

Emma Hayes apologised to Sir Alex Ferguson after missing a post-match drink with the storied Manchester United manager after celebrating Chelsea ’s title victory too much following 6-0 thrashing of Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Hayes claimed a fifth successive Women’s Super League with Chelsea courtesy of a thumping victory over Manchester United. A brace from Mayra Ramirez and goals from Sjoeke Nusken, Melanie Leupolz and Fran Kirby ensured Hayes would not depart the club after 12 years without a trophy in her final season.

In the crowd at the Theatre of Dreams on Saturday was Ferguson. The 82-year-old regularly speaks with Hayes and even offered some sage advice after her new role as the head coach of the USWNT was confirmed.

The pair planned to have a chat after Hayes’ triumph, with the 47-year-old admitting as much on SkySports, only to have to issue an apology in her post-match press conference for missing the drink after celebrations consumed her afternoon.

“He was waiting for me and I'm absolutely gutted but he just rang me before I came in here,” Hayes said. “So, sorry, Sir Alex. I was really looking forward to that glass of red!”

Hayes followed in Ferguson’s footsteps having won a league title in her final season with a club at which she has achieved so much. Indeed, Saturday’s triumph lifted Hayes’ title tally to seven in 12 years, while Ferguson managed 13 Premier League titles across 27 years with the club.

Ferguson’s attendance at Saturday’s match arrived less than a week after new United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe seized headlines for his absence from United Women’s FA Cup final match against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium.

United cruised to a comfortable 4-0 win over Spurs to claim a first major honour for the women’s team since its reformation in 2018. And despite the comprehensive loss to Chelsea on Saturday, while the Blues celebrated with their WSL trophy on one end of the pitch, United paraded their FA Cup trophy down the other.

Chelsea lifted their seventh WSL title under Emma Hayes
(Image: 2024 AMA Sports Photo Agency)

This season has been a fraught and turbulent one for Hayes, who very nearly departed the club without a trophy in her final season, having lost the Continental Cup final to Arsenal before being dumped out of both the FA Cup semi-finals and Champions League semi-finals. Add injuries the team has faced including long-term injuries to Sam Kerr, Millie Bright and Mia Fishel, and the trophy was made all the more special.

"I think it did take its toll, plus the transitioning of new players, young players and you know, the diminishing role of some of the senior players," Hayes said.

"But that's why for me this is the best title, because we're not stupid, we know we weren't at our best. But for us to win a title, wow, like I'm sorry, I don't think you guys realise how hard it is to win and win and win and win, some of these teams don't change their teams or they're in the peak of their eras and they play a game a week.

"I almost can't believe we've won the title. Can't believe it. Two games to go in the title, we've got a 19-year-old on the right-hand wing in Maika Hamano, and Aggie [Beever-Jones] is 20. No one talks about that enough. It's not Sam Kerr. I respect that City have lost Bunny Shaw. Look what we lost this year, and when you watch Millie Bright's performance today, she's had to play the last three games, and we all know she hasn't been at 100 percent, but what a leader."

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