Former Manchester United utility man Clayton Blackmore has claimed that Alex Ferguson's achievements will "never be done again".The Premier League champions announced on Wednesday that the 71-year-old would retire at the end of the season, bringing a 27-year trophy-laden spell at the helm to an end.
And Blackmore, who was brought into the team by Ferguson before going on to make 251 appearances for United, says the Scot will not be equalled.
"It was a big shock for me, you knew it was going to happen one day but I didn't see it coming, I'd heard a rumour but I think it's a shock when it happens when the manager's been in the job for 27 years, you just expect him to be there forever," he said.
"It's the first time I started winning things and I think it was for everyone else as well, we won the FA Cup and then we won the Cup Winners Cup then the Super Cup, League Cup.
"So pretty much everything except the Champions League, I left just before we got into the Champions League but obviously he's gone on and won that as well. A couple of Champions Leagues, 49 trophies is incredible; it will never be done again."
Everton manager David Moyes was confirmed as Ferguson's successor on a six-year contract on Wednesday, and will take over at Old Trafford on July 1.
