AS Sir Alex Ferguson announces his retirement after 26 years as Manchester United manager, Duncan Leatherdale looks back on the time the Red Devil’s boss helped save a County Durham football club.

BACK in October 1996, Bishop Auckland FC were in dire straits needing £30,000 to settle a lawsuit brought against them by a Macclesfield player who broke his leg playing against the Two Blues in an FA Cup tie.

Bishop Auckland, the team that dominated the amateur game in the 1950s, had weeks to find the funds or face closure.

The Northern Echo ran a campaign to raise funds with donations flooding in from supporters and local businesses, but the biggest earner came from the then Premier League Champions.

On October 9, 1996, nearly 5,000 fans packed out Bishop Auckland’s Kingsway ground to see a Manchester United X1 led by veteran striker Brian McClair and featuring Paul Scholes and other hotly-tipped youngsters take on the Two Blues.

Bishop’s then-secretary Tony Duffy said Sir Alex’s decision to send a squad saved Bishop, and several years later when he met the United boss at an amateur cup draw being held at Old Trafford, he got to thank the Scot in person.

Mr Duffy (a Newcastle supporter) said: “I thanked him for sending the team, he just said it was his pleasure.

“Everyone knows about his success as a manager but what is often not known about is his support for the lower league clubs.

“He was tremendous towards Bishop Auckland and we will be eternally thankful to him for helping to save our club.

“It was an incredible night when United visited, they were brilliant, at the final whistle the fans ran on the pitch and the United lads were all too happy signing autographs, we couldn’t have asked for more.”

Bishop’s relationship with Manchester United started in 1958 when the Two Blues, then the best amateur side in the country, sent Bob Hardisty, Derek Lewin and Warren Bradley to play for United after they were devastated by the Munich Air Crash.

Speaking in 1996 after agreeing to send a team to Bishop Auckland, Sir Alex Ferguson said: "Everyone at Old Trafford has a special place in their hearts for what is undoubtedly one of the most respected and famous clubs in football."

And the friendship remained after United’s 4-1 win at Kingsway in 1996.

Several years later United wanted rid of their Old Trafford floodlights and happily agreed to donate them to Bishop.

Mr Duffy said: “Two of our lads went down there with a van to collect them and who should come out to greet them but Sir Alex Ferguson.

“He shook their hands and wished them well, what other championship winning manager would do that?”

Bishop received 22 floodlights from United which unfortunately proved too powerful for Heritage Park, their new stadium in St Helen Auckland, so, with the Red Devil’s blessing, were donated to worthy local causes.

While the national headlines will remember Fergie for the 38 trophies won during his reign at one of the world’s top clubs, Bishop Auckland will never forget the day he helped save their club.