Fergie told me I’d far too many brains in my head

And Michael Stewart will never forget that assessment of him by Sir Alex Ferguson.

The pair enjoyed a rollercoaster relationship during Stewart’s stint at Old Trafford.

Stewart, however, will never have anything less than the utmost respect for his mentor.

Ferguson will bow out of front-line involvement in football after Sunday’s trip to West Brom after 26 trophy-laden years in the Red Devils’ hot-seat.

For Stewart he’ll always be the man who left him starstruck as a 12-year-old. He explained: “Alex said my problem was that I had too many brains in my head.

“I like to think I know a bit about the game, without trying to sound arrogant, and I won’t sit back and blindly follow if something’s wrong.

“We’re probably similar characters in that regard and he respected that.”

Stewart’s initial meeting with Fergie tells you everything about the legendary manager’s attention to detail.

He said: “I was 12 when I first went down there. During the school holidays United’s scouts from all over Britain would bring down the kids they wanted to showcase to the club.

“The manager was there watching, which shows the level of interest he took in all areas of the club. He came up and said ‘Hi Michael, how are you?’ and it knocked me for six that this great man knew my name.

“I’d come to realise this was one of his greatest strengths, knowing something about everyone at every level within United, and in my case, he knew the names of my mum, dad, brother and a host of other people.

“For me, that’s the ultimate in man-management.

“I’d been at other clubs and it was nothing like that. For example, at Spurs a year earlier I’d stayed in digs and had to get a bus by myself to White Hart Lane, to train with boys five years older than me. It didn’t feel right, whereas United couldn’t have been more different. It’s the biggest club in the world but didn’t feel like a multi-national corporate machine. It was a family.”

Like any family, there are always ups and downs.

Stewart rapidly progressed through the age levels, drawing rave reviews for his technique and tenacity.

But the red mist and a slip of the ball almost derailed the dream before it even got started. He recalled: “I had a great relationship with Alex and I always felt like he kept an eye on me — which wasn’t always a good thing.

“I remember falling out with him after a Scotland Under-21 game.

“I was pulled up for a free-kick and went to throw the ball in frustration, but on a wet night it slipped out of my hand and hit the ref. That’s the truth!

“I was sent off and called into the manager’s office the next morning. He went nuts, absolutely nuts.

“He told me I was representing the club and that behaviour was just unacceptable.

“Any repeat would see me dumped, no matter how good a player I was. Again, that was his man-management in full flow, to bring me down a peg or two.”

Ferguson was due to call it quits at the end of season 2001-02, ideally after Champions League success in Glasgow.

Perhaps with that fairytale curtain call in mind, he abandoned his signing policy to splash the cash on Argentine playmaker Juan Sebastian Veron, which stunted Stewart’s anticipated progress.

Instead he was despatched on loan to Nottingham Forest, to pick up first-team experience ahead of his expected breakthrough in the following campaign.

However, a training ground bust-up with David Johnson once the subject of a failed call-up bid by Scotland, brought his world crashing down. Stewart insists he was the innocent party, but to his team-mates’ horror was frozen out, with Johnson at that point deemed a prized asset.

By the time he returned to Manchester, circumstance had dictated he was a lower-league cast-off and that perception meant he was unlikely to dislodge Veron.

Stewart said: “The manager is the best guy in the world but as soon as he’s finished with you you’re dead to him.

“I’ve still got the utmost respect for him but I saw guys who gave him everything — like Roy Keane — bombed out mercilessly when their time was up.”

Stewart shook off that disappointment to enjoy two spells with boyhood heroes Hearts, one with city rivals Hibs and short-lived stopovers with Turkish outfit Genclerbirligi and Charlton.

The battle scars along the way have helped mould him into one of Scottish football’s most respected pundits.

The recent career switch has seen Stewart adopt the role of fearless observer, drawing comparisons with former team-mate Gary Neville for his refusal to hide behind cosy friendships and bland cliches.

He said: “The punditry work has unexpectedly snowballed but I really enjoy it. I’ve never been worried about upsetting people.

“Because I’d always enjoyed a life outside of football I only have a few friends within the game. I feel free to call it as I see it.”