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Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson pictured before his side's Premier League match against Hull City at Old Trafford, Manchester, north-west England, on January 23.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson revealed on Thursday he was once so downhearted with his career as a footballer he nearly quit the game and emigrated to Canada.

However, after some strong words from his mother the man known for his 'hair-dryer' bawling out of under-performing players, scored a 'life-changing' hat-trick against Rangers.

Ferguson, 68, is now the most successful British manager of all-time, having guided Manchester United to 11 Premier League titles and two European Cups during his 24 years at Old Trafford amidst over 30 trophies in total that also include domestic and European honours won with Scottish side Aberdeen.

But in the 1960s he was struggling to make his way in football as a centre-forward with Scottish club St Johnstone.

"I was part-time and in a reserve game against Airdrie I broke my eyesocket, cheekbone and nose and was out for months. They put this massive plaster cast on my face," Ferguson told students in Glasgow on Thursday, with his comments carried on United's official club website www.manutd.com.

"After I came back from the injury I played three reserve games. We lost 8-1, 7-0 and 9-2. I said 'that's it - I am finished'. I took out papers to emigrate to Canada.

"On the Friday, my brother's girlfriend phoned up my manager at St Johnstone and told him I had the 'flu. But when I arrived home from a night at the swimming baths with my pals, my mother tore into me.

"She said, 'I've had a telegram from your manager - get down to the telephone booth and call him'. The manager said: 'Report to the Bath Hotel tomorrow, you're playing against Rangers'.

"I scored a hat trick and became the first player to do so against Rangers at Ibrox - it changed my life. I became a full-time footballer in the summer and never looked back."

Ferguson, whose United side continue their quest for a fourth successive Premier League title against bottom of the table Portsmouth on Saturday, said the attitude of players starting out in football had changed greatly during his years in the game.

"Young players now are more fragile, they are more cocooned. They are encouraged by an insatiable press to think they are better than they really are, and they are protected by their agents."

And Ferguson, who has a reputation as a no-nonsense manager, insisted that meant even he had had to change his tone.

"You have to deal with that in sport now. You have to be very conciliatory."