Bilbao revisited for Fergie

Fergie back in Bilbao 47 years, almost to the day, since the Manchester United manager played there in the old Uefa Fairs Cup for Dunfermline.

Alex Ferguson challenges in first leg at San Mames Stadium

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, was reminded of previous trips to Bilbao as he prepared for this evening's Europa League game against Athleic Bilbao. An image of Athletic's great goalkeeper Jose Iribar, in his line of vision in the press room, prompted him to offer the reminder that "I scored against him actually" - the goal which set Rangers on their way to a 4-1 win at Ibrox in a Fairs Cup quarter-final, 43 years ago this week.

But Fergie recalled the Inter Cities Fairs Cup Third Round meeting with the Basque country club while he was a Pars player. He told the pre match press conference:-

"I came with Dunfermline and we lost 1-0 here and won 1-0 in Dunfermline. They tossed the coin in those days and the third game had to come back here and we lost in extra time."

Fergie comes close in second leg

Alex Ferguson scored 21 goals for Dunfermline that season, one in which they totalled 121 goals in all competitions and had two other players - John McLauchlin and Jackie Sinclair score 20. It had taken Willie Cunningham's side three games to get past Third Lanark on the way to that season's Scottish Cup Final but they weren't so fortunate in the third game of their Fairs Cup tie that was played in Bilbao.

Sitting at a table inside Athletic Bilbao's 99-year-old Estadio San Mames on Wednesday, Sir Alex Ferguson was temporarily distracted by nostalgia.

It was hard to blame him really. It is 47 years, almost to the day, since the Manchester United manager played there in the old Uefa Fairs Cup for Dunfermline. Four years later, he scored against the Spanish team for Rangers at Ibrox.

The goalkeeper he beat, Spain's Jose Angel Iribar, was pictured on the wall a couple of feet from where Ferguson sat. "He never had a chance with my header," smiled Fergie. "A two-yard bullet."