Darren Fletcher has reportedly asked Sir Alex Ferguson for permission to sleep with the light on, continuing a long-standing tradition among former Manchester United players of seeking approval from their old manager before making even the smallest personal decisions.
Sources say Fletcher made the request late on Sunday evening, explaining that it had been “a bit of a long day” and that leaving the light on would help him “settle.” Ferguson is understood to have listened carefully before agreeing it was acceptable, provided it did not become a habit.
The request came shortly before Fletcher revealed he had also sought Ferguson’s blessing to take on the role of interim Manchester United manager, a disclosure that prompted little surprise inside the club.
Former players say the behaviour is ingrained. Ole Gunnar Solskjær, during his time as manager, famously refused to park in the manager’s designated space at Carrington out of respect, leaving it unused throughout his tenure. Michael Carrick is believed to have read his team selection aloud over the phone before his first match, interpreting long pauses as approval.
Phil Neville, meanwhile, reportedly once rang Ferguson to ask if it was alright to have a Bounty chocolate bar before dinner, having already been told no by someone else. Permission was granted, with conditions.
One former defender is said to have checked whether it was acceptable to wear trainers to work. Another asked before turning the heating up. A third sought reassurance that it was fine to leave early “if the traffic looked bad.”
A club insider said the calls are rarely framed as requests. “They explain the situation,” he said. “Then they wait.”
Asked whether the behaviour would ever stop, the source was doubtful. “Sir Alex retired,” he said. “Everyone else just never quite grew up.”
