Sir Alex Ferguson turned up to watch former club Aberdeen after it emerged this week that his lucrative role as Manchester United ambassador would end.
Ferguson, who won 28 major trophies as the United manager, has been a global ambassador for the club since retiring in 2013. But the role worth millions of dollars will cease at the end of the season in a cost-cutting move.
It was reported Ferguson, who has regularly attended United games since retiring, had a prior engagement and planned to miss United’s game against Brentford at Old Trafford.
He was pictured in the crowd at Celtic Park in Glasgow to watch as Aberdeen came from two goals down to maintain their unbeaten start to the season with a thrilling 2-2 draw at champions Celtic.
Ferguson won 10 major trophies as Aberdeen manager before leaving to join United in 1986. Aberdeen had enjoyed an outstanding start to the season, winning all of 13 games before playing Celtic.
The point kept the Dons level with Celtic at the top of the Premiership and the manner of their second-half comeback will only fuel optimism among their supporters following Jimmy Thelin’s remarkable start to life as manager.
Two goals inside three first-half minutes from Reo Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi had the home fans declaring the title was staying at Parkhead but replies from Ester Sokler and Graeme Shinnie had Aberdeen level by the hour mark.
Aberdeen substitute Duk had a goal disallowed for handball before surviving a VAR check for the same offence right at the end of 13 minutes of stoppage-time after clearing Alistair Johnston’s shot off the line.
Thelin said: “I like the team spirit the players have, how they help each other. It’s not easy to come here and have 2-0 against you and go out in the second half when Celtic have such quality.
“But the players showed spirit and scored two goals, and we also tried to find another one in transitions and set-plays.
“Then of course sometimes you need to have some luck. In the last three, four, five minutes there were some crazy moments on the pitch.
But the players sacrificed themselves, they gave everything they had. They were tired but they keep believing, they’re helping each other. That’s also something you need sometimes, a little bit of luck, but also the extra effort to get the point in these difficult away games.
“I’m proud of the players and the fans who supported us all the way.”