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FERGIE REACTION

Inside the moment Sir Alex Ferguson phoned an impersonator to tell him EXACTLY what he thought of his impression of him

It wasn't the reaction you might have expected

IF you make a living doing impersonations, naturally some will be more daunting than others.

But Sir Alex Ferguson? Perhaps the most daunting of them all...

Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United manager.
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Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the most recognisable faces - and voices - in footballCredit: Action Images - Reuters
Video still of Jonathan Watson impersonating Alex Ferguson.
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Jonathan Watson impersonated Sir Alex regularly throughout the yearsCredit: BBC
Jonathan Watson as Sir Alex Ferguson on Gogglebox.
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It was one of his most common sketchesCredit: Handout

Many a footballer has been on the end of the hairdryer treatment from the Manchester United legend.

So imagine if you tried to make a mockery of him on television?

Well as it turns out, he took it surprisingly well.

Long before his Two Doors Down fame, Jonathan Watson was a regular on our TV screens with Naked Video and Only an Excuse.

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It was the latter programme that made him a fixture for footie fans, as he did impersonation of famous faces within the Scottish game and beyond.

Sir Alex was one of his most frequent skits, and the United icon took notice.

So much so that he called up Watson one day after seeing his impression of him, after obtaining his number from former Rangers manager Walter Smith.

But it WASN'T to have a go at him.

Watson recalled on the Some Laugh podcast: "Years and years ago he actually phoned me.

"I came back from rehearsals one day and I had the old fashioned answer machine, the wee light was going so there was a message there.

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"So I put it on and it played and this voice goes 'Hello John it's Sir Alex Ferguson here, hope you don't mind me calling you. I got your number from Walter and I wonder if you could do me a wee favour and give me a call either at home or at Carrington Training Ground. It would be lovely to hear from you.'"

Watson was shocked to say the least.

He said: "I'm staring at this thing going, 'What?!'

"I couldn't believe it.

"Sir Alex used to say 'You canny do me, Ryan Giggs can do me but you canny'.

"But he was great. He really was.

"One of my favourite sketches was with Kirsty Wark, where she was interviewing me as Sir Alex releasing a book."

Man in glasses sits in a yellow chair during a podcast interview.
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Watson spoke about his experience with Sir Alex on the Some Laugh podcastCredit: SOME LAUGH PODCAST
Jonathan Watson as Alex Ferguson and Kirsty Wark holding a copy of Alex Ferguson's book, *Leading*.
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A still from Watson's favourite Sir Alex skit, with broadcaster Kirsty WarkCredit: BBC

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