What happened after Ferguson left?
After Ferguson
Every United fan knows the split — 13 league titles under Ferguson, 0 since. The floor that held for a generation gave way after May 2013; average finish slipped from 3rd to 5th, bottoming out at 15th.
- 2013-14First season after Ferguson7th under David MoyesSeven weeks after Ferguson left, United finished seventh — their lowest placing since 1990 and the first campaign outside the top four in twenty years..
- 2017-18Best finish since Ferguson2nd under José MourinhoNineteen points behind City, but second place — as close as any successor has come to bridging the gap..
- 2024-25Worst finish since Ferguson15th under Rúben AmorimFifteenth in the table — three places off the relegation zone, the lowest finish in the Premier League era..
Rebuild· 1986–92 · no titles until '9313th lowestFerguson left · May 2013ChampionsTop four13titles · avg 2.90since · avg 5.4'90'00'10'2019862026TitleFerguson eraSince FergusonLowest finishHigher is better · every point opens that season One dot per season — higher is better. The red line held the top four for a generation; after Ferguson left it fell away.
Answer
Twenty-six years without the league, then twenty-six with Ferguson at the helm — 13 titles, top four 23 times, averaging 3rd in the table even through the rebuild. Since May 2013: 0 titles, only 6 top-four finishes, average 5th, and a low of 15th. Every fan feels the drop; the season-by-season record shows exactly where it landed.
The evidence
Longevity and rate — Ferguson on two axes
Ferguson's 1,497 matches at 2.01 points per game sit alone in the top-right — no successor has matched both. Since 2013 every permanent spell has been shorter; the longest, Solskjær, reached just 168 matches — under one-ninth of Ferguson's reign.
Ferguson · BusbySince 2013 · one dot per tenureEarlier managersThe drop in three seasons
Moyes's first year, the best any successor has managed, and the campaign that hit the floor — each opens the full season.
First season after Ferguson2013-14 season →David Moyes7th7th20 teams19W7D12LW1950%D718%L1232%38 played · 50% win rate64 pts64–43 · +21 GDSeven weeks after Ferguson left, United finished seventh — their lowest placing since 1990 and the first campaign outside the top four in twenty years.
Best finish since Ferguson2017-18 season →2nd20 teams25W6D7LW2566%D616%L718%38 played · 66% win rate81 pts68–28 · +40 GDNineteen points behind City, but second place — as close as any successor has come to bridging the gap.
Also finished 2nd in 2020-21 under Solskjær.
Worst finish since Ferguson2024-25 season →Rúben Amorim15th15th20 teams11W9D18LW1129%D924%L1847%38 played · 29% win rate42 pts44–54 · -10 GDFifteenth in the table — three places off the relegation zone, the lowest finish in the Premier League era.
Definition
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Top-flight league finishes (First Division / Premier League) season by season. Ferguson's reign runs 8 Nov 1986 to 19 May 2013; everything after is the post-Ferguson era. Post-2013 seasons are attributed to the manager who took most league matches that season, mapped to their tenure dates.
Top-flight league finishes (First Division / Premier League) season by season. Ferguson's reign runs 8 Nov 1986 to 19 May 2013; everything after is the post-Ferguson era. Post-2013 seasons are attributed to the manager who took most league matches that season, mapped to their tenure dates.
Coverage
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Result-level record — complete for every official match across both eras. No advanced metrics; the comparison uses league position and titles, exactly as the record supports.
Result-level record — complete for every official match across both eras. No advanced metrics; the comparison uses league position and titles, exactly as the record supports.