He took St Mirren from second division strugglers to first division champions in 1977, guided Aberdeen to the 1983 Cup Winners Cup, the Scottish league title on three occasions and five Scottish cups – all in the early 80s. He then led Manchester United to 27 major trophies in a 27 year reign that saw him become arguably the greatest football manager of all time. Despite the seemingly ubiquitous success throughout those utterly remarkable four decades as a manager, there’s one little mentioned period of Sir Alex Ferguson’s career that goes against the grain.

“I’m sitting here and I’m saying to myself: ‘What the hell is going on?’ Look at this here. It’s a shambles, a complete shambles. I mean, it’s not just a part of football – it’s the whole bloody attitude of the nation. You can see that attitude there. The whole thing. They have no respect for other people’s dignity.”

That was a seething Alex Ferguson, venting his fury after his Scotland side’s final group fixture at the 1986 World Cup. Ferguson’s anger was directed at a thuggish Uruguay team who had brutally kicked the Scots up, down and off the pitch throughout their Group E decider at the Estadio Neza in Mexico. Scotland had been drawn in a dangerous looking section that also contained Sepp Piontek’s freewheeling Danes, who would impressively top the group, and eventual losing finalists West Germany. In a 24 team tournament, four of the six third place sides would progress to the last sixteen and this was the prize on offer that day, 28 years ago.

Scotland needed a win in order to progress to the knock out rounds, while the devilish, combative Uruguayans only required a point to seal their place in the latter stages. The prospect of a Diego Maradona inspired Argentina would await the victor. After just 56 seconds, Uruguayan defender Jose Batista set the mood as he scythed down a flame haired Gordon Strachan with a wild lunge from behind and was swiftly sent off. Batista’s dismissal still stands as the fastest in World Cup history. Repeated kicks off the ball and shockingly late tackles characterised an abhorrent display which now marks one of competition’s darkest days.

The position as national team boss was not one that Ferguson had sought, an unusual scenario for the ever-prudent and precise former striker. Sir Alex, or just Alex as he was back then, had begun the qualification campaign as assistant manager to former Celtic European Cup winning boss  Jock Stein, balancing his national team duties with the managerial pressures at Aberdeen. However, tragedy struck during a crucial qualifier against Wales in September 1985.

Scotland trailed 1-0 in the closing stages at Ninian Park, a score line that would’ve seen the Welsh progress and Scotland exit. An eightieth minute Davie Cooper penalty rescued Scotland and the draw put them into a straight forward looking play off against Australia for a place at the finals. Shortly after Cooper’s penalty Stein collapsed in the dugout. A suspended Graeme Souness helped wheel his manager into the stadium’s medical room where the team doctor, Stuart Hillis – also a Glasgow heart surgeon, was unable to save his life. Stein died, there in the Ninian Park medical room – a heart attack the cause.

Supremely distressed at the loss of such a close ally, Ferguson was obliged to inherit a job he didn’t want and, by his own admission, wasn’t ready for. Stein had long been influential on the young Ferguson’s journey through management, often offering shrewd consultation on career decisions. Sir Alex held him in the highest regard, “It was as if the King had died. In football terms, the king had died,” wrote the Manchester United legend in his autobiography. He had been sitting with the great man when he fell.

Nonetheless, Ferguson duly steered Scotland past Australia to reach the finals, where the Tartan Army would be involved in quite possibly the most incident packed World Cup group of the modern era. Much of the excitement was provided by Denmark, who, despite the South Americans warming up for their match with Scotland with a series of reckless challenges, thumped Uruguay 6-1. Michael Laudrup’s stellar performance helped lay on a hat trick for Preben Elkjaer. Unsurprisingly, Uruguay again finished a player short.

It was Laudrup’s men who would finish a man shy after Frank Arnesen received a second yellow card late on in a superb 2-0 win against the ever-competitive Germans. Frank Beckenbauer’s men had started slowly, despite counting Matthaus, Rummenigge and Voller amongst their ranks. Klaus Allofs had snatched a draw with an 84^th minute equaliser in their opener, as the Uruguayans threatened to cause an upset.

Scotland, however, entered the tournament without the talismanic Kenny Dalglish, who had pulled out of the squad through injury. While defender Alan Hansen, crucial to the then all conquering Liverpool side, was also absent from the Mexico party after Ferguson had controversially left him out of the squad. This was a move Stein and Ferguson had long planned, questioning Hansen’s commitment to the cause after a number of late withdrawals. There were rumours that Dalglish had pettily pulled out in protest at the decision, something he has long denied, despite long running ill feeling between himself and Ferguson.

Denmark were cast as Scotland’s first challenge. The Scots ran Sepp Piontek’s side closer than anyone else in the group and were unfortunate to come away with nothing. A cool, stylish Danish passing move led to Elkjear bursting through Scottish defences to slide the ball past Jim Leighton for the solitary goal. Roy Aitken unjustly had his strike ruled out, a goal which would’ve changed Scotland’s perspective on the whole tournament should they have held on.

An impressive start against Germany saw the Scot’s take the lead, Strachan with a 19^th minute angled shot, before being promptly pegged back three minutes later via Rudi Voller’s knee. Allofs again proved his worth for Beckenbauer’s team with an arrowed side-footed effort just after the break, the ball falling invitingly for the then Koln striker nine yards from goal, securing a 2-1 victory in the process.

Despite playing near to 90 minutes against the ten men of Uruguay, Scotland couldn’t break through Omar Barros’ charges’ staunch, often violent, defending and a goalless draw saw them trudge home battered, bruised and angry at the treatment they received at the hands of Uruguay. They exited win-less, while Strachan’s effort against West Germany proved to be their only goal. Captain Souness never got going as the substandard food at the hotel had left him ill and unwilling to eat properly. He was left out of the Uruguay game. While Ferguson’s now familiarly robust siege-like mentality and supreme tactical wherewithal failed to prove the difference for his side. Uruguay quickly followed Scotland home after a 1-0 last sixteen defeat at the hands of Maradona and his Argentineans.

Ferguson was frustrated, even rattled – “I think what happened today, after the traumas that have happened to world football in the last year, the debacle out there today – I tell you, I’m glad to go home, believe me, because it’s no part of football as we have been accepting it for years and years.” A fiery Alex Ferguson outburst is nothing new, although they’re usually carefully pinpointed to serve a purpose, whereas this was sheer rage and aggression, despite Uruguay’s almost prosecutable treatment of his side being quite deserving of such a rant. Ferguson left after the tournament with a record of only 3 wins from 10 games in charge. He eventually took the United job in the Autumn, after turning down Arsenal and Wolves, and the Scots’ abject Mexico tour was hastily forgotten. Sir Alex once described Mexico 86 as the last great World Cup. For him, it was his last great, and possibly only, major failure.