Sir Alex Ferguson silenced stadium when he hooked Figo for Sir Bobby Charlton

Sir Alex Ferguson's unwavering loyalty to Sir Bobby Charlton had him replacing him a 31-year-old Luis Figo for the England legend during a charity match.

The pair had shared a close bond since the Scot became Manchester United manager in 1986, an appointment that he had gotten with the help of Charlton who told the hierarchy at the club to bring him in. The 13-time Premier League winner penned an 1,000 word eulogy following the death of the England legend as he opened up about the first time he watched him in action.

Ferguson, 81, also spoke about the pair's experience during a charity match in 2004 where the former Manchester United legend brought on Charlton – who was 67-year-old at the time – for former Ballon d'Or winner, Luis Figo. In the eulogy, he wrote: "One of my favourite memories is a charity match organised by Luis Figo in Portugal, when I was invited to manage Figo's team, and I took Bobby as a player at the age of 67.

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"The racing driver Michael Schumacher was playing and there was an agreement that he had to stay on for the whole 90 minutes. I made seven changes at half-time and then another early in the second half, leaving Bobby as the only unused sub. He was in my ear telling me to put him on but the only player other than Schumacher who I could take off was Figo, in his own match!"

Ferguson admitted he succumbed to the pressure as he subbed off the Portuguese superstar who was playing for Real Madrid at the time and won the Ballon d'Or just four years previous. "Eventually I gave in, and the board went up showing Figo's number. There was a gasp from the crowd and Figo came off and gave me a look. But then Bobby goes on and plays absolutely fantastically."

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Charlton's impressive cameo had a 31-year-old Figo stunned as Ferguson continued: "Figo turns around to me on the bench and says, 'There's no way he's 67, he plays like he's 27'. All the way home to Manchester, Bobby was complaining to me about not getting enough time on the pitch! That just sums up the enthusiasm he had for football."

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