Manchester United's manager Alex Ferguson and his wife Cathy attend an event. File/Reuters

Sir Alex Ferguson's wife Cathy has passed away aged 84, the family have announced.

The Glaswegian mother-of-three – who was described by her husband as his ‘bedrock’ – died in the morning of October 5 in Cheshire surrounded by family.

Cathy was credited with having helped nurse him back to health after he suffered a stroke following his retirement from the club in 2013.

A statement on behalf of the Ferguson family said: “We are deeply saddened to confirm the passing of Lady Cathy Ferguson, survived by her husband, three sons, two sisters, 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. The family asks for privacy at this time.”

The pair were married for nearly 60 years before her death, having met while they were both working at a typewriter factory in Glasgow.

When Ferguson announced his retirement as manager of Manchester United in 2013 following a remarkable and enduring period of success, he said: “My wife Cathy has been the key figure throughout my career, providing a bedrock of both stability and encouragement. Words are not enough to express what this has meant to me.”

A Manchester United club statement said: “Everyone at Manchester United sends our heartfelt condolences to Sir Alex Ferguson and his family. Lady Cathy was a beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother, and a tower of strength for Sir Alex throughout his career.”

Manchester City issued a reply to United’s social media post concerning Cathy’s death which read: “Everyone at Manchester City sends their condolences to Sir Alex Ferguson and his family at this very difficult time.”

In the documentary titled ‘Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In’ , released in 2021, Sir Alex dedicated his career to Cathy.

He discussed meeting his future wife in the factory where they worked. “I was 22. I had this friend, she said to me, ‘There’s a really nice girl, just started.’ I’d suffered an injury in football and had a plaster on my face. She thought I was a gangster or a boxer. I took her to the movies.”

Cathy revealed in the documentary, which was directed by their son Jason, that Sir Alex had taken her to the cinema on their first date.

“He bought me a box of liquorice allsorts at the movies, of which he ate all of them, and a local paper when we came out. That was my romantic day,” she said. “We got married in Glasgow registry office in 1966 and that was the start. I went to my work and he went to his football.”

Jason Ferguson said in the film that his mother had been his father’s “rock”, adding: “She has allowed him to indulge in his obsession. She more or less brought me and my brothers up on her own and made sacrifices to allow him to do what he did.”

Flags at Old Trafford have been lowered to half-mast as a mark of respect, while the men’s and women’s teams will wear black armbands in their fixtures this weekend.

The Independent