How does someone manage a football team ? When asked in an interview many footballers say its all about knowing when to give your players a swift kick up the backside and when to put an arm round their shoulder. Most people would be able to manage both movements but the skill apparently is in knowing when and with whom. Astrologically a kick would be a Mars activity and the ability to deliver it swiftly and decisively would be best in its own sign Aries. The nurturing arm round the shoulder would be down to the Moon, to do it in a paternalistic way Jupiter would be needed and for friendly encouragement, Gemini. Interesting then that the man regarded as the finest football manager of all, Sir Alex Ferguson has both Mars in Aries and the Moon in conjunction with Jupiter in Gemini. He also has the Sun in Capricorn, a sign particularly recognized for organizational and managerial abilities.

Ferguson’s career is staggering in its achievements and longevity but Pluto moves slowly and it makes very few transiting aspects over a career, even one as long as Ferguson’s. The most important points in football charts are the Sun and Mars for the competitive nature. In Ferguson’s chart the Sun is in close aspect to his Ascendant so any transits of Pluto to Ferguson’s natal Sun, Mars and Ascendant would be major turning points in his life.

The most important of all transits are Pluto to the Sun – no one will have more than two in a lifetime and they are always life defining watershed moments. The stunning thing about Ferguson’s managerial career is that they marked both the beginning and end of it. He became manager of East Stirlingshire in Jun 1974 moving to St Mirren in October of that year. Pluto created a powerful Tsquare with his Sun and Ascendant from the beginning of 1974 to August 1976.

After nearly 40 years in management and 26 at the very highest level with arguably the world’s biggest football club, Manchester United, Ferguson retired at the end of last season, the timing of which was a surprise to most people but not to Capricorn Astrology Research because Pluto was conjunct his Sun for 2013. Retirement for someone so utterly consumed by the game would inevitably be the biggest transformation of all.

Ferguson’s big breakthrough was at Aberdeen where he had incredible success winning major trophies every year from 1980 to 1986, all in a country that had always been dominated by the Glasgow giants, Rangers and Celtic. The main transit for this period was Pluto opposite Mars in 1981 – 2.

Ferguson moved to United in 1986 when club was in a bad shape, having not won the League title for 26 years. Sir Alex changed all that winning 13 league titles and the coveted European Champions League twice.

Ferguson decided to retire in 2002 and announced his decision the year before, United had a poor year and the manager felt that the announcement had a negative impact on their performance. He stayed on and they won the title back again in 2003. Pluto was opposite the Moon throughout 2002 -3 and given how Pluto / Sun aspects began and ended his career, its interesting that the only Pluto / Moon contact to occur happened when he threatened to retire.

And finally Ferguson did retire with Pluto conjunct his Sun in 2013. The only question left to ask is – did he manage Pluto or did Pluto manage him ?