In the fourth instalment of our exclusive five-day series, Manchester United assistant Mike Phelan tells of his admiration for Sir Alex Ferguson, and his new-found ‘fame’ on BBC’s Match Of The Day.

IF some know Mike Phelan for his time at Burnley, others for his trophy-winning playing days with Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant manager is reaching a new audience right now.

Around three million people each week tune in to Match of the Day and it is Phelan, not Ferguson, who they see delivering the post-match verdict on United’s latest performance.

Ferguson continues to refuse interviews with the BBC, still upset over a Panorama documentary about son Jason in 2004, and even the prospect of being fined by the Premier League this season has failed to change his stance.

Phelan’s media approach may be somewhat more restrained than that of his boss but he says the experience is useful – even if it has led to a few awkward moments.

“You get recognised a little bit more now than you ever did, purely because your fizzog’s on TV now and again,” said the 48-year-old, who lives in Barrowford.

“You get those little stares when you’re out and those uncomfortable moments now and again.

“The television is one side of things I’ve had to work on but it’s gone okay.

“I enjoy it, it’s interesting, although it becomes a little bit repetitive in some ways because they’re only looking for one of two things, which is controversy – and controversy.

“You have to learn about what the underlying question is. You can be hit by a dozen questions but it’s one that they’re really looking for.

“It’s a game that you have to play but I think if you’re honest, people understand that.

“You don’t have to be controversial. You don’t have to go looking for problems.”

“He can talk to who he likes when he likes,” said Phelan of Ferguson.

“I think he’s earned that.

“But he’s always there for people, he never turns down an opportunity to help people.

“Sometimes people live off what he says and take him a bit too seriously. But from my point of view I’m happy to play my part when I have to.”

Ferguson has long been renowned for dishing out the hairdryer treatment when riled but, while Phelan was on the wrong end of it himself during five years as a player at Old Trafford, his approach as assistant is a little different.

“I certainly had it, he had his moments!” recalls Phelan of his playing days.

“Usually when either the team wasn’t playing well or you were having a nightmare individually, he’d let you know.

“Sometimes it could be the last kick of the game and if it happened to be you, you’d just be on the end of it.

“But he never went over the top. He always said what he had to say and that was the end of it, it was never an ongoing issue.

“I can know now when it’s coming and when it’s not coming. I have a different style. I don’t think you can have two people of the same ilk in the same room with a group of football players. You have to feed off each other.“

Phelan started his coaching career as assistant manager at Norwich, following his former Carrow Road team-mate Gary Megson to Blackpool and Stockport.

But, for him, nothing can compare to working at United, particularly having won the Champions League for the first time in Moscow three years ago.

“To be successful is a major thing at this football club,” he said.

“There are challenges to be met by individuals, not too many, but at a club like this every decision has a consequence.”

That was perhaps best illustrated by the Wayne Rooney saga, which rumbled on for a worrying period in October before the striker signed a new contract.

“You learn in this job that you have to confront these issues and we have done,” he said.

“There are always things that you don’t really need. But it’s not just about being a football club, we’ve got football players and staff who do other things other than play football. You just deal with it.”