Moyes to succeed Sir Alex as United manager

Everton FC manager David Moyes has been confirmed as Sir Alex Ferguson's successor at Manchester United FC.

The 50-year-old will officially join the Old Trafford club on 1 July after the expiry of his Everton contract. Moyes, a Glasgow native like Sir Alex, has agreed a six-year deal to take charge of the 20-time English champions.

"It's a great honour to be asked to be the next manager of Manchester United," Moyes said. "I am delighted that Sir Alex saw fit to recommend me for the job.  I have great respect for everything he has done and for the football club.

"I know how hard it will be to follow the best manager ever, but the opportunity to manage Manchester United isn't something that comes around very often and I'm really looking forward to taking up the post next season."

Sir Alex added: "When we discussed the candidates that we felt had the right attributes we unanimously agreed on David Moyes. David is a man of great integrity with a strong work ethic.

"I've admired his work for a long time and approached him as far back as 1998 to discuss the position of assistant manager here. He was a young man then at the start of his career and has since gone on to do a magnificent job at Everton. There is no question he has all the qualities we expect of a manager at this club."

Moyes replaced Walter Smith on Merseyside in March 2002 and in January this year oversaw his 500th match at the Everton helm. Though the former Preston North End FC boss did not win silverware in his 11 years at Goodison Park, he guided the Blues to seventh or higher in eight of his 11 full campaigns. An Everton statement said he had been "an outstanding manager".

In heading to United, Moyes will once again link up with Wayne Rooney, to whom he gave a first-team debut in August 2002 when the then Everton prodigy was two months shy of his 17th birthday.

"I have had a terrific job at Everton, with a tremendous chairman and board of directors and a great set of players," Moyes said. "Between now and the end of the season, I will do everything in my power to make sure we finish as high as possible in the table.

"Everton's fantastic fans have played a big part in making my years at Goodison so enjoyable and I thank them wholeheartedly for the support they have given me and the players. Everton will be close to me for the rest of my life."

Sir Alex announced on Wednesday that he will retire after United's final game of the season on 19 May, bringing to an end a 26-and-a-half-year tenure that yielded two UEFA Champions League triumphs, a European Cup Winners' Cup, a UEFA Super Cup, 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups and four League Cups.