There may be signs of his dynasty crumbling at Manchester United, but Alex Ferguson's managerial influence stretches well beyond Old Trafford.

Albion's Mark McGhee and Hartlepool's Neale Cooper, two of Fergie's star pupils, face each other at Withdean on Saturday.

Several other successful bosses have emerged from the Aberdeen side Ferguson guided to European glory 21 years ago, a remarkable testimony to his powers of motivation.

In May 1983, ten days before Albion appeared in the FA Cup final at Wembley against Manchester United, Aberdeen lifted the European Cup Winners' Cup with a famous victory over Real Madrid in Gothenburg.

McGhee and Cooper were in good company on that summer's night in Sweden.

Gordon Strachan, Alex McLeish, Willie Miller, Eric Black and Doug Rougvie, have all gone on to achieve managerial success as well at different levels in England and Scotland.

The Fergie effect is not lost on McGhee. "It was no coincidence that those players became managers," he said.

"Alex Ferguson signed and developed players with character, so he deserves enormous credit for that. He gathered together a group where there was a high concentration of guys with strong character and mental strength. He added them to the likes of Willie Miller to mould a successful team.

"Those are the same type of characters who are then going to go on into management. They had a lot to say in the dressing room, a lot of opinions, and they were interested in football.

"That might sound strange to the layman, but there are plenty of footballers whose interest doesn't go beyond their own club. That doesn't mean they are unprofessional. They train well, they work hard for the team, but they don't watch every single game that is on the telly, they don't go to games, they don't take an interest in European football. Most of us did."

McGhee does not quite know what to expect from his former Aberdeen team-mate on Saturday.

"I have no idea what Hartlepool are going to be like because Neale is not someone you can quantify easily," said McGhee. "He was one of the youngest members of the squad and he was always a bit of a comedian in the dressing room, full of nonsense.

"He used to wind Fergie up to fever pitch and yet he could get away with it.

"He was a real box to box player with a great attitude and very physical.

"I remember him getting booked once straight from the kick-off when Celtic played us at Pittodrie.

"Fergie told him he had to stop Charlie Nicholas. As Charlie went to play the ball back to the centre half Neale landed on him, which set the tone."

Cooper's comic role extended to mimickry. "The lads loved it because they knew I could impersonate Fergie," he said.

"Mark and the others would wind me up to do it. Maybe it was the effect Fergie had which made so many of us become managers. I also played for people like Graham Taylor, Graeme Souness and Walter Smith, but he was the best without a doubt.

"You take a bit from everybody, but I look back to Fergie more than anyone and I think Mark is that way as well. Mark was close to him. They had their arguments, but deep down they got on really well."

Cooper took over at Hartlepool last summer after they were promoted under Mike Newell. Saturday's visit to Withdean is no laughing matter. The north-east minnows are only three points and three places off the play-offs.

"We slipped up against Brentford last Saturday, but we have done better than anyone thought we would," Cooper warned. "Everyone had us as favourites for relegation."