Fergie lifts BBC boycott after Thompson summit

One of the longest-running grudges in football has finally been laid to rest after Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson agreed to lift his ban on talking to the BBC, seven years after he began boycotting the broadcaster.

But it took the intervention of none other that BBC director general Mark Thompson to broker the rapprochement, which was greeted with widespread surprise this morning.

The famously short-tempered Scot blew his top with the Beeb back in 2004 when it made allegations about his son, Jason, a football agent, in a Panorama documentary entitled Father and Son.

No wrongdoing was ever proved and a furious Fergie vowed that he would not have any more dealings with the corporation. And for seven years he has been true to his word, refusing to speak to Match of the Day or Radio 5 Live.

In his stead fans have become accustomed to seeing Ferguson's deputy, Mike Phelan, wheeled out to offer pre- and post-match analysis.

News of the peace deal came in a short statement from the club on Thursday morning. "Sir Alex Ferguson and the BBC have decided to put behind them the difficulties which led to Sir Alex feeling unable to appear on BBC programmes," it said. "This follows a meeting between Sir Alex and the BBC's director general, Mark Thompson, and BBC North director Peter Salmon, and the issues have been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties."

It added that neither party would comment further. Although a BBC insider told The First Post: "It's been a bit embarrassing for us, so we are glad to have him back on board."

Previously not even the Premier League had been able to force Ferguson to talk to the BBC. New rules requiring managers to speak to the media were introduced last season, but Fergie simply ignored them, even though he faced a fine every time he snubbed the Beeb.

The cessation of hostilities also comes as a surprise as the manager has made no secret of his antipathy towards the corporation. In 2007 he said the BBC was "arrogant beyond belief" and added: "It is such a huge organisation that they will never apologise. They don't even care if you sue them or whatever, because they are so huge and have insurance. They carry on regardless and it's breathtaking."

Viewers can look forward to seeing Fergie back on the BBC this weekend, when United face Arsenal. ·