Sir Alex Ferguson appears in court to defend Ryan Giggs in assault case

The former Manchester United manager, 80, spoke about his relationship at the club with Giggs, who is on trial charged with assaulting his ex-girlfriend Kate Greville.

Ferguson told Manchester Crown Court on Friday that Giggs had a “fantastic temperament”, adding: “To have a career as long as he had in a difficult position, in terms of energy, he fulfilled everything we ever wished for.”

He said Giggs was “without doubt the best example we had at the club” and “everyone looked at Ryan Giggs as the number one”.

Asked by Giggs’ barrister Chris Daw QC if he had ever seen him “lose his temper or become aggressive”, Ferguson replied: “No.”

Ryan Giggs stands accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend Kate Greville

Earlier, jurors heard the contents of a “final goodbye” letter written by Greville on October 29, 2020 – three days before Giggs allegedly assaulted her.

The letter, titled The Final Goodbye, details the former Manchester United footballer’s alleged infidelities with at least eight women.

Giggs’s defence team read the letter, which began: “I know pretty much everything you have been doing with other women behind my back since the day I met you.”

Greville described Giggs as a “compulsive liar and serial cheat”, telling him: “My gut always told me you couldn’t be trusted.

“I now know you say the same things you say to me to multiple women.

“I’m nothing special, I was just the one you didn’t let have a happy life.”

Greville claimed the “other women” have “husbands and kids”.

Jurors heard the “goodbye” letter continued: “I know you and Helen had a full-on relationship while you were sleeping with me.

“You told her you loved her and wanted to have a family.”

The letter said “Helen” had “met the kids” and that she and Giggs were “in constant contact, even now”.

It went on to say: “You and Zara were also in a full-on relationship for nearly a year,” adding that Giggs “got your Harrods guy to send her a pair of shoes and a dress”.

The letter continued: “I know about Natalie and Suzie, not to mention Kelly.

“I know about the women you meet at the Stafford.”

She also accused him of “sending dirty messages about threesomes with Charlotte from Hotel Football”.

The letter also detailed an incident of Giggs “shagging someone else” when he was supposed to be picking Greville up.

It said: “Oh, and I know about Steph – she’s married to the cricketer now.”

Greville accused them of having a “full blown affair in 2014” which “carried on the whole time you were seeing me”.

Greville added: “Let’s not forget about (name redacted)” – another woman he was accused of being unfaithful with.

The letter continued: “You will never lie to me or cheat on me again.”

Greville said she intended to keep the puppy she and Giggs had bought, saying: “I think after everything you have put me through I deserve to have something good from this relationship.”

She said she had “finally found out I fell in love with a person who doesn’t even exist”, adding, “I’m sad you could never be honest with me about anything.

“You were constantly telling me you want to be happy but us girls can always tell when a man is lying and cheating.

“A little bit of advice: If you want to be happy with someone, be honest. Don’t cheat.

“I believe you loved and still love Helen but you cheated on her with me.”

Giggs, 48, denies using controlling and coercive behaviour against Greville, 38, between August 2017 and November 2020, assaulting her, causing actual bodily harm, and the common assault of her younger sister, Emma Greville, 26.

Giving evidence earlier in the week, self-confessed “love cheat” Giggs told the jury he had been unfaithful in all his previous relationships but had never assaulted a woman.

He said he had never been able to resist “interest” from an “attractive woman”, agreed he was a “flirt by nature”, and confirmed he had lied more than once to his ex-wife Stacey and PR executive Greville.