GOVAN-born Alex Ferguson said his Glasgow upbringing taught him about tolerance.

At the launch of his hotly anticipated auto-biography, the former Manchester United manager referenced his home town as he told of how his principles of tolerance on race and religion were formed.

Addressing a packed press conference in London to announce the publication, he explained: "Education and tolerance is important. We have to find a way of living with one another easily. I have no issues with it and I have never had any issues with it [intolerance].

"It is how you are brought up. I came from a family with a Protestant father and a Catholic mother and religion was never discussed in the house, never. If it can be done in a Protestant-Catholic family in Glasgow it can be done in any family throughout the world."

He also revealed that he turned down the job as England manager over fears about returning to Glasgow.

Sir Alex refused the post on two occasions - in 1999 and 2001 - and said: "It was my great opportunity in life to relegate them. There is no way I could have taken the job."

Sir Alex said the Football Association approached Martin Edwards, then the chairman of United, but Sir Alex had told him "just forget it, I am not interested".

He added: "I met Adam Crozier [then chairman of the FA] but it did not take me long to refuse him. Ten seconds. There is no way in a million years I could be a manager of England. Just think of me going back to Scotland, dearie me."

Sir Alex resigned as United manager in April after 27 years and the 71-year-old talked of the influence his wife, Cathy, had on his career and his decision to retire. The book is dedicated to "Bridget, Cathy's sister, rock and best friend".

The death of Bridget proved the catalyst for his retirement as he decided he should spend more time with his grief-stricken wife.

He said of Cathy: "She is an exceptional person. It takes a certain type of person to make sacrifices. Her job has always been to be a wife, a mother and a grandmother. That is what she enjoys most.

"She brought up the kids when I was running two pubs in Glasgow and managing St Mirren Football club. She is the big influence in the family."

Sir Alex fielded questions from journ-alists from as far afield as Australia as well as China, Japan, Italy, Spain and Hungary, with English reporters keen to hear his views on Wayne Rooney.

He maintained that the England striker had asked for a move from Manchester United.

The book also details the rows with players, most notably David Beckham and Roy Keane.

Sir Alex said that Beckham's marriage to Victoria, then in the Spice Girls, had adversely affected the player's career.

The book My Autobiography had already topped the Amazon best seller chart last night.