SIR ALEX....ST MIRREN

The only club to have sacked Sir Alex Ferguson is (was?) St Mirren, the Scottish minnows that gave him the "boot" in 1978, but the nucleus of the squad  he built, continued to flourish after he had moved on to Aberdeen. 

They finished third in the Scottish First Division in the 1979/80 season, earning the club a "first ever foray" in European football. They finished third in the Scottish First Divsion (as it was "available" then), giving the Dons the opportunity to play "in Europe".

The first "tie" was on "this day" in 1980 against Sweden's IF Elfsborg, which  they won 2-1. They were put out in the following round and have not had much luck in Europe since!

First Round: IF Elfsborg (Sweden)

17 September 1980 (Away): IF Elfsborg 1–2 St Mirren (Doug Somner scored St Mirren's first-ever European goal)
1 October 1980 (Home): St Mirren 0–0 IF Elfsborg (St Mirren won 2–1 on aggregate).

Second Round: Saint-Étienne (France)

22 October 1980 (Home): St Mirren 0–0 Saint-Étienne
5 November 1980 (Away): Saint-Étienne 2–0 St Mirren (Saint-Étienne won 2–0 on aggregate)

St Mirren Football Club is based in Paisley, Renfrewshire, that competes in the Scottish Premiership after winning the 2017-18 Scottish Championship. Founded in 1877, the team has two nicknames: The Buddies and The Saints. 

St Mirren Football Club was originally a gentlemen's club which was formed in the second half of the 19th century and played, among other sports, cricket and rugby. The increasing popularity of football ensured that by 1877 the members had decided to play association football and 1877 is the football club's official foundation date. They are named after Saint Mirin, the founder of a church at the site of Paisley Abbey and Patron Saint of Paisley. There is also a street in Paisley named St Mirren Street.

Their first match, on 6 October 1877, was when the club defeated Johnstone Britannia 1–0 at Shortroods. Two years later, the club moved to another ground named Thistle Park at Greenhills. It was in 1883 that the club moved to its third home, that of West March (early maps indicate the area as West March rather than the commonly used Westmarch), defeating Queen's Park in the first game there. The 1890 season was a historic season for St Mirren, as they became founder members of the Scottish Football League along with fellow Paisley club Abercom. Of the eleven founder clubs, only five survive in the current league system.