Sir Dave Brailsford – the ruthless innovator mentored by Sir Alex Ferguson tasked with changing Manchester United’s fortunes

Sir Dave Brailsford is the cycling guru tasked with returning Manchester United to their former glory.

But how did one of the most important figures in British sport this century end up at the biggest football club in the world?

Brailsford sat next to Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford as they limped to a 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest on December 30 — knowing full well the size of the task ahead of him.

The 59-year-old is widely acknowledged to have turned British cycling into a juggernaut, winning Olympic gold medals and Tour de France titles by the bucket load.

Brailsford is director of sport at INEOS — Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s petrochemicals empire that has recently turned its attention to sport.

INEOS has purchased a 25 per cent stake in Manchester United from the much maligned Glazer family and it will take over much of the day-to-day football operations.

Brailsford will play an intriguing role at Old Trafford as part of a three-person committee that will shape all aspects of the club.

But how did the 59-year-old end up here?

Brailsford first started working for British Cycling in 1998  as an equipment procurer having previously worked in sales at Planet X bikes.

The shock departure of Peter Keen as performance director in 2003 thrust Brailsford into the top job. In those early days he was very much winging it; one insider told author Kenny Pryde in The Medal Factory that Brailsford was ‘wetting himself because the job was so big’.

The early signs of success were there at the Athens Olympics in 2004 where Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins won their first gold medals.

Next, now flush with Lottery money, success continued to Beijing in 2008 and of course to London 2012 where Britain dominated.

While Team GB’s huge successes at the