Rafa Benitez Joins Illustrious List After Being Inducted Into LMA 1000 Club Hall of Fame

Rafa Benitez has joined an illustrious list of managers inducted into the League Managers Association (LMA) 1000 Club Hall of Fame for reaching the milestone with Newcastle. 

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LMA President and current England boss Gareth Southgate attended the ceremony, which also saw Carlo Ancelotti, Claudio Ranieri, Sven-Goran Eriksson and John Toshack inducted. 

The list, which now consists of 24 legendary managers, including the likes of Brian Clough, Sir Matt Busby and Arsene Wenger, shows how far Benitez has come throughout his career despite having significant lows - especially during his time at Real Madrid. 

The former Liverpool boss left his post in the Spanish capital to take over at relegation threatened side and, although Newcastle went down, he stayed on as boss and guided them back up at the first attempt. 

One of his biggest opponents, especially during his time at Liverpool, was former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. The pair have been critical of each other throughout their careers, but the Scot has welcomed all six inductees, including Benitez, into the Hall of Fame. 

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"To achieve 1000 games is very good and you have got to admire them because I'm sure at points in their career they've had to face that pressure," said Ferguson.

"The great quality they have is the resilience that experience gives them to have lasted the distance of 1000 games.

"It takes a lot of perseverance and sacrifice, not just from them but from their families because it goes it back into the families."