PRESS RELEASE – SFSA Duncan Ferguson interview re Stirling Football Hall of Fame

PRESS RELEASE

DUNCAN FERGUSON RETURNS TO STIRLING FOR SPECIAL HONOUR AFTER STARRING AT WORLD CUP

This in-depth feature interview with Duncan Ferguson covers his stint at the World Cup as a pundit for ITV, his hopes of returning to management and his childhood growing up in Stirling, ahead of his induction into the new City of Stirling Hall of Fame next month.

If using quotes, please keep in the blurb at the end highlighting the fundraising dinner next month on Friday, August 28th, as well as the link to tickets. Any coverage would be much appreciated.

Duncan Ferguson’s broad Stirling accent was an unexpected star of the World Cup. Now the former Rangers, Everton and Scotland striker is buzzing to return home and become part of his city’s folklore. Ferguson became a fan favourite in America as his no-nonsense punditry for ITV saw him win an army of supporters UK-wide.

Working alongside seasoned pundits like Roy Keane and Ian Wright, the ex-Toffees boss more than held his own giving his opinions on the greatest players and greatest show on earth. Having returned to Scotland, Ferguson is now excited for a special night hosted in his childhood home.

The 54-year-old is among the first five former players and managers from the city to be inducted into the brand new City of Stirling Football Hall of Fame.

After such an amazing summer working abroad, Ferguson can’t wait for the significant fundraising dinner that’s set to be one of the Scottish football events of the year. Ferguson told the SFSA: “Working in America was really good.

“They approached me to do it and I thought, ‘why not?’

“I knew it would be a great experience at the World Cup and it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, really. “Of course, Scotland were there as well so I had even more of an interest there.

“It was a great experience being in Brooklyn and working with the ITV guys.
“They were wonderful. All the other pundits were good guys and I enjoyed it so much. “I enjoyed the football most of all. Talking about football and watching all these world-class players and world-class teams, what’s not to like!
“It’s just a shame that we couldn’t get Scotland out of the group.
“That was the only disappointing thing. I thought they did well enough, especially against Morocco. “I thought they played a good game there, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough and one mistake cost us. “There probably haven’t been many Stirling accents live on TV in that way but I’ve never really lost it.

“I think I’ve slowed down a little, but I’ve still got my accent and I’m proud of it.

“There aren’t a lot of guys who get opportunities like that and to be on that stage with only four or five other guys, it was an honour to be involved.

“Now it’s an absolute honour and proud moment for me to be inducted into this new Hall of Fame in Stirling.

“There’s been a lot of great players to come from this area, so it’s a real honour they deem me worthy of a place.

“My mum’s from the Raploch and my dad’s from St Ninians.
“All my family are from Stirling and I grew up in that area.

“There isn’t a youth pitch I didn’t play on and it was a great area to be brought up in. “My mum and dad still live there and I’m so excited to be involved in this dinner next month.”

Ferguson’s incredible rise to become Scotland’s top goal scorer in the English Premier League began with learning his trade at Stirling youth side Carse Thistle.

His exploits in helping the club win the league and Scottish Cup drew the attention of plenty of scouts, with the towering forward eventually joining Jim McLean’s Dundee United in 1990 at the age of just 16.

Ferguson insists his grounding in Stirling’s youth clubs paved his way to Rangers, Everton and the international stage. Ferguson said: “I played all my youth football in Stirling.

“We won the Scottish Cup 5-0. It was at Tynecastle, I can’t remember who it was against.

“It was under-14 level and we battered them 5-0.
“I played for Cowie Colts as well and Grangemouth. It was all local guys and it was brilliant.

“Carse Thistle was a great grounding for me. “It was a successful team, we won the league and won the Scottish Cup.

“I scored a lot of goals and, of course, then I was getting scouted. “I was the first boy at Bannockburn High School to play for Scotland schoolboys. “I was 16 when I left school, I got an apprenticeship on 45 quid a week. “I was making a name for myself then, really. “And I went to United, they came in for a YTS and I went up there. “That was my first big step into professional football. “I think we’re all proud of where we come from and I certainly am proud of coming from Stirling and doing alright.”

Ferguson will be inducted in the new City of Stirling Football Hall of Fame alongside Leeds icon Billy Bremner, Aberdeen and St Mirren legend Alex Smith, Partick Thistle hero Jimmy Bone and former Manchester United great Jimmy Ryan.

While Ferguson admits he didn’t see much of Bremner in the flesh, he credits ex-Dundee United coach Bone as helping him become the fearsome striker he eventually became. Ferguson said: “I didn’t know anything about football when I was younger.

“There wasn’t as much football on television as there is now. There wasn’t as much YouTube or as much internet.
“So I knew nothing about Billy Bremner until I got a wee bit older.
“Obviously, then you see wee bits and pieces and you start to hear about these boys and what great players they were.
“Wonderful players like Billy, who was from the Raploch and played for Leeds and Scotland.
“He went on to have a fantastic career and so did Jimmy. “Jimmy was actually one of my first youth coaches at Dundee United. “He taught me how to be a striker. He taught me loads of wee bits about how to hold the ball up and how to hold off defenders.

“He also showed me how to stay side on and to put my arm into the chest of my opponent – not in their face as he used to remind me!
“He was a great coach and great educator.
“He used to coach all the licences for the SFA and I did my B licence with Jimmy.
“I used to go and sneak up and see him in a pub in the old arcade in Stirling when I was younger.
“He was a Fallin boy, a proper tough guy.

“To put your name along with these guys, it’s just a huge honour.”

Ferguson was touted as a possible Steve Clarke replacement during his stint with ITV.

After disappointing spells in the dugout with Forest Green and Inverness, the aspiring manager admits he is desperate to get back in the dugout as soon as possible.

Ferguson said: “I want to get back into management.

“I’ve made a couple of crazy decisions in my career in management, but that’s because I was desperate to get in.

“When you’re working every minute of the day as a coach, and you work for Everton and you’re in there 24-7, when you leave and you’re out to football for a week or a month – you think it’s a year because you’ve been working every day.

“It feels like a month’s a year and I went in too quickly and I took the wrong job, especially the first one.

“I took the wrong job. I should never have taken it.
“I didn’t even know where they were in the league.

“And then my last job, Inverness went into administration. So how’s your luck?
“I think I’ve got a lot to offer. I look back and I think I should give myself a good shake.

“I have a lot of experience. I went from managing Everton in the Premier League to managing in League One.

“It was crazy. I should never have made that move. But I did and people make mistakes. “I just need a job, because now I can’t pick and choose.
“When you are out of the game for a year and a half, it’s tough.
“Even though when I was in the Championship with Inverness, my points tally would have had us fifth in the league.

“I’ve got a lot of experience. I’ve worked with the best in the world, and I mean the best in the world.

“I’m very close to Carlo Ancelotti. I spoke to him at the World Cup. I’m close to his son, too.
“We coached together at Everton. I’ve been on holiday with Carlo, stayed in his house in Madrid.
“I’ve worked with Ronald Koeman, Marco Silva, Roberto Martinez, Rafa Benitez and Sam Allardyce as well.
“I’ve worked with a lot of top managers. I’ve managed in the Premier League as well, albeit only for a small stint.
“You would think that experience would get you at least an interview.

“Hopefully an opportunity will come along soon because I know I’ve got so much to offer.”

Blurb to include: Ferguson was speaking to the SFSA to promote the City of Stirling Football Hall of Fame fundraising dinner, taking place at Stirling Rugby Club on Friday, August 28th. Tickets are available here –www.tickettailor.com/events/scottishfootballsupportersassociation/2301085

Further info:

– Scotland’s national independent fans organisation, the Scottish Football
Supporters’ Association (SFSA), is celebrating the most significant players from Stirling on Friday 28th August.
– The special fundraising event will be held at Stirling Rugby Club, which will see the launch of the City of Stirling Football Hall of Fame.
– Scottish football legend Dick Campbell will help launch a new book on former Partick Thistle and St Mirren star Jimmy Bone, written by journalist Ben Ramage, as the former striker is inducted into the new Hall of Fame.
– The event will mark the return of Duncan Ferguson to speak in his home city for the very first time.

– The first five inductees into the City of Stirling Football Hall of Fame will be: Billy Bremner, Duncan Ferguson, Jimmy Bone, Alex Smith and Jimmy Ryan.

– For more information visit https://scottishfsa.org/ or Call SFSA Co Founder Paul Goodwin 0n 07702 252519

Tickets

Buy tickets – City of Stirling Football Hall of Fame launch ( Jimmy Bone Book launch and an evening with Duncan Ferguson) – Stirling County Rugby Club