Duncan Ferguson (1993 to 1994)
Rangers agreed a British record £4m transfer fee with Dundee United on 15th July 1993, finally securing the services of Scotland striker Duncan Ferguson.
It had been a long and bitter transfer saga with Tannadice supremo, the late Jim McLean, trying his hardest to derail the move and instead offload his most valuable asset to England or further afield. It was a McLean tactic not alien to Rangers (having more recently lost out on Richard Gough) but perhaps the ever growing ego of Chairman David Murray was determined to result in a different outcome on this occasion. Rangers certainly paid top dollar in what had arguably become a game of brinkmanship.
To the disappointment of all at Ibrox, it proved to be an unhappy spell for Duncan with injuries (and the magnificent form of Mark Hateley) restricting him to just 7 league starts during season 1993/94. He made his debut at Parkhead on 28th August 1993 in a goalless draw but frustratingly had to wait until the 16th April 1994 to open his scoring account in a 4-0 win over Raith Rovers.
Unfortunately, the match against the Kirkcaldy side is better remembered for an altercation between Ferguson and Raith’s John McStay. Despite both managers playing down what was a minor incident at full time, it would incredibly lead to Police involvement and, as a result of past off-field convictions, Ferguson would later receive a 3 month prison sentence.
There was no doubting Ferguson’s talent and on his day he was almost unplayable but, for one reason or another, it just never happened for him in Glasgow.
Both Ferguson and Ian Durrant would head to Merseyside in October 1994 for an initial loan spell with Everton but whilst Durrant was soon back at his beloved Ibrox, Duncan seemed to have found his spiritual home at Goodison Park. He would eventually make the move permanent and became one of the most feared strikers in England’s Premiership with both the Toffees and Newcastle United.
Ferguson later became part of the backroom staff at Everton having briefly managed the team on a caretaker basis. Idolised by the blue half of Merseyside, perhaps a fresh start was the best outcome for ‘Big Dunc’ although it will always feel like a case of what might have been in terms of his Rangers career.
Ferguson returned to Scotland in 2023 when he became manager of Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Duncan replaced another former Dundee United, Rangers and Scotland striker, Billy Dodds.
by Rick Plews
