Derek Ferguson - the player

DarthVader

DarthVader

Well-Known Member
Official Ticketer
Taking away your thoughts on Derek Ferguson the pundit, what's your memories and thoughts on him as a player?

I'm currently at Prestwick Academy watching Rangers beating Celtic 3-2, a Gers side with Ferguson, John McDonald and Bobby Russell.

Ferguson hasn't wasted a ball, plays with his head up, and can pick a pass.

I always remember him being a top prospect alongside Durrant, but for some reason never seemed to fulfill his potential. Also remember him being hampered by injuries towards the end of his Rangers career (dislocated shoulders).

What's the FF view? Please stick to your opinions and memories of him on the pitch rather than the radio.
 
He seemed the natural successor to Souness in our midfield.
He was a fantastic player but he never pushed on to the next level. If he had, he would have been a superstar.
I was a big Barry Ferguson fan, but thought his brother could have been better.
 
I've heard folk say he was better than Barry. I don't think so. Maybe when they were weans but not in the end.
 
Seem to recall my dad saying he believed Ferguson to be better than Durrant, but that was around 87/88, and Durrant seemed to be stretching away from Ferguson at the time as a player. I can't recall if that was down to injuries with Ferguson though?

I was 10 at that time, so couldn't give a reasonable answer. Looking back now though, seeing clips and highlights here and there, you see flashes of absolute brilliance from both of them.

I'd imagine it'll be a long time before we see two guys like that coming through the youth team and possibly looking like our centre midfield for the next 10 years!
 
Derek was a good player but for injuries and attitude could have had a great career. Barry made most of his talent.
 
He was always injury prone.Souness rates him highly.Said Fergie was better than him at his age then.If it wasnt for injury he wouldve been a gers great.A souness type player.
 
Mearns Ranger said:
Seem to recall my dad saying he believed Ferguson to be better than Durrant, but that was around 87/88, and Durrant seemed to be stretching away from Ferguson at the time as a player. I can't recall if that was down to injuries with Ferguson though?

I was 10 at that time, so couldn't give a reasonable answer. Looking back now though, seeing clips and highlights here and there, you see flashes of absolute brilliance from both of them.

I'd imagine it'll be a long time before we see two guys like that coming through the youth team and possibly looking like our centre midfield for the next 10 years!
Click to expand...
 
An excellent player and how the OP describes him is exactly how I remember him playing in his pomp.

We were very fortunate to have two great players breaking through from the youths and but for a combination of injuries and I believe a questionable attitude he could have played for us for years.

Durant until his career was virtually ruined by that wan ker simpson could have played with any team in Britain he was that good.
 
Under the current set up in UK football, we will never see two players as good as Ferguson or Durrant breaking through the Youth set up and dominating our midfield.
The young lad Gilmour going to Chelsea before he has kicked a ball for us proves that.
 
Was a better player than Barry, but didn't have the attitude to go with his talent and ended up pishing it against a wall. Barry made the most of what he had.
 
Buzz07 said:
He seemed the natural successor to Souness in our midfield.
He was a fantastic player but he never pushed on to the next level. If he had, he would have been a superstar.
I was a big Barry Ferguson fan, but thought his brother could have been better.
Click to expand...

I think this post sums it up perfectly. DF was not only a talented footballer, he was a genuinely classy player. I loved watching him play. For whatever reason, the big step up for him never materialised, despite him having the talent.
 
All that has been covered already is true, a truly fantastic prospect , could have been a real star, Souness himself said Ferguson was better than he was at the same age, unfortunately another example of a great talent not being professional enough to kick on to fulfil his potential.
 
Last edited:
Never seen Derek play but i've been told by a few that he was better than Barry. Would any older bears be able to back this up ?
 
I think people who speak about Derek, comparing him to Barry and saying he was better, are quite forgetful of just how good Barry was.
Basically, between 1998 when Advocaat brought him in, and 2003 when he left, I would honestly have had to have thought long and hard if offered a choice between Barry and any of the best in the UK at the time. Keane was at his peak in 98/99, but waning come 2003. Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes...... I honestly think Barry was beside them. As much as Lampard and Gerrard had more power and scored more goals, in terms of vision and ability on the ball, Barry was as good as any of them.

I thought at the time that Ferguson and Scholes were the two most gifted, as Ferguson could run 20 yards with the ball at his feet without looking at it, then Cruyff out and go the other way looking for a pass. He also played perfectly weighted passes with both feet.

Scholes did it slightly differently in that he used to move into positions and have that wee head spinning about looking for where his pass was going once he received it.

Before leaving and picking up a bad injury, Barry was a wonderful player. The best Scotland has produced since his brother and Durrant.
 
Buzz07 said:
He seemed the natural successor to Souness in our midfield.
He was a fantastic player but he never pushed on to the next level. If he had, he would have been a superstar.
I was a big Barry Ferguson fan, but thought his brother could have been better.
Click to expand...

Agreed did the normal Scottish stuff not screw him - bevy and diet? Totally wasted his outstanding talent which he did no one else. Maybe he chooses to blame Rangers hence his miserable and unforgivable comments about Rangers on the horrible Rangers hating BBC.
 
hhss said:
I know a few who believe he was the better of the two with Durrant.
Click to expand...

Me, when they broke through DF was the better player, ID had the better engine but DF had a far better range of passing and football brain, unfortunately his attitude ruined what could have been a stellar career.
 
I would agree with those comments regarding Barry Ferguson as our support didn't appreciate the player that we had.

As for Derek Ferguson, I also reckon that he was the better player between him and Durrant.
 
A fantastic player but attitude and injuries let him down. He was better than Barry although different types of players but Barry knuckled down and did the job well.

What a player and team we would have had had both he and Durrant had been the partnership for years.
 
jdm1873 said:
A fantastic player but attitude and injuries let him down. He was better than Barry although different types of players but Barry knuckled down and did the job well.

What a player and team we would have had had both he and Durrant had been the partnership for years.
Click to expand...

What was the attitude thing ?

Did he just not put 100% into training, or was it arrogance ?

I seem to remember him being an angry kinda guy at the time - he always seemed to have a scowl on his face.
 
My brother used to some time get work with Derek and Barry's dad,and according to him,he always felt Derek was the better of the 2.
 
BobbyShearer55-65 said:
What was the attitude thing ?

Did he just not put 100% into training, or was it arrogance ?

I seem to remember him being an angry kinda guy at the time - he always seemed to have a scowl on his face.
Click to expand...

He had a scowl on his face today! He was encouraging of the amateurs playing today, and talked them through it. But he was griping about tackles, and at one point said of referree "f#ckin joke, think he's got f#ckin hoops top on".
 
Mearns Ranger said:
I think people who speak about Derek, comparing him to Barry and saying he was better, are quite forgetful of just how good Barry was.
Basically, between 1998 when Advocaat brought him in, and 2003 when he left, I would honestly have had to have thought long and hard if offered a choice between Barry and any of the best in the UK at the time. Keane was at his peak in 98/99, but waning come 2003. Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes...... I honestly think Barry was beside them. As much as Lampard and Gerrard had more power and scored more goals, in terms of vision and ability on the ball, Barry was as good as any of them.

I thought at the time that Ferguson and Scholes were the two most gifted, as Ferguson could run 20 yards with the ball at his feet without looking at it, then Cruyff out and go the other way looking for a pass. He also played perfectly weighted passes with both feet.

Scholes did it slightly differently in that he used to move into positions and have that wee head spinning about looking for where his pass was going once he received it.

Before leaving and picking up a bad injury, Barry was a wonderful player. The best Scotland has produced since his brother and Durrant.
Click to expand...

Barry Ferguson was miles away from the player that Keane, Scholes, Gerrard and Lampard were.
 
I would have Derek Ferguson before Durrant in a heartbeat.Problem with him was he simply wasn't professional enough.I can remember the big walk in Shotts one year(late 80s) and seeing Derek holding onto a lamppost for dear life.
Derek must look back and see what he wasted.A bit like Charlie Miller in that sense.
 
BobbyShearer55-65 said:
What was the attitude thing ?

Did he just not put 100% into training, or was it arrogance ?

I seem to remember him being an angry kinda guy at the time - he always seemed to have a scowl on his face.
Click to expand...

Was fond of going out on the lash and skipping training. Got so bad Walter and Souness turned up at his house/flat. Think Souness was up on Walters shoulders looking in the window.

Wasted his talent. Was a shame how his career turned out.
 
The Lone Sniper said:
Barry Ferguson was miles away from the player that Keane, Scholes, Gerrard and Lampard were.
Click to expand...
I don't think he was. He was outstanding in Europe, dominating the likes of Effenberg when Effenberg had previously pissed all over Keane. Ferguson between 98 and 2003 was an outstanding player.

At his peak, Barry was one of the best midfielders in Britain.

It's all about opinions. Ask anyone in Britain who was the best player between Roy Keane and Veron, everyone says Keane. Ask any Italian or Argentinian and they'd tell you Keane couldn't lace his boots.
 
I can recall many debates over who was the best between Derek Ferguson and Ian Durrant. Both were exceptional talents and we had two tremendous prospects on our hands. We all know what happened to Durrant sadly. I think he could have gone on to be very special but for his injury. In my opinion Derek Ferguson had it all but didn't keep his feet on the ground. Stories at the time of Souness arriving were that Durrant and Ferguson were given significant wage increases. Allegedly one was motivated by this, the other chose to live the high life.
For what it's worth, Derek was more talented than Barry, however Barry was more dedicated and professional.
 
Mearns Ranger said:
I think people who speak about Derek, comparing him to Barry and saying he was better, are quite forgetful of just how good Barry was.
Basically, between 1998 when Advocaat brought him in, and 2003 when he left, I would honestly have had to have thought long and hard if offered a choice between Barry and any of the best in the UK at the time. Keane was at his peak in 98/99, but waning come 2003. Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes...... I honestly think Barry was beside them. As much as Lampard and Gerrard had more power and scored more goals, in terms of vision and ability on the ball, Barry was as good as any of them.

I thought at the time that Ferguson and Scholes were the two most gifted, as Ferguson could run 20 yards with the ball at his feet without looking at it, then Cruyff out and go the other way looking for a pass. He also played perfectly weighted passes with both feet.

Scholes did it slightly differently in that he used to move into positions and have that wee head spinning about looking for where his pass was going once he received it.

Before leaving and picking up a bad injury, Barry was a wonderful player. The best Scotland has produced since his brother and Durrant.
Click to expand...


Barry will tell you Derek was the naturally better player. Barry was a better footballer though.

Derek was sublime and it's absolutely criminal he never had the career he should have. You only need to see how good Durrant went on to be for comparison, there were many who thought Ferguson was better.

As for Barry, fuck it, I'm going to agree with you. At that time you quote Ferguson was bossing midfields in the champions league. He would not have looked out of place in that United midfield if Keane or Scholes were injured. He'd have coped nae bother. As good a football brain as Lampard and Gerrard without the level of goals admittedly, but between 1998-2000 Ferguson was sensational.

As he was in 2002-2003
 
Laurie1872 said:
Never seen Derek play but i've been told by a few that he was better than Barry. Would any older bears be able to back this up ?
Click to expand...

He wasn't, you could argue he might have had more natural talent but wasn't anywhere near as influential or as good a player as Barry
 
The 19 year old Derek was much better than the 19 year old Barry.

The 22 year old Barry was much better than the 22 year old Derek.
 
Both fantastic players but Barry kept the head and became a much better player. Also not really a good comparison between Derek and Durranty as Derek more the midfield controller while Ian was much more mobile like a number 10.
 
The Pink Panther said:
Was fond of going out on the lash and skipping training. Got so bad Walter and Souness turned up at his house/flat. Think Souness was up on Walters shoulders looking in the window.

Wasted his talent. Was a shame how his career turned out.
Click to expand...
The pint glass he launched out a moving taxi after night on the bevvy-driver went to Rangers AND the Mhedia with story was the nail in his coffin with Souness.
 
BobbyShearer55-65 said:
What was the attitude thing ?

Did he just not put 100% into training, or was it arrogance ?

I seem to remember him being an angry kinda guy at the time - he always seemed to have a scowl on his face.
Click to expand...

He was a hard bastard centre mid with a wonderful range of passing. Bit like Souness who called Derek the iron fist in the velvet glove. To compare him with Durrant is daft. They were completely ďifferent types of player.
 
He was a great player but a dick of a man as has been proved the last few years
Could have become one of our greats but didn't have the brains to realise it
 
I seem to recall possibly against Hibs Derek ended up playing a sweeper role due to injuries and playing an absolute blinder
 
arnietac1 said:
The pint glass he launched out a moving taxi after night on the bevvy-driver went to Rangers AND the Mhedia with story was the nail in his coffin with Souness.
Click to expand...
I could tell you a story about him when he was us that would make your toes curl.
Not for an open forum though.
People saying he was better than Durrant, My hole.
Tackling aye, but everything else Durrant was miles in front of him.

Scotland is full of wasters who think they were wonderboys but all it was, was hype.

Barry Ferguson done it broke through and became the best Scottish midfielder of his generation, delivered for club and country.

His bro was a waster who pissed his career away.
 
Bigboabwylie said:
I seem to recall possibly against Hibs Derek ended up playing a sweeper role due to injuries and playing an absolute blinder
Click to expand...
That he did. He was great that day,it was pre Souness and at that time I'd say he was a better,more mature player than Durrant albeit totally different in style. He simply chose to throw it all away.
 
He was an outstanding player as a teenager and really should have gone on to be a star, I'm pretty he sure he was player of the tournament in an under 16 World Cup? Might be wrong. As much as he comes across not very bright I'd actually recommend his autobiography, a pretty interesting read.
 
Had the potential to be an exceptional player. He should be getting talked about in the highest of regards but he just fucked it.
 
ssblue said:
The 19 year old Derek was much better than the 19 year old Barry.

The 22 year old Barry was much better than the 22 year old Derek.
Click to expand...

That's nicely put and I agree with you.

Also, as good as Derek was, he lacked a goal threat. ( I posted similar once on the old board and a few posters quoted goals he had scored - thus proving the point. I remembered all of them, mostly because of their rarity value.)
 
the_brunton_bear said:
I would have Derek Ferguson before Durrant in a heartbeat.Problem with him was he simply wasn't professional enough.I can remember the big walk in Shotts one year(late 80s) and seeing Derek holding onto a lamppost for dear life.
Derek must look back and see what he wasted.A bit like Charlie Miller in that sense.
Click to expand...

Disagree mate - I would have taken Durrant before DF any day. Mind you this thread just shows what youth talent we had back then.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Latest posts

Back
Top