THE STREWTH ABOUT GERS AND ME
Fergie has spent years in Oz but never forgotten fight he had to put up to join boyhood club, the Souness revolution and nine-in-a-row glory years
IAN FERGUSON will be stacking the shelves and checking the day’s takings at the family convenience store in Queensland, Australia today. But his thoughts will be on 30 years ago when he walked through the front door at Ibrox.
It was on February 15, 1988 that Scotland’s hottest prospect finally got the move to his boyhood heroes after an acrimonious battle with St Mirren who tried to make him move to England.
Indeed, the 20-year-old midfielder was on the way to Old Trafford for talks with Alex Ferguson when he demanded the car was turned around.
He was determined to force through a move to Rangers and the Love Street board, led by Yule Craig, finally accepted an £850,000 bid that would rise to £1million for the player who had won them the Scottish Cup only eight months earlier.
Ferguson went on to win an incredible 18 major honours at Ibrox becoming a nine-in-a-row legend.
He said: “There is no doubt St Mirren made it very difficult for me at that time and that was the most frustrating thing. I knew Rangers were really keen on me and I wanted to go there.
“Graeme Souness had revolutionised the club and I wanted to be part of his plans. He’d brought in Terry Butcher and Chris Woods and it really was a game-changer. It was unprecedented and it brought Rangers back to life again.
“Suddenly Souness started to get the best out of the talented Scottish boys already there – Ally McCoist, Ian Durrant, Derek Ferguson and Davie Cooper – and there was massive momentum building.
“He knew the market in England and of course his stature in the game was so high. There’s no doubt that played a big part in getting the likes of Butcher and Woods there. It was the same with Ray Wilkins and Trevor Francis – guys he knew well form England and Italy.
“The fact English clubs were banned from Europe at the time made a big difference. Rangers were a very attractive proposition for guys in England. “It was different for me. I was a lifelong fan and would have signed for Rangers in any circumstances. “But it was an even more exciting prospect given what was happening at Ibrox. “It was an open secret Rangers wanted me and
I
became more and more annoyed when the board at Love Street wouldn’t let me go. I don’t think there is any doubt it affected me. How was I supposed to block it out of my mind? It was impossible.
“In fairness the management team were good with me. Alex Smith and Jimmy Bone treated me very well and tried to keep my spirits up. But my performance levels dipped as the saga dragged on.
“St Mirren were trying to push me to move to an English club as there were a number of teams in the market because they didn’t want to sell to Rangers.
“It got the stage where I was so sick and fed up with it all I agreed to talk to one of them – Manchester United.
“Alex Ferguson had just taken over at Old Trafford the previous season and he was looking to rebuild what was a massive club. I was flattered he was interested. Reluctantly, I got in a car that was going to take me for talks.
“But we were not even halfway there when I told the driver to turn around. I couldn’t go through with it. My heart was set on Rangers and I was determined I was going to make it happen.”
Ferguson is one of only three players to have all nine medals from the fantastic championship-winning run – McCoist and Richard Gough the others – and added a 10th under Dick Advocaat in 1999.
He’s been in Australia for 15 years, having moved after two seasons at Dunfermline, where he has been a successful player and coach working for Central Coast Mariners, North Queensland Fury, Perth Glory and Northern Fury.
Since 2012 he built up Fury almost from scratch into a strong National Premier League Queensland side but left last year after becoming disillusioned with the direction they were going in.
Having turned 50 this year and been in the game since signing for Clyde as a kid he’s taking a well-earned break and helping wife Suzanne run their convenience store business in Townsville.
But he remains completely in tune with what’s happening at Ibrox. He said: “Things changed at the club where I was
working so I felt It was time to get out. “I’m enjoying the break and not sure what my next move is. I still watch the Rangers games though. I’ll always be a supporter. “I was delighted Graeme Murty got the job because it was the right thing to do. “If he can win the Scottish Cup and finish second he’ll deserve the job on a full-time basis.”