The bare statistics show Duncan Ferguson's Everton career encompassed 272 matches and yielded 73 goals. But career stats cannot quantify the level of affection many football fans held Ferguson in. Big Dunc wasn't the only man with tears in his eyes as he completed a final lap of honour at Goodison Park on the last day of the 2005-06 season. Today DAVID PRENTICE starts a five-part series chronicling his career.
INSPIRATION or exasperation? World beater or a waster? Head man or head case? Duncan Ferguson's football career has sparked more opposing views than perhaps any other footballer. Onlylast week, one national newspaper article summarised his career using words as wildly varied as "Icon, hooligan, man of principle, shameless mercenary, tender bird lover, vicious thug, generous team-mate and waste of space." Football journalists, particularly those north of the border, often sneered at an individual demonised as little more than a footballing thug, a man who turned his back on his country and never realised the full potential of his God-given talents. Football fans, however, especially those from the blue half of the city of Liverpool, often claimed that if they ever found Duncan Ferguson in bed with their wife, they'd tuck him in! So how did one footballer spark such wildly differing perceptions? Even as a teenager he inspired devotion from his fans, while his manager fined and banned him! Ferguson signed for Dundee United after being spotted playing for junior side Carse Thistle in his home town of Stirling. He made his professional debut at Ibrox Stadium on November 11, 1990 - and immediately upset the establishment. The Terrors triumphed 2-1, and under the iron-willed tutelage of renowned disciplinarian Jim McLean, the youngster quickly established himself as a striker of rich promise. He made a further nine league appearances that season, scoring one goal, and was the semi-final match-winner when Dundee United beat St Johnstone to reach the Scottish Cup final. But stories of a stormy relationship with manager McLean quickly surfaced, culminating in his being fined and banned after an unscheduled walk-out. His fuse appeared to be equally short off the pitch. Fined for butting a policeman in 1991, fined for kicking a Hearts fan on crutches in 1993 and then later that same year put on probation for assaulting a fisherman in an Anstruther bar, the incident which had the most lasting repercussions came following his British record transfer to Rangers in the summer of 1993.
WE want your views on 'Big Dunc's' Goodison career
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