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The Irish Sun
09-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘He battered me' – Ex-Everton hardman Duncan Ferguson reveals current England star beat him up in training fight
DUNCAN FERGUSON has revealed he was "battered" in a training fight by a current England player. The former striker built a hardman image during his career and it is a reputation he is still known for. 3 Duncan Ferguson challenged one of his players to a boxing fight Credit: Reuters 3 Anthony Gordon got the better of the ex-Everton boss Credit: Getty 3 Ferguson handed Gordon his Everton debut while in interim charge Credit: Getty Ferguson has previously fought off intruders in his own home and picked up nine red cards, often for thuggery, but one The Scot fought Anthony Gordon in a boxing match while the pair were at Ferguson was a big admirer of the youngster and handed Gordon his Everton debut while interim manager, but he wanted to teach the winger a lesson to persuade him to quit sparring - one of his big hobbies. But after donning the gloves to take on Gordon, Ferguson was taught a lesson of his own - not to challenge the quick and nimble winger. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL Ferguson revealed the incident in his book, Big Dunc: The Upfront Autobiography. He said: "I made sure Gordon got his debut at Limassol, I then gave Anthony his second game against Leicester,' Ferguson wrote. "I loved his appetite to improve, he wanted to learn and practice, practice, practice. "He was as fit as a fiddle and took diet seriously but was still going to different boxing gyms and sparring. 'You have to stop,' I told Anthony, "You can't go to them, you'll get hurt". Most read in Football BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS "He battered me once in the Finch Farm gym. I had a pair of boxing gloves on, he didn't. And I didn't do it again. "Anthony's a bright lad, knows what he wants and is dedicated and lightning quick." Duncan Ferguson gets public apology from non-league club after he's caught on camera throwing drink away
Scottish Sun
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘He battered me' – Ex-Everton hardman Duncan Ferguson reveals current England star beat him up in training fight
Former manager wanted the player to quit a big hobby ONE TO FERG-ET 'He battered me' – Ex-Everton hardman Duncan Ferguson reveals current England star beat him up in training fight DUNCAN FERGUSON has revealed he was "battered" in a training fight by a current England player. The former striker built a hardman image during his career and it is a reputation he is still known for. Advertisement 3 Duncan Ferguson challenged one of his players to a boxing fight Credit: Reuters 3 Anthony Gordon got the better of the ex-Everton boss Credit: Getty 3 Ferguson handed Gordon his Everton debut while in interim charge Credit: Getty Ferguson has previously fought off intruders in his own home and picked up nine red cards, often for thuggery, but one England star got the better of him. The Scot fought Anthony Gordon in a boxing match while the pair were at Everton. Ferguson was a big admirer of the youngster and handed Gordon his Everton debut while interim manager, but he wanted to teach the winger a lesson to persuade him to quit sparring - one of his big hobbies. But after donning the gloves to take on Gordon, Ferguson was taught a lesson of his own - not to challenge the quick and nimble winger. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL MIC DROP Michael Carrick lands new job after Middlesbrough axe as John O'Shea joins him Ferguson revealed the incident in his book, Big Dunc: The Upfront Autobiography. He said: "I made sure Gordon got his debut at Limassol, I then gave Anthony his second game against Leicester,' Ferguson wrote. "I loved his appetite to improve, he wanted to learn and practice, practice, practice. "He was as fit as a fiddle and took diet seriously but was still going to different boxing gyms and sparring. 'You have to stop,' I told Anthony, "You can't go to them, you'll get hurt". Advertisement BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS "He battered me once in the Finch Farm gym. I had a pair of boxing gloves on, he didn't. And I didn't do it again. "Anthony's a bright lad, knows what he wants and is dedicated and lightning quick."
Edinburgh Live
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Football legend regrets ever drinking and infamous night out in Scottish village
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Football legend Duncan Ferguson, who quit drinking at 37, has admitted any time there had been trouble in his life, alcohol has been involved. The 53-year-old has had a few notable scraps during his playing days, including an infamous incident at the Royal Hotel in Anstruther, a quiet fishing village on the Fife coast, The Mirror reports. At aged 21, he was attending a Young Player of the Year event and described himself as: 'Like a big, daft softie, I was too easily led astray.' The Mirror reports the Premier League legend was buying a round when someone with him got into a confrontation with another person. As Ferguson split them up, a "big man" on a stool at the bar got involved. Ferguson said they did not want any trouble but the man replied: ''Well, I'll f***ing give you…" Dunc recalled: 'He never got the word out of his mouth. As he made to get up from his stool, I sensed what was coming and didn't wait. Boom. The fella slid off his stool and all hell broke loose. It was like the Wild West." At 4am police called round where he was staying with officers asking: "Is Duncan Ferguson here?" Looking back, Ferguson says: 'I was there all right. Laid out on the sofa, rotten, stinking drunk, buck naked aside from a pink hat someone had given me earlier that was still on my head. "I had lipstick on, an earring and a silk glove. And nothing else. It was a strange night. 'At some point I'd got into fancy dress. I still don't know when. The police took one look at me and said, 'We'll come back later.' Which they did." Ferguson regrets the stress and anguish he must have put his parents through. And now he admits: "I now know as a parent how worrying it is when the phone goes late at night. My kids can't remember the drinking. I just tell them I never had a drink. "My two lads don't drink. Once I stopped drinking, I stopped the nights out, I stopped putting myself in dangerous positions. I know I've become a better person sober. "But you know what? I've never actually said, 'I've stopped drinking'. I don't count the days since I last had a drink. I'm not in rehab. 'Maybe one day I'll start drinking again. Maybe one day I'll be a great manager and Everton will win the Premiership. "If I'm offered a glass of champagne I might think, 'You know what? I'll have a nice glass of champagne!' Maybe.' Big Dunc: The Upfront Autobiography by Duncan Ferguson, with Henry Winter, is published on 8th May by Century
Daily Mirror
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
DUNCAN FERGUSON The ‘crime bosses' who were my best friends - including one of Britain's most wanted men
Former Everton and Newcastle ace Duncan Ferguson was one of the Premier League's most feared hard-men, but he was stunned to learn about the true identity of his off-field friends in a 2004 BBC Panorama special In May 2024 Duncan Ferguson watched a Panorama show titled The Crime Bosses Who Terrorised a City. The player said: 'I nearly dropped dead. I knew every one of them, I drank with every one of them, I played pool with every one of them. Some had been at my wedding. 'They all looked after me. They were my mates. I couldn't believe it when I saw the programme. I was in shock." Ferguson had no idea his pals were running the Huyton Firm, serious players in the drugs underworld. He said: 'We just spoke about football. I never pried. They liked me. I was an Everton man, a star player. They were Everton fans and I was one of the lads, I fitted in.' At one point he was inseparable from Mark Quinn, a drug smuggler jailed for seven years in 2022 after being on the run."He was tough, respected, feared but also generous, one of the few guys I had to constantly fight to pay a bill, and was good company," says Ferguson. "He was a big Blue and, at one point, we were inseparable. And I definitely felt I had a level of protection, as long as I never overstepped the mark, which I never did. "We were a good group. We weren't bullies, we were loved. They never, ever tried to involve me in anything. They had too much respect for me." Ferguson admits however: 'Eventually I did become concerned. Especially after an incident where Mark, who had a neck like Mike Tyson, punched a doorman who'd insulted him. I began thinking about the drinking, the bad situations it led me into. Mark changed that night, and I think I changed too. Where there's drink, there's trouble. I wished I'd listened. 'All of Mark's mates came on my stag do in Benidorm in 1998. The police followed us to the airport. How we got into Spain, I don't know. "Later on, after I'd moved abroad and into coaching, I learned some of my mates ended up getting shot and killed. Some went to prison for supplying drugs. 'I knew they were up to no good but, Jesus, I never thought for one minute how heavy they were.' Ferguson was pictured next to the Huyton boys in police stations and his solicitors told him: 'Duncan, you need to get away from these people, your face is all over mugshots. Keep away from them. I wouldn't listen." Big Dunc: The Upfront Autobiography by Duncan Ferguson, with Henry Winter, is published on 8th May by Century Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mirror
03-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Duncan Ferguson on alcohol, regrets over police run-ins and being 16 years sober
It has been 16 years since Duncan Ferguson last touched a drop of alcohol, having given up booze at the age of 37 - he admits 'once I stopped the nights out, I stopped putting myself in dangerous positions' Duncan Ferguson, who stopped drinking at 37, says any time there had been trouble in his life, booze had been involved. He had been in a few scraps before an infamous incident at the Royal Hotel in Anstruther, a quiet fishing village on the Fife coast, when he was 21, having gone to a Young Player of the Year event. Now 53, he says: 'Like a big, daft softie, I was too easily led astray.' The Premier League legend was buying a round when a lad with them got into a confrontation with another boy. As Ferguson split them up, a big man on a stool at the bar got involved. Ferguson said they did not want any trouble but the man replied: ''Well, I'll f***ing give you… 'He never got the word out of his mouth. As he made to get up from his stool, I sensed what was coming and didn't wait. Boom. The fella slid off his stool and all hell broke loose. It was like the Wild West.' At 4am police called round where Ferguson was staying asking: "Is Duncan Ferguson here?" 'I was there all right. Laid out on the sofa, rotten, stinking drunk, buck naked aside from a pink hat someone had given me earlier that was still on my head. I had lipstick on, an earring and a silk glove. And nothing else. It was a strange night. 'At some point I'd got into fancy dress. I still don't know when. "The police took one look at me and said, 'We'll come back later.' Which they did." Ferguson regrets the stress and anguish he must have put his parents through. And now he admits: "I now know as a parent how worrying it is when the phone goes late at night. My kids can't remember the drinking. I just tell them I never had a drink. My two lads don't drink. Once I stopped drinking, I stopped the nights out, I stopped putting myself in dangerous positions. "But you know what? I've never actually said, 'I've stopped drinking.' I don't count the days since I last had a drink. I'm not in rehab. 'Maybe one day I'll start drinking again. Maybe one day I'll be a great manager and Everton will win the Premiership. If I'm offered a glass of champagne I might think, 'You know what? I'll have a nice glass of champagne!' Maybe.' Big Dunc: The Upfront Autobiography by Duncan Ferguson, with Henry Winter, is published on 8th May by Century
