When Ferguson left Tannadice and joined Rangers for 4 million pounds, the change was the measure of his dreams.
He was a Rangers boy. He revered the manager, Walter Smith. He idolized the iconic striker Ally McCoist.
The whole thing became a nightmare. Wildlife, short time, scrutiny, problems, messores, claustrophobia. And then he went to McStay.
Smith sat -Oe said she had to leave Glasgow for her own good. The sentence was coming – Barlinnie not far away – but in the meantime, he needed a new beginning. He went to Everton for a three -month loan that became a love affair.
THE: When Walter said you had to go, how did you feel?
DF: I cried my eyes when he said that. I would disappoint him. He was telling me that I was coming back after the loan and I’m sure he was genuine at the time. But I cried. I failed. I was drinking heavier. I was out of control.
THE: The book is so honest. It is a fantastic reading. You were not at Everton Long and ended up driving.
DF: That’s right. On your own. Middle of the city center. Saturday night. What do you do? I went to have a drink, stupidly. We have a game on Monday against Liverpool and I’m on Saturday night. Nuts.
THE: Was this Joe Royle’s first match as Everton manager?
DF: Yes, and I’m at the police station at 3 am on Sunday. Liverpool on Monday. The star striker is at Nick.
THE: There is a good end in this story.
DF: Yes, they let me out.
THE: Well, yes, but you marked?
DF: Of course. It’s me, isn’t it? This is me. Without preparation. In prison. Skirt and the rest is history. I hit them. Second half particularly. Blame. That’s what I was running. Blame.
THE: And do you get the FA CUP? You have scored 73 goals in 273 games for Everton in two spells in a decade. They love you down there. How long did it take you to realize Everton – is this the place for me?
DF: About a week. Once I was in that city, I wasn’t coming back. I didn’t have much. No one was aiming at me. They knew me, but it wasn’t the Rangers-Celta thing, was it? There is no sectarianism. I felt free. And I was more fit. And I was receiving minutes.
THE: Why does this club mean a lot for you?
DF: The fans took to me. There has never been any problems off the field, just the offense of drink. They needed someone like me at the club. The team was not very good. They had a good tradition of large Nines Scottish numbers. I adjusted this mold.
THE: They could see honesty.
DF: I was aggressive. The fans liked it. They wanted someone to be stuck to them. Everything turned to me then. You are playing against Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham. You are playing against some serious teams. This took the best of me. I still love the city. I still live down there. It’s a great place to be.
THE: Striker, captain and then manager. Should this have been cosmic to you?
DF: What a feeling. It was an amazing moment in my life and my career. One that I will never forget. The team captain scored many goals for the club and then managing them. So, I did everything there, really.
THE: You worked with Carlo Ancelotti at Everton and talk brilliantly about him.
DF: I was on my companion’s boat in Croatia, right? And Carlo is near his own boat. He’s on the phone. “I’ll see you.” “Ok, no problem, Carlo.”
I gave him the coordinates and he is leaving the horizon in this great boat. He paid few pounds for that. I could see him waving. While he is getting closer and closer, his boat is getting smaller. Our boat was about four times larger than his. He spent the week on my companion’s boat. Your boat was left. It was really funny, how. A big face. We just united.
