Everton legend and goal-scoring centre-forward Duncan Ferguson, who played for the club over two spells in turbulent times, is committing his life story to print and audiobook. Big Dunc: The Upfront Autobiography is set for release on 8 May 2025.
Ferguson, who is currently the manager of Inverness Caledonian Thistle, became a huge favourite with Everton supporters after joining from Glasgow Rangers initially on a month’s loan in October 1994, helping save the club from relegation and then playing a key role in the FA Cup win in 1995.
Mike Walker had overseen an abysmal start to Everton’s 3rd season in the Premier League and was dismissed that November with Everton bottom of the table, but new manager Joe Royle had clearly seen something in the towering Scot, who became his first signing for £4.4M.
Ferguson’s impact was immediate; on his full debut, he scored the first goal in a now-famous 2-0 home win over Liverpool that kick-started a three-game winning streak and set the Blues on their way to safety from relegation and an FA Cup the following May.
His 8 goals that season, scored in just 23 appearances, turned “Big Dunc” into a Goodison idol as he helped the Blues to the semi-finals of the FA Cup. The rest of the squad took over from there, setting up a substitute’s appearance for an unfit Ferguson in the triumphant 1995 FA Cup Final against Manchester United, the team Ferguson had consigned to defeat earlier in the season with a fine headed goal that typified his style.
The Scotland international was never far from trouble throughout his time as a player. He was sent off nine times in total in his career and served a 3-month prison sentence in 1994 for a headbutt on John McStay of Raith Rovers while he was at Rangers, his third violent offence.
“I’ve been thinking about writing this book for over 20 years,” said Ferguson. “Now is finally the right time. Anyone who knows me, knows that I tell things straight. So this book is going to be real. I’ve been brutally honest, about the good and the hard times.
“I’ve got up to quite a bit of mischief, and I think readers will enjoy the colourful stories – there’s enough of them! I can’t wait for the book to be published, and to share it with readers up and down the UK next year.”
The book is co-written by Henry Winter, the award-winning journalist, and Brian Doogan, a bestselling author who used to work at Everton.