DO you want to feel old?
It is 20 years almost to the day since Barry Ferguson was voted Scotland’s Young Footballer of the Year.
Lewis Ferguson, he of Aberdeen fame, wasn’t born when Barry, his uncle, collected that prize.
And when the oldest footballing family member, Lewis’s dad Derek, made his Rangers debut at the age of 15 in 1983 – in Tom Forsyth’s testimonial – Barry was five.
Where does the time go?
The current member of this football dynasty is only 19 and in his first full season as a professional, following his move from Hamilton to Aberdeen last summer, was in a posh Glasgow hotel yesterday as one of PFA Scotland’s four nominees for the prize his uncle won in 1999.
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“It’s funny because my dad is always saying he used to be known as Derek, then it was Barry’s brother and now it’s Lewis’s dad,” said Ferguson with a wry smile. “He’s always winding me up about stuff like that.”
This Ferguson is also a midfielder but a quite different player to the two who came before him.
He is taller, far more physical which is not to say he can’t pass a ball. Oh, and he has inherited that trait of self-belief and as someone who likes a wee moan.
“I’m always quietly confident, Lewis admitted. “I don’t like to go talking myself up. That’s not who I am. I’m just quietly confident in what I can do.
“Since I was a young boy, it was my dream to become a football. It’s all down to hard work, really. Digging in and working as hard as possible. That was first to get into the Hamilton team and then the same situation again up at Aberdeen.
“My dad is moanier than me but that’s just how I am on the pitch. Off the pitch, I am as calm as anything. But on the pitch, emotions run high and I get angry all the time. It’s just the way I am.
“But playing football is where I feel most comfortable. I probably am a bit moany but I wouldn’t say I go for other players and snap at them. I just get frustrated during games.”
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It must have been great to have been brought up by a dad who knew a thing or two about becoming a professional footballer. Erm…
“My dad never, ever, let me win at anything. Never,” revealed Ferguson. “Even if we were just playing a game of two-touch or keepy-uppies. When I was a wee boy and I used to reach 60 my dad would watch me then come out the back and do 61 - then kick the ball away.
“Even outwith football he’d never let me win at anything. My mum was always raging at him.
“I don’t feel that extra pressure because of the name. I’m my own person and my own player. Obviously my uncle and my dad were top footballers but I want to be known as Lewis and for what I’ve done, not just because of my name.”
Ferguson’s season began with him scoring an overhead kick against Burnley, which made him famous overnight, and he went on from strength to strength. A highlight was his winning goal against Rangers in the League Cup semi-final.
But, alas, professional football has a habit of giving even the most dedicated the worst of days.
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For Ferguson, that came in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic when, with the game gone, his needless and reckless foul on Tom Rogic deservedly earned him a straight red card.
“It was just frustration from myself,” admitted Ferguson with admirable candour. “I was desperate.
“You know how it is in such a high profile game and I felt as if the game was getting away from us and I was trying to make something happen.
“I just felt as if everything was going in completely the wrong direction that I wanted and a lot of things mixed together - frustration and desperation - and I made a mistake.
“I didn’t even mean it, I just lunged and I regret it. I let down the players who were left on the pitch, I let down the staff, the fans. I was so disappointed in myself but as soon as it happened that’s it, it’s done. You have to move on, try to forget about it and make sure moments like that make you better.”
Good on him. Yes, he was wrong that afternoon, but there was no pretence that he’s made a mistake. Lesson learned.
Lewis Ferguson is a fine young footballer with focus and a steely determination, who has it within him to get to the top. It does run in the family.
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