Duncan Ferguson on alcohol, regrets over police run-ins and being 16 years sober
It has been 16 years since Duncan Ferguson final touched a drop of alcohol, having given up booze on the age of 37 – he admits “as soon as I finished the nights out, I finished placing myself in harmful positions”
Duncan Ferguson, who stopped ingesting at 37, says any time there had been bother in his life, booze had been concerned.
He had been in just a few scraps earlier than an notorious incident on the Royal Lodge in Anstruther, a quiet fishing village on the Fife coast, when he was 21, having gone to a Younger Participant of the 12 months occasion. Now 53, he says: ”Like a giant, daft softie, I used to be too simply led astray.”
The Premier League legend was shopping for a spherical when a lad with them obtained right into a confrontation with one other boy.
As Ferguson cut up them up, a giant man on a stool on the bar obtained concerned. Ferguson mentioned they didn’t need any bother however the man replied: ‘‘Nicely, I’ll f***ing provide you with…
“He by no means obtained the phrase out of his mouth. As he made to stand up from his stool, I sensed what was coming and didn’t wait. Increase. The fella slid off his stool and all hell broke unfastened. It was just like the Wild West.”
Article continues belowREAD MORE: Duncan Ferguson reveals 'horrifying' first query he was requested on first jail stroll with inmates
At 4am police referred to as spherical the place Ferguson was staying asking: "Is Duncan Ferguson right here?"
“I used to be there all proper. Laid out on the couch, rotten, stinking drunk, buck bare other than a pink hat somebody had given me earlier that was nonetheless on my head. I had lipstick on, an earring and a silk glove. And nothing else. It was a wierd night time.
“Sooner or later I’d obtained into fancy gown. I nonetheless don’t know when.
"The police took one take a look at me and mentioned, ‘We’ll come again later.’ Which they did."
Ferguson regrets the stress and anguish he should have put his mother and father via.
And now he admits: "I now know as a dad or mum how worrying it’s when the cellphone goes late at night time. My children can’t bear in mind the ingesting. I simply inform them I by no means had a drink. My two lads don’t drink. As soon as I finished ingesting, I finished the nights out, I finished placing myself in harmful positions.
"However you recognize what? I’ve by no means truly mentioned, ‘I’ve stopped ingesting.’ I don’t depend the times since I final had a drink. I’m not in rehab.
“Possibly someday I’ll begin ingesting once more. Possibly someday I’ll be a fantastic supervisor and Everton will win the Premiership. If I’m provided a glass of champagne I would suppose, ‘ what? I’ll have a pleasant glass of champagne!’ Possibly.”
Huge Dunc: The Upfront Autobiography by Duncan Ferguson, with Henry Winter, is revealed on eighth Might by Century
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