There's a lot of talk about keeping Ferguson and switching with Cort for tactical, form or injury reasons....

However, it seems to me that Ferguson doesn't seem to be in the plans....firstly we've got Murray (Rangers Chairman) saying that he's being touted about and secondly after reading Cort's Ronnie Gill interview he keeps going on about playing with Shearer this that and the other as if he's already been guaranteed a starting spot and doesn't once mention Ferguson....

Personally I'd like to see Big Dunc stay....he's a helluva player when he's fit and as Softie said elsewhere with the arrival of Cort it's not so much of an issue any more if he's not fit for the full season!

Thoughts?

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

Answers

I hope he stays.

In a rotational system with Cort and possibly he is only going to play in a maximum of say, 60% of games anyway. I would reckon that that is something like the number of games he played last year.

I'd much rather see him on the bench than scaring the shit out of our defence. we can't afford to lose him and if we do then they had better have someone lined up, but who is available! Not much considering the options before buying Cort!

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

It'd be a BIG mistake to lose Dunc with Cort arriving. Cort is still young (22) and has plenty to learn. I'm also reminded of the last time we sold a big, decent striker (Sir Les) and then something rather unpleasant happened to Al soon after.

Any side looking to make Euro-qualification progress up the league table needs at least 3 if not 4 good strikers. Like you say, Gav, Dunc is bloody lethal when he's fit (2 debut goals v Wimbledon for start, that goal v ManU...).

Can't see Dunc going to Rangers anyhow, since he had rather a difficult period last time he stepped into Jocko land...and Murray was Chairman then too!

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

Thing is, who would buy Ferguson? He'd have to take one Hell of a drop in wages for most clubs to take him. We also don't know when he will be back from his latest injury. I wouldn't be that surprised if we were trying to flog him but I'll be stunned of he isn't a Toon player next season.

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

To be honest, i'd be suprised if anyone took him either but I'm just a little disconcerted that we "seem" to be trying to offload him....thus putting us back in the position of having virtually no cover....we all know Kets doesn't count and we've no idea how The Wolf will do...

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

Precisely Gav. If we sell him, it won't be yet. Bobby'll play him to remind people of his ability and protect him as much as possible from injuries ( a la Pistone). By that time we'll also know more about Cordone. We'd then have various options, not least keeping Ferguson. I suppose what I'm saying is that Bobby won't rush into anything and leave us exposed.

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

Really hope he stays. When he's fit he is fantastic. His goal against ManU was the goal of the season!

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

i dont understand why theres been so much negativity about the Yin on here ... does everyone remeber last season as clearly as i do .. he really scared the sh** out of everyone and won evrything in the air .. goals in the FA Cup that gol etc..... Why the f do we want to get rid of him ??? Sheer madness if we do , has he had a run in with YBR or soeminc .. howay evryone , remeber how happy we were when he was fit ?

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

I think (hope!) it's his agent trying to make a few bob and a lot of media hype. Remember that 24 hours ago we had no interest in Carl Cort!

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

I really hope Big Dunc stays. As many have pointed out, his injury record means he won't play in every game anyhow. And when fit, he is awesome, and scares the bejaysus out of other teams' defences! Every other top team has more than 2 good strikers, which are rotated. While I can understand the club willing to sell him if they get the right price, I hope they wait until we've got in 1 or 2 more top strikers. Otherwise we're right back to where we are now should anything happen to Cort or Al.

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

I'm always a big negative voice about DF and it's no different this time. I hope he goes. We do need three or four good strikers, but that's no need to keep an under-performing, overpaid, injury-prone beanpole who encourages us to hoof the ball at him and gives us no movement or pace. I think some of the best footy we played last season came at Wembley after Dunc had claimed his 40,000 quid for doing sod all in 18 minutes or whatever it was. Suddenly we hade pace and movement in midfield. Cf Euro 2000.

However, getting rid will be problematic, unless that pisshead down the smog can get the readies together. I agree that Bobby will probably wait and rotate (and when we have the strength AS will have to take his turns on the bench) and keep looking to strenghten. Who knows how Cordone will fit in, anyway? He may turn out to be a great foil for Al or Cort.

Meanwhile let's keep trying to clear out the twelve players we don't want or need.

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

We are nonethless paying him #40k a week for next to nothing. Admittedly, he is snip when compared to Silvia's wage/return ratio but #40k A WEEK. jEEMY kNACKERS!!

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

Ferguson's peak period for us was the 12 game run from 22 December to 26 March when he scored 8 goals. We won 8, drew 3 (would have been 2 more wins without Dabz's gift to Owen and Pistone's 90th min challenge against the Hammers) and lost 1. That's championship form that is. All this talk about him slowing us down and sapping our ability to attack is simply not supported by what we achieved when he was fit. After this run of 12 games he was taken off at half time against Wednesday with a back injury and never looked the same all season. Blaming him for being crap when injured is ridiculous: the question to ask is why the Hell we didn't have an alternative to a half fit striker so he still had to play. Well we've got an alternative now, so he only plays when fit which means he should get a chance to heal before getting sent out again. If you want to slag off his ability when injured, fine, but I didn't hear anyone complaining about Shearer's form when he was sidelined for 6 months and it should be the same for any other player.

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

Too many short memories.

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

It's that period that made me a fan of Big Dunc. Seeing him in person for many of those games, and on telly for that goal. That's what a fit Dunc is capable of, and what I hope we'll get to see more of next season.

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

It's hardly short memories. We are all grateful for that good spell. However, it isn't ideal to have a player who plays so few games when he's the second best paid player at the club. The comparison with Shearer's injury isn't realistic. For a start, Shearer was being paid 15,000 a week less than Ferguson is now. However, you will note that I wasn't suggesting we should sell Big Dunc. For a start, I think we'd struggle to sell him and secondly we need three very good strikers (which Dunc is).

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

PS. Softie, I agree regarding the real issue being that we have such a crap forward line that his injuries take on absurd magnitude. If we'd had a real alternative to him, we'd have been less concerned.

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

I am a fan of Duncs & more often than not have to defend his corner in the bar post games. I think Shearer was pleased with him for a partner too, let's face facts the alternative strike partners were ludicrous, Kets, Maric & Robinson. I hope he stays & stays fit.

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

What would be the point of selling him. His gives us a different option for attack, he's a nuisance for defenders with aerial abilty and hes got a good touch for a big lad.

I sound like Ron Atkinson her.

It was so long ago we had three top class stikers, Shearer, Ferdy and Tino, and it worked, especially the mauling of Notts Forest on the last day, until the board decided to sell Ferdinand in the summer.

You dont see Man Utd sell Sheringham or Soljaker or whatever the fuckers name is when they boought Yorke.

You have got to have a group of good players vying for players, not players like Kets and Robinson .

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

Not a big fan of Duncan Ferguson, but, wouldn`t it be a novelty to have three strikers in the team! (:o)

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

I for one certainly hope we don't offload Duncan Ferguson. I love the guy. Yes he has been injured a lot, but when he is fit...Boy Oh Boy. I'll never forget him getting stuck in against the Italians in the Uefa Cup. He gives the team Heart, and the fans something to look forward to. I hope he is in YBR's plan for the coming season. I hope Young Bobby gives him the number 10 shirt, I always liked that number.

Bravo Duncan Ferguson!!!!!

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

I'll add my voice, erm fingers, to the positive supporters of Big Dunc. I really want to see him stay, and I can imagine opposition teams now looking at and saying "sh!te, we've got to deal with Shearer and Cort/Ferguson (you choose) from the off, and if we manage to see one off, then Ferguson/Cort is waiting on the bench."

Either way, Ferguson is going to physically punish defenders for a game, and then Cort comes on to absolutely run them ragged. Or it'll be the opposite with Cort running them ragged and then Ferguson comming on and bowling them over.

My best memory of the Newton Heath game is not the goal by Ferguson, but Big Yin flattening Stam and then squaring up to Bosnich. Oh and I can also pin point when Ferguson injured himself. It was when he chased a lost cuase down the left of the manu box, being challenged all the way, and tried a last second slide to keep it in play. As soon as he got up he was clutching his lower back. Injured in the line of duty.

Oh and who says Shearer won't be rested on occassions and we'll see Yin and Cort paired together. can you imagine both Ferguson and Cort squaring up to Stam. He'd be like, looking up to them "Oh shite I'm really the meat in the sandwich now".

-- Anonymous, July 07, 2000