At the age of 16, he was in the Rangers first team. At 21, he was playing for Scotland. Derek Ferguson s childhood dream had come true or so you d think. ow almost 40, he s dragging his aching bones around the part-time circuit and coaching kids on windswept public parks. The fans think he s doing it for kicks. After all, guys like him all have a million in the bank, don t they? ut here s the reality that goes with the dream- a career derailed by the death of his baby daughter and the near nervous breakdown that followed; knees wrecked nearly as badly as the pension fund that fell into a stock-market black hole; endless regrets at walking out on a proper education; the gnawing fear of the day when he ll finally have to join the real world; and through it all, the promise to himself that the same wasn t going to happen to his wee brother. wenty years ago, starstruck kids queued to ask for Derek s autograph. Today, they ask- Are you related to Barry? He s always proud to say yes, just as he s proud to know he helped make sure Barry also has the fortune to go with his fame. ig Brother is a journey that takes you deeper into the inner sanctum of the dressing-room than ever bef

Author Biography

Derek Ferguson signed for Rangers the day after his 16th birthday and later played for Dundee, Hearts, Sunderland and Falkirk, amongst others. He is now assistant manager of Stranraer. Bill Leckie is an award-winning columnist with the Scottish Sun, and also broadcasts for BBC Scotland, Radio Five Live, TalkSport Radio and STV.