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BIG DUNC: The Upfront Autobiography
Brought to you by Penguin.
*THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*
They don't make footballers - and football autobiographies - like this anymore. The brutally honest, riotously entertaining story of the much-loved Everton legend and iconic Premier League bad boy.
Praised by Wayne Rooney and Sir Alex Ferguson as one of the greatest and most passionate players to ever play the game, Duncan Ferguson, or Big Dunc as he is known, is larger than life in every sense. Measuring a towering 6 feet 4 inches in height, from the moment the striker emerged in British football in the 1990s, he was front and back page news.
On the pitch, fans loved Duncan for his roguish charm, his thrilling goals and his total commitment in every game. Fighting tooth and nail, he was a born leader and took no prisoners. Like his rival Roy Keane, he played close to the limit, and often crossed it. Such as the time he was sentenced to 3 months in Glasgow’s toughest prison for headbutting an opponent – the first and only time a footballer has ever gone to jail for a crime committed on a football pitch.
In BIG The Upfront Autobiography, Duncan reveals, for the first time, the full the truth about his experiences in prison, his partying with African princes and Liverpool gangsters, his fighting with burglars, his making and losing a fortune, and how he turned his life around through his beloved Everton F.C..
In the process, the book sheds light on one of football’s most charismatic but notorious and enigmatic hardmen. He is a pillar of the community in Merseyside, giving back to stricken children who share a similar tough upbringing to his own. Duncan's book takes readers on a rollercoaster ride of humour, drama and redemption. Buckle up.
'A hell of a read. I couldn't recommend it more. Powerful' Gary Lineker
‘Pure charisma’ The Times
‘The honesty is unrestrained … there is humour … there is much to amuse … He has been through the storm and lived to tell the tales’ Daily Mail
Duncan Ferguson 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025
*THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*
They don't make footballers - and football autobiographies - like this anymore. The brutally honest, riotously entertaining story of the much-loved Everton legend and iconic Premier League bad boy.
Praised by Wayne Rooney and Sir Alex Ferguson as one of the greatest and most passionate players to ever play the game, Duncan Ferguson, or Big Dunc as he is known, is larger than life in every sense. Measuring a towering 6 feet 4 inches in height, from the moment the striker emerged in British football in the 1990s, he was front and back page news.
On the pitch, fans loved Duncan for his roguish charm, his thrilling goals and his total commitment in every game. Fighting tooth and nail, he was a born leader and took no prisoners. Like his rival Roy Keane, he played close to the limit, and often crossed it. Such as the time he was sentenced to 3 months in Glasgow’s toughest prison for headbutting an opponent – the first and only time a footballer has ever gone to jail for a crime committed on a football pitch.
In BIG The Upfront Autobiography, Duncan reveals, for the first time, the full the truth about his experiences in prison, his partying with African princes and Liverpool gangsters, his fighting with burglars, his making and losing a fortune, and how he turned his life around through his beloved Everton F.C..
In the process, the book sheds light on one of football’s most charismatic but notorious and enigmatic hardmen. He is a pillar of the community in Merseyside, giving back to stricken children who share a similar tough upbringing to his own. Duncan's book takes readers on a rollercoaster ride of humour, drama and redemption. Buckle up.
'A hell of a read. I couldn't recommend it more. Powerful' Gary Lineker
‘Pure charisma’ The Times
‘The honesty is unrestrained … there is humour … there is much to amuse … He has been through the storm and lived to tell the tales’ Daily Mail
Duncan Ferguson 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025
Audible Audio
Published May 8, 2025
119 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
About the author
Duncan Ferguson
1 book2 followersDuncan Cowan Ferguson (born 27 December 1971) is a Scottish football coach and former player.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
July 3, 2025
I was really looking forward to this. Big Dunc has had such an interesting career, loaded with its fair share of controversy.
This started strong. He details his time in prison, which sounded like a truly horrific experience.
He didn't really seem to learn anything from his time inside, yes, it was an absolute travesty that he was jailed for what happened on a football pitch, but when he got out, he didn't really seem to change his approach. To anything or anyone. There are only so many times the "I was stitched up" defence can be used and seem legitimate.
The main issue I had with his story is that he can't decide who he is. He spends half of the book telling us how shy, quiet and generous he is and how never sought confrontation, he was always provoked and the other half telling us how hard he is and how he used to run with gangsters. The misunderstood good guy who still wants everyone to think he is hard just didn't feel authentic.
He goes on about how disrespected he was at Everton when he left as a player on one hand, then details how he screamed and shouted at managers and board members on the other. You don't get respect if you don't show anyone any.
He expresses his regrets at the end of the book about turning his back on the Scotland National Team and other things that he did throughout his career, but it felt like a bit of an empty concession.
I wanted to get to know Big Dunc a bit better, and what I found, I didn't like that much.
This started strong. He details his time in prison, which sounded like a truly horrific experience.
He didn't really seem to learn anything from his time inside, yes, it was an absolute travesty that he was jailed for what happened on a football pitch, but when he got out, he didn't really seem to change his approach. To anything or anyone. There are only so many times the "I was stitched up" defence can be used and seem legitimate.
The main issue I had with his story is that he can't decide who he is. He spends half of the book telling us how shy, quiet and generous he is and how never sought confrontation, he was always provoked and the other half telling us how hard he is and how he used to run with gangsters. The misunderstood good guy who still wants everyone to think he is hard just didn't feel authentic.
He goes on about how disrespected he was at Everton when he left as a player on one hand, then details how he screamed and shouted at managers and board members on the other. You don't get respect if you don't show anyone any.
He expresses his regrets at the end of the book about turning his back on the Scotland National Team and other things that he did throughout his career, but it felt like a bit of an empty concession.
I wanted to get to know Big Dunc a bit better, and what I found, I didn't like that much.
June 20, 2025
open and frank autobiography and isn't afraid to speak out. really enjoyed the book
June 27, 2025
The first half is good - talking about his time in prison, his early career, the Everton move - but then it’s like he sacked the ghost writer and started doing his own thing.
The second half is Dunc just talking about how great he is at talent spotting. He spends the remainder of the book explaining that he warned the Everton board about nearly every big money signing they made and that behind the scenes the owners kept saying they wished they’d listened to him. And he clearly feels bitter about not being given the full-time manager’s job. So it all peters out.
The second half is Dunc just talking about how great he is at talent spotting. He spends the remainder of the book explaining that he warned the Everton board about nearly every big money signing they made and that behind the scenes the owners kept saying they wished they’d listened to him. And he clearly feels bitter about not being given the full-time manager’s job. So it all peters out.
August 20, 2025
“There was no Scottish striker better than me at the time, there was nobody to take my position. I’d have been in every single squad for fourteen years. I feel I had the ability to break all records for Scotland.”
Like many strikers, there’s no doubting Ferguson’s ego and self-confidence though the facts and stats seem to suggest otherwise. He went to Rangers for a then British transfer record fee of £4 million in 1993, and was far from a success there. As well at one stage going more than 700 minutes without a goal for the club, at the end of his short time there he managed a mere, “22 games in total, half of them starts, and only 5 goals.”
Over his entire career he only managed 126 goals in 423 games – in another words averaging less than a goal every three games, not a particularly impressive record for any centre forward, let alone one who claims to be so great. According to one journalist, “His 192 minutes of play in 2002–03 as a goalless substitute cost the club £9,000 per minute.”
Ferguson has the unsavoury title of being the first British footballer ever to be imprisoned for something that happened on the pitch. Three months, though he only served 44 days. This seems harsh considering that earlier in the year of his sentencing, Eric Cantona violently attacked a young fan and was given a paltry 120 days of community service, which consisted of teaching kids football at Man Utd training ground. But there’s a lot more to it…
Without question media hysteria and other hidden agendas played a part in getting Ferguson arrested, but also unlike Cantona, off the pitch Ferguson had accrued quite a record and reputation for violence, including head-butting a police officer, which is why he was on probation. Bearing in mind this was the same guy who was arrested and spent a night in jail for drink driving within only weeks of arriving in Liverpool.
Yet he’s genuinely astonished and consumed with self-pity when he’s given a comparatively small sentence when his long history of criminality catches up with him and he’s confronted with the reality check of being treated like everyone else. Why should he be immune from jail time, just because of his huge personal income and celebrity status?...Yes the SFA, like most FAs around the world, were wildly out of touch with the reality and were more interested in demonstrating their power, no matter how vindictive and disproportionate that proved to be, but ultimately the buck has to stop with Ferguson.
But he seems to be under the impression that claiming “I was young and daft” or “I was no Snow White” are enough to excuse or absolve him. Ferguson goes to great and repeated length to tell us how nice and generous he is, and no doubt he has those traits, but in the end so often this reads like one long list of excuses, about his reckless behaviour - anger issues and him assaulting others, falling out with others etc. Ferguson certainly suffered many injuries throughout his career, but as he admits himself, too many late nights and too much drinking played a crucial part.
But self-delusion, self-pity and naivety (paying £20’000 for a fake Rolex, wearing it for 20 years and not realising until he took it to the pawn shop?) rule so much of his outlook, add to this his immaturity, petulance and regular contradictions, it’s no wonder he was such a troubled soul on the pitch. His mood swings and persecution complex seem to have been a constant throughout his career and hearing a self-pitying (former) multi-millionaire complain about losing money in a grand tax avoidance scheme is just pathetic. One scheme apparently involved no less than 129 footballers including Beckham, Rooney, Lineker and Gerard, as if all these greedy millionaires didn’t have enough?...
Ferguson was clearly a good, strong player and the times when he was fit and on form, he showed many moments of greatness. But for a number of reasons over his career he never showed enough consistency or reliability to be in the same league as the greats and goal scorers he believes himself to be in. I actually found this book pretty depressing and in the end you can’t help think that his legacy is more one of what could have been, rather than what he actually achieved.
May 18, 2025
Big Dunc – More than just a madman up top
As a Rangers fan, I grew up knowing exactly who Duncan Ferguson was—or at least I thought I did. The flying elbows, the death stares, the absolute chaos every time he stepped on the pitch. You didn’t forget watching Big Dunc. But this book shows you the man behind that reputation. And surprise—he’s not just a lunatic with a decent left foot.
He takes you through everything—growing up in Stirling, breaking into the Scottish game, his move to Rangers (which clearly meant the world to him), and then the rollercoaster that was his career in England. The Everton stuff is brilliant—his love for that club pours off the pages. The stories with fans, the emotion, the loyalty. It’s all real. He’s not pretending for a book deal—he genuinely cares.
Then there’s the side most people forget or never saw: the pain from injuries, the jail time and what it really did to him, and the tough slog after retirement trying to break into coaching. You start to realise he’s taken a hell of a lot more knocks in life than just on the pitch.
There are some great behind-the-scenes stories too—especially his time working under Ancelotti, and his bond with players like Rooney. He’s not just a battering ram—he’s got football intelligence and presence that clearly inspired others.
This isn’t ghostwritten fluff or a PR exercise—it’s proper, from-the-gut stuff. It’s emotional in places, but still full of that Dunc attitude we all loved (or feared, depending on who you supported).
By the end, I saw him totally differently. Still a beast on the park, but also someone who’s loyal to a fault, brutally honest, and way more thoughtful than anyone ever gave him credit for.
It’s the kind of book you finish and think—aye, I get him now.
As a Rangers fan, I grew up knowing exactly who Duncan Ferguson was—or at least I thought I did. The flying elbows, the death stares, the absolute chaos every time he stepped on the pitch. You didn’t forget watching Big Dunc. But this book shows you the man behind that reputation. And surprise—he’s not just a lunatic with a decent left foot.
He takes you through everything—growing up in Stirling, breaking into the Scottish game, his move to Rangers (which clearly meant the world to him), and then the rollercoaster that was his career in England. The Everton stuff is brilliant—his love for that club pours off the pages. The stories with fans, the emotion, the loyalty. It’s all real. He’s not pretending for a book deal—he genuinely cares.
Then there’s the side most people forget or never saw: the pain from injuries, the jail time and what it really did to him, and the tough slog after retirement trying to break into coaching. You start to realise he’s taken a hell of a lot more knocks in life than just on the pitch.
There are some great behind-the-scenes stories too—especially his time working under Ancelotti, and his bond with players like Rooney. He’s not just a battering ram—he’s got football intelligence and presence that clearly inspired others.
This isn’t ghostwritten fluff or a PR exercise—it’s proper, from-the-gut stuff. It’s emotional in places, but still full of that Dunc attitude we all loved (or feared, depending on who you supported).
By the end, I saw him totally differently. Still a beast on the park, but also someone who’s loyal to a fault, brutally honest, and way more thoughtful than anyone ever gave him credit for.
It’s the kind of book you finish and think—aye, I get him now.
November 8, 2025
A fascinating autobiography from the Everton and Scotland centre forward, Duncan Ferguson.
Very Honest and open account about his time as a player and his personal battles off the pitch.
Very Honest and open account about his time as a player and his personal battles off the pitch.
May 12, 2025
I really enjoyed this.
As autobiographies go, particularly in the sporting world, I think this is one of the better ones.
Duncan for those that know of him, certainly has some tales to tell. If you dont know of him, he is not your typical footballer, in fact at one point of the book he relates a few stats and says himself that its a reminder that he did play football (and was very good) inbetween all of the other stuff.
The chapters are short and direct and move around quite a bit, so whilst it is broadly in chronological order it does not always seem so. However I felt that helped the book rather than hinder.
So a good solid 4* for me. I am biased, I am an Evertonian and Duncan was one of my favourite players growing up so I was always going to enjoy the book, but the way its put together, the interesting stories contained within it, and to be honest Duncan's modesty/charm/humour all come out in the book, it is a good read for those who like football/sport and even for those who may not, it is definitely one of the better sports autobiographies I have read.
As autobiographies go, particularly in the sporting world, I think this is one of the better ones.
Duncan for those that know of him, certainly has some tales to tell. If you dont know of him, he is not your typical footballer, in fact at one point of the book he relates a few stats and says himself that its a reminder that he did play football (and was very good) inbetween all of the other stuff.
The chapters are short and direct and move around quite a bit, so whilst it is broadly in chronological order it does not always seem so. However I felt that helped the book rather than hinder.
So a good solid 4* for me. I am biased, I am an Evertonian and Duncan was one of my favourite players growing up so I was always going to enjoy the book, but the way its put together, the interesting stories contained within it, and to be honest Duncan's modesty/charm/humour all come out in the book, it is a good read for those who like football/sport and even for those who may not, it is definitely one of the better sports autobiographies I have read.
June 9, 2025
Big Duncs CV
I don't often read autobiographys but Big Dunc promoted this well and I thought 'I'll give it a go'. I'm a football fan and I like Duncan Ferguson but I don't think he comes across well in his book. A bit 'poor me, it's not my fault'. Most of the book also felt like he was selling himself as a coach and putting his CV out there so he could get a job as manager somewhere! Overall, it wasn't terrible and there was some good stories and insights but I was really looking forward to it and I felt it was a bit of letdown.
I don't often read autobiographys but Big Dunc promoted this well and I thought 'I'll give it a go'. I'm a football fan and I like Duncan Ferguson but I don't think he comes across well in his book. A bit 'poor me, it's not my fault'. Most of the book also felt like he was selling himself as a coach and putting his CV out there so he could get a job as manager somewhere! Overall, it wasn't terrible and there was some good stories and insights but I was really looking forward to it and I felt it was a bit of letdown.
June 10, 2025
First half was great when talking about growing up, prision, playing for all the different teams and relationship’s with different managers.
Unfortunately the second half of the book is just one big job interview on how he should be a manager again and makes himself out to be a tactical genius and becomes very David Brent-esk with quotes along the lines of Duncan you’ve been the best manager in the world no one has done drills like you etc. clear Duncan wants to find a job and think the release of this book is heavily linked to that
Unfortunately the second half of the book is just one big job interview on how he should be a manager again and makes himself out to be a tactical genius and becomes very David Brent-esk with quotes along the lines of Duncan you’ve been the best manager in the world no one has done drills like you etc. clear Duncan wants to find a job and think the release of this book is heavily linked to that
July 30, 2025
Very insightful into the shitshow of being a blue. I am honoured to be named after this man. Up the fucking toffees. Kopites are gobshites.
May 13, 2025
This is an eye opening account of Big Dunc’s life from the big man himself, a man who was largely silent during his footballing career and did all of his talking on the pitch. It begins with his 4-months in the infamous Barlinnie prison in Glasgow, which — no spoilers — he described as “terrifying”. The irony was, in the outside world, Duncan was truly terrifying to opposition defenders and , unbeknownst to him, he hung out with some pretty terrifying characters off the pitch.
Dunc talks of his affections for Everton, the people of Liverpool , and Evertonians in particular. How Liverpool felt like home right from the beginning and how , throughout his footballing career — whether as a player or coach — the lure of Everton remained too much after that first taste in 1994. The “upfront” autobiography reminds me of the famous Frank Sinatra song , “My Way”, where the lyrics of one famous verse feel very apt to the Big Man…
“Regrets , I’ve had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through exemption
I planned each chartered course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way”
Dunc was largely unapologetic during his early days but age and experience have allowed him to mature, to grow, to look back and refer to himself as “daft”, realising that he could have been so much more, and achieved so much more as a player, That his lifestyle, and that of many British players at the time, was the cause of so many of his injuries, He was also stubborn and these factors all combined to hold him back from his full potential. I watched him on many occasions, and I was there — a schoolboy of 17 — sat in the Gwladys Street with my youngest brother and Father as he headed his first goal in Royal Blue against the Red Sh*te. The Sky cameras picked me up in the crowd after the game and the next day people in school said “I thought you were a blue?” as I had not looked at all happy at the end of the game. I was delirious inside at beating the old enemy but in that moment the sky cameras focussed on me in the crowd, I was reflecting sombrely on how far our great club had sank . Little did I know then that Duncan’s influence and goals would carry us to safety and we’d be celebrating an FA Cup win later that same season.
If you’re a fellow Evertonian, I will be very surprised if you don’t love the man more after finishing the book. I choose to listen to him read it and that created more of a connection to the big man. The tone, the emphasis, the reflections, all served to create an experience that may not have come across in the same way of reading, something I usually prefer to do. In many ways, his life represents the heroes journey and that’s why the book is so absorbing . If you know anything about Hollywood, you will know any epic story tends to follow the heroes journey, popularised by Joseph Campbell.
Big Dunc appears to be very astute as a profiler of players and their potential. He clearly has developed himself as a top coach, perhaps not deserving the credit or recognition he deserves having won plaudits from top managers, not least Carlo Fantastico. He has been mentored by some of the best, from the late great Howard Kendall to Sir Alex Ferguson. I’m fascinated to hear what’s next for him and how he continues to develop and progress in the game. Best wishes big man.
Dunc talks of his affections for Everton, the people of Liverpool , and Evertonians in particular. How Liverpool felt like home right from the beginning and how , throughout his footballing career — whether as a player or coach — the lure of Everton remained too much after that first taste in 1994. The “upfront” autobiography reminds me of the famous Frank Sinatra song , “My Way”, where the lyrics of one famous verse feel very apt to the Big Man…
“Regrets , I’ve had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through exemption
I planned each chartered course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way”
Dunc was largely unapologetic during his early days but age and experience have allowed him to mature, to grow, to look back and refer to himself as “daft”, realising that he could have been so much more, and achieved so much more as a player, That his lifestyle, and that of many British players at the time, was the cause of so many of his injuries, He was also stubborn and these factors all combined to hold him back from his full potential. I watched him on many occasions, and I was there — a schoolboy of 17 — sat in the Gwladys Street with my youngest brother and Father as he headed his first goal in Royal Blue against the Red Sh*te. The Sky cameras picked me up in the crowd after the game and the next day people in school said “I thought you were a blue?” as I had not looked at all happy at the end of the game. I was delirious inside at beating the old enemy but in that moment the sky cameras focussed on me in the crowd, I was reflecting sombrely on how far our great club had sank . Little did I know then that Duncan’s influence and goals would carry us to safety and we’d be celebrating an FA Cup win later that same season.
If you’re a fellow Evertonian, I will be very surprised if you don’t love the man more after finishing the book. I choose to listen to him read it and that created more of a connection to the big man. The tone, the emphasis, the reflections, all served to create an experience that may not have come across in the same way of reading, something I usually prefer to do. In many ways, his life represents the heroes journey and that’s why the book is so absorbing . If you know anything about Hollywood, you will know any epic story tends to follow the heroes journey, popularised by Joseph Campbell.
Big Dunc appears to be very astute as a profiler of players and their potential. He clearly has developed himself as a top coach, perhaps not deserving the credit or recognition he deserves having won plaudits from top managers, not least Carlo Fantastico. He has been mentored by some of the best, from the late great Howard Kendall to Sir Alex Ferguson. I’m fascinated to hear what’s next for him and how he continues to develop and progress in the game. Best wishes big man.
May 24, 2025
Brilliant book, sensational player and most importantly a PROPER Evertonian. If you love our club and if you know your history then you neeeeed to read this book💙💙💙
June 23, 2025
I'm not an Everton fan but loved this autobiography. Raw and honest, it gives great insight into the life and times of this larger than life character.
August 8, 2025
Duncan Ferguson one of my heroes growing up. Brilliant to read about his life in prison and his career with Everton. A must read for fans of football in general
October 31, 2025
Brutally honest account of one of the hardest men to play the game, plus I really want to be his friend
August 10, 2025
Loved watching Duncan Ferguson play and this book really reveals his true character.
A lovely guy and what a rough deal he has had out of life especially considering the talent that he had.
Hope that someone gives him another opportunity in football management.
A lovely guy and what a rough deal he has had out of life especially considering the talent that he had.
Hope that someone gives him another opportunity in football management.
October 26, 2025
Honest story about Duncan’s life. Absolutely amazing stories and some shocking truths. Amazing book
December 9, 2025
I would advise reading this instead of listening cos it might flow better in your own head. I listened because it was advertised as an audible book that would be good for non football fans also but f me It started off so strong man and was getting pretty interesting and then was just so not good. It got very long, the stories less interesting really, if you’re not a football fan 🪭 and then the narration. I’m not sure he actually learnt his lessons to be honest and his attitude doesn’t come from a very moved on place BUT I did love hearing about his pigeons and his love for his wife and kids, very sweet.
His monotone voice is fun at the start and matches up but then every story is told in that tone. Mr Fergusson are you excited, worried, happy, sad? How is one to know if you speak exactly the same. Also the man has the thickest Scottish accent I’ve ever heard which is very endearing but I genuinely had to strain sometimes to listen and coming from a Geordie family I’m no stranger to a cheeky accent but I literally couldn’t understand sometimes. Maybe that’s a me problem but. Man.
His monotone voice is fun at the start and matches up but then every story is told in that tone. Mr Fergusson are you excited, worried, happy, sad? How is one to know if you speak exactly the same. Also the man has the thickest Scottish accent I’ve ever heard which is very endearing but I genuinely had to strain sometimes to listen and coming from a Geordie family I’m no stranger to a cheeky accent but I literally couldn’t understand sometimes. Maybe that’s a me problem but. Man.
May 17, 2025
A fascinating and enjoyable read, I really felt I got to know the real Duncan Ferguson and this was so easy to read. A must read for any Evertonian
May 30, 2025
One of the better footballer biographies I have read. Duncan certainly has had an interesting journey and I feel that he has got the rough end of the stick on many occasions.
I wish him a happy and successful future.
I wish him a happy and successful future.
May 12, 2025
A fantastic autobiography! Literally could not pug it down.
May 11, 2025
Brilliant! Love Dunc! 💙
May 25, 2025
My dad's advice was always 'Get your retaliation in first', which I followed on the football pitch my entire career. Of course, he didn't mean for me to get sent off every week. As life went on, I would reflect on that. 'Mr Ferguson, who threw the first punch?" Invariably, me. But that's how I was brought up. My old man used to say to me, 'Hit them first, son, get the first one in.' When I was younger, that was my mantra: throw the first punch. Mum always said to Dad, 'Stop telling him those things, you're going to get him in trouble.' And sometimes I did get into trouble because it's always the last man standing, not the man lying on the floor, who gets done. My dad was old school, he could handle himself and got stuck in first. That's what I lived by. Whenever I felt threatened I threw the first punch. Be a doer, give them a reducer, hit first and ask questions after.
Duncan Ferguson, my idol growing up, has always been a man of mystery. Rarely doing in-depth interviews, the only books on his life have been put together without sourcing directly from the big man himself.
That has all changed now as he has put together a no holes barred, tell-all, autobiography which doesn't hold back. He tells of his troubles growing up, drinking and fighting, the infamous headbutt and associated prison sentence, and his time at Dundee, Rangers, Newcastle and my beloved Everton.
He opens up on his time working alongside a succession of Everton managers, the politics behind the scenes, and the issues with a certain director of football, who had a reputation for bringing in big money duds.
Overall an interesting and thought provoking read which is as frantic in places as you would expect from such an iconic player. 4 1/2 stars.
Duncan Ferguson, my idol growing up, has always been a man of mystery. Rarely doing in-depth interviews, the only books on his life have been put together without sourcing directly from the big man himself.
That has all changed now as he has put together a no holes barred, tell-all, autobiography which doesn't hold back. He tells of his troubles growing up, drinking and fighting, the infamous headbutt and associated prison sentence, and his time at Dundee, Rangers, Newcastle and my beloved Everton.
He opens up on his time working alongside a succession of Everton managers, the politics behind the scenes, and the issues with a certain director of football, who had a reputation for bringing in big money duds.
Overall an interesting and thought provoking read which is as frantic in places as you would expect from such an iconic player. 4 1/2 stars.
May 25, 2025
A great read in a time when sports memoirs often feel focus-grouped and sanitised.
Ferguson's offering is a refreshing, if at times uncomfortable, reminder of what a true "warts and all" account looks like. This isn't a book to make you like Duncan Ferguson; it's a book to make you understand him, for better or worse.
From the outset, it's clear Ferguson pulls no punches – least of all on himself. This isn't a man who sugarcoats his past or deflects blame. Whether it's detailing his brushes with the law, the infamous headbutts, or the various confrontations that peppered his career, Ferguson owns every single action, every misstep, every controversy.
There's no carefully constructed narrative of redemption or regret; instead, there's a raw, almost matter-of-fact acceptance of the consequences of his choices. This unvarnished self-reflection is perhaps the book's greatest strength, allowing the reader direct access to the psyche of a man driven by instinct and an unyielding will to win.
The book lays bare the passion and intensity that fueled Ferguson, but also the volatile edges that often spilled over. He doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of his personality or the moments where his competitive fire veered into outright aggression. It’s a fascinating, if sometimes disquieting, insight into a player who genuinely embodied the term 'physical' in a way that feels increasingly alien to modern football.
A great memoir.
Ferguson's offering is a refreshing, if at times uncomfortable, reminder of what a true "warts and all" account looks like. This isn't a book to make you like Duncan Ferguson; it's a book to make you understand him, for better or worse.
From the outset, it's clear Ferguson pulls no punches – least of all on himself. This isn't a man who sugarcoats his past or deflects blame. Whether it's detailing his brushes with the law, the infamous headbutts, or the various confrontations that peppered his career, Ferguson owns every single action, every misstep, every controversy.
There's no carefully constructed narrative of redemption or regret; instead, there's a raw, almost matter-of-fact acceptance of the consequences of his choices. This unvarnished self-reflection is perhaps the book's greatest strength, allowing the reader direct access to the psyche of a man driven by instinct and an unyielding will to win.
The book lays bare the passion and intensity that fueled Ferguson, but also the volatile edges that often spilled over. He doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of his personality or the moments where his competitive fire veered into outright aggression. It’s a fascinating, if sometimes disquieting, insight into a player who genuinely embodied the term 'physical' in a way that feels increasingly alien to modern football.
A great memoir.
May 31, 2025
If you're an ex-footballer and your autobiography doesn't have a killer opening chapter ; you're toast. Tony Adams went in hard on his alcoholism, Tony Cascarino used his first passages to tell us of him getting caught cheating by his wife and Duncan Ferguson, in his new book Big Dunk (2025) opens up with his 40 plus days stay at the terrifying Barlinnie prison in Glasgow. It is a chilling breakdown of a then 22-year-old being sent to jail for an on-field incident (he headbutted an opponent, barely). From there, 'Duncan Disorderly' shares his life story, growing up hard in Stirling, youthful irresponsibility with booze, his breakthrough with Dundee Utd, Rangers and then his love affair with Everton FC. Fergurson is a very open storyteller and where he has the opportunity to vent his spleen at others, he is big enough to point most of his fingers at himself for his poor on and off the field decisions although there is remaining bitterness left over for others, particularly the Scottish FA. Some great stories abound though from this talented striker including his bankruptcy, friendships with Scouse gangsters, relationships with managers and how he responded to finding burglars in his house - twice! (Spoiler alert: It didn't work out well for them). This is a brutally honest and welcome account from an enigmatic character who up until this point, never told his story. I'm glad he finally did and I think you might agree.
December 27, 2025
As a Newcastle fan, I watched Duncan Ferguson when he played for us in the late 90s and forged a formidable partnership with Alan Shearer. On their day, they were completely unstoppable and Duncan also came across as a "salt of the the Earth" footballer with no airs or graces which so endeared him to the fans of both my club and, of course, Everton. The autobiography allows for the opportunity to hear from the talented (but frequently injured) sportsman.
Autobiographies are frequently vanilla themed, bland vanity project where the writer goes out of their way to appear humble, yet also to ensure the reader is in no doubt that they, the subject of the book, are phenomenal in every way. Refreshingly, Duncan Ferguson does not take this approach and his memoir is frank and honest about his various mistakes and regrets he has had in the past. In one chapter, he is generously handing out £1000s to those in need and in another chapter he is contemplating pawning his wife's engagement ring to make ends meet.
And there is clearly no ghost writer here. The prose is totally Duncan Ferguson raw and genuine. There are times you wonder should an editor have come in and tidied a few phrases or paragraphs up as it seems Duncan is on a tangent or digression, but to do so would take away from who Duncan is. Swift to act, heart on sleeve and a decent person.
I always liked Duncan Ferguson and wished he had stayed at Newcastle (albeit stayed fit also). This book has made me like him more...
Autobiographies are frequently vanilla themed, bland vanity project where the writer goes out of their way to appear humble, yet also to ensure the reader is in no doubt that they, the subject of the book, are phenomenal in every way. Refreshingly, Duncan Ferguson does not take this approach and his memoir is frank and honest about his various mistakes and regrets he has had in the past. In one chapter, he is generously handing out £1000s to those in need and in another chapter he is contemplating pawning his wife's engagement ring to make ends meet.
And there is clearly no ghost writer here. The prose is totally Duncan Ferguson raw and genuine. There are times you wonder should an editor have come in and tidied a few phrases or paragraphs up as it seems Duncan is on a tangent or digression, but to do so would take away from who Duncan is. Swift to act, heart on sleeve and a decent person.
I always liked Duncan Ferguson and wished he had stayed at Newcastle (albeit stayed fit also). This book has made me like him more...
November 29, 2025
Its ok. The book certainly captures his voice, so in that regard it delivers on one of the most important elements of an autobiography. And he's lead a pretty interesting life. But I was left with a feeling that self-reflection doesn't come easily to Ferguson; he's quick with an answer to any failures, which shows the kind of self confidence you need to be in high profile positions, however it also means he rarely puts much thought of what he could have done differently. Instead he subscribes to the idea that you literally can *only* be yourself, and the limit to how much you evolve is pretty much that you can mellow out with age. It's weird because he praises Alex Ferguson's ability to adapt and grow as a person and a manager but yet doesn't seem to internalise this. It makes for a frustrating read at times because of this. Still decent if you have an interest in the author's career or just enjoy football autobiographies in general.
June 11, 2025
It's definitely a game of two halves.
As a player he's brutally honest and admits his wrong doing. He has self belief but accepts his flaws.
As a member of the coaching staff any player who failed he had already identified as failing. Any who was good he had identified that. His self belief is still there but it sounds more like a CV for a job and he cannot see why he wasn't given the top job.
He's great with identifying everything about a player but had no idea his close friends were the top criminals in Liverpool.
I struggled through the latter part of the book with his shift in decrying competitors and, despite saying he adhered to his philosophy of backing his bosses, he's selective on which ones to back and which to slag off. The bad ones seem to be those who didn't employ him and the good ones were the ones who did.
As a player he's brutally honest and admits his wrong doing. He has self belief but accepts his flaws.
As a member of the coaching staff any player who failed he had already identified as failing. Any who was good he had identified that. His self belief is still there but it sounds more like a CV for a job and he cannot see why he wasn't given the top job.
He's great with identifying everything about a player but had no idea his close friends were the top criminals in Liverpool.
I struggled through the latter part of the book with his shift in decrying competitors and, despite saying he adhered to his philosophy of backing his bosses, he's selective on which ones to back and which to slag off. The bad ones seem to be those who didn't employ him and the good ones were the ones who did.
June 16, 2025
Excellent autobiography from the charismatic and controversial ex footballer 'Big Dunc'.
I'd wanted to read this for a little while, I'd seen Duncan doing the rounds of television and radio interviews to promote it and that had whetted my appetite. I wasn't disappointed, it's a very good read.
Notorious as the only player sent to prison for an on field incident this book gives Duncan the chance to air his side of the story. It's all in here, the boozing, brawling, jail time, fallouts and good times. Not to mention the goals, his love for Everton and attempts to make it as a coach/manager post playing retirement.
Honest, raw but also funny this is up there with the best sporting memoirs I've read recently. Very good.
I'd wanted to read this for a little while, I'd seen Duncan doing the rounds of television and radio interviews to promote it and that had whetted my appetite. I wasn't disappointed, it's a very good read.
Notorious as the only player sent to prison for an on field incident this book gives Duncan the chance to air his side of the story. It's all in here, the boozing, brawling, jail time, fallouts and good times. Not to mention the goals, his love for Everton and attempts to make it as a coach/manager post playing retirement.
Honest, raw but also funny this is up there with the best sporting memoirs I've read recently. Very good.
July 11, 2025
I was intrigued by this - Ferguson was a player you didn’t hear in interviews often, and distrust of the press comes across in this book. I liked him as a player, even if we didn’t always see the best of him due to injuries (I’m Newcastle rather than Everton). The book is a bit of a mixed bag - the sections on his playing career are good, and his recollection of his stint in Barlinnie is pretty stark. The later sections detailing his career in coaching and management are less of a good read - bit of a mixture of bravado and self-pity. Hope he gets sorted with the next chapter of his career - football needs characters and Ferguson is definitely one.
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