Duncan Ferguson says he only went to prison for assault because ‘judge supported rivals’

On Feb 9, 2023

Duncan Ferguson has claimed he was only sent to prison for assault because of a rival-supporting judge.

The new Forest Green Rovers manager, who was then a youngster playing for Rangers, had an altercation with defender John McStay during a match against Raith Rovers in April 1996. Ferguson spun around and appeared to catch his opponent with a headbutt, causing McStay to hit the turf.

Referee Kenny Clark took no action and Ferguson went on to score that game. But for the first time in Scottish legal history, the Procurator Fiscal decided to prosecute a player for assault on the field of play.

Ferguson ended up serving 44 days in Barlinnie Prison, Glasgow, a year later – at which point he had joined Everton. And he put it down to the role of one judge.

Speaking on the Tony Bellew is Angry podcast, he said: “It is wrong what happened to me. Basically, I assaulted a fella on the football pitch, that’s what they said.

“The guy I assaulted never complained, 40,000 fans never complained and 200 police inside the stadium never complained.

The Scot did not receive an on-field punishment initially for headbutting Jock McStay
(Image: Daily Record)

He was later jailed for 44 days
(Image: Chris Bacon)

“There was a judge and he obviously knew I was on probation for a few other assaults at a younger age, a couple of scuffles, as kids do. The guy, who obviously wasn’t a Rangers supporter, knew I was on parole and he knew another offence would send me to prison.

“So he asked the police to investigate this assault weeks and weeks later. He went to the lad the next day, who said I’d headbutted him. So things actually went the opposite direction.”

The Forest Green Rovers managed blamed the judge, who supported a rival team
(Image: Getty Images)

Ferguson had already been hit with two previous convictions for assault, one for breach of the peace and one for drink-driving. The £4million signing from Dundee United was therefore already on probation when he and McStay battled for a loose ball.

He went on to add: “It was tough on me at the time, I was only a young man. It does test you as you’re walking in there and you’re on your own. Half of the jail was blue [Rangers fans] and half was green [Celtic] so it wasn’t easy.

“I felt like I should’ve got community service at worst. It was a nothing incident. I grazed the lad.”