GOAL hero Lewis Ferguson came back to haunt Rangers yesterday after being told he wasn’t good enough to play for them as a youngster.
The Aberdeen midfielder was released from the Rangers youth set-up before picking up the pieces of his career at Hamilton. With the help of his dad, Rangers legend Derek, as well as Hamilton’s head of youth George Cairns, the 19-year-old has turned his fortunes around.
And five years after being turned away from Ibrox, he feels he has proved a point to his former club by heading home the winner in yesterday’s Betfred Cup semi-final.
“I was there as a young boy for five years from nine years old until 14 or 15 but then I got released,” Ferguson said.
“They said I wasn’t good enough for them, so I took that on the chin and I moved on and the likes of my dad and in particular George Cairns, who is the head of youth at Hamilton Accies, sparked my career.
“George turned me into a real player and always gave me confidence when I needed it, so he’s played a big part in my career so far.
“It was hard being told I wasn’t good enough, but it happens to a lot of boys who get released at a young age, and that just gave me the motivation to prove them wrong.
“I can’t really remember who made the decision - I was just a young boy - but my dad got a phone call. My dad told me when I was released that that wasn’t the end of it and I had to go away and prove those people wrong who felt I wasn’t good enough.
“That’s just what I’m trying to do - I’m just trying to be my best.”
Despite his famous family connections to Rangers - his uncle is former Rangers captain Barry - there was no doubt which team the Fergusons were backing at Hampden yesterday.
“There was a lot of talk about what side my dad would be in, but he was in the Aberdeen section,” Ferguson said.
“He’ll always support me, and I’m just delighted to put a smile on his face.
“There’s no secret that my dad and my uncle played for Rangers and are massive Rangers fans. My brothers are Rangers fans too and half of my friends were in the wrong end today.
“We’ve been having banter because they are huge Rangers men and they are in the stands watching me play against them.
“I’m waiting on texts and phone calls from them slaughtering me. But it was good to get the goal to settle the semi-final.
“I’ve not looked at my phone, but I could hear it ringing away. Will they let me back in the house tonight? Of course they will.
“There certainly won’t be any debate over who he and all my pals will be supporting in the final!”
Ferguson has certainly saved his senior goals for the big occasion, with his only other senior goal a spectacular overhead-kick in the Europa League qualifier away to Burnley in August.
“That was my first-ever senior goal so that’s up there,” he said. “So is this one. They are the only two that are up there, but I hope there are many more goals to come.
“They are both massive goals. The gaffer is always giving me banter in training and telling me I don’t score enough. It’s nice to put a massive smile on his face with the winning goal.
“Afterwards, he gave me a big hug and said: ‘you’re the man!’”
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