Everton legend offers tasters for next year's autobiography: Big Dunc

If they could bottle his spirit and serve it up to our current lot they'd be a hard team to beat.

They don't make footballers — and football autobiographies like this any more. The brutally honest, warts-and-all memoir of the talismanic Everton football legend, a notorious hardman and reformed bad boy, the like we may never see again.

Lingham's bookshop in Heswall are taking pre-orders for signed copies.

The book is out May 2025.

I think we are now a hard team to beat. While the current squad lacks many things it has spirit in abundance.

With the help of Henry Winter's input, the book should be an entertaining and informative read. It will be interesting to see what Duncan says about the managers he played under, the players he played alongside, the referees he encountered including a certain Italian, his time in prison, dealing with burglars and so on. Plenty of rich material to get his teeth into.

I love Duncan Ferguson.

An Everton legend to me.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle, when he took over, had played 6 and had 1 point. In the next 30 games, they got 41 points — a rate which would have put them 5th over the whole season.

Forest Green Rovers he took over when they were already 4 points adrift at the bottom. After relegation and Duncan's sacking, they slid all the way to finish bottom for a 2nd season running and now out of the Football League.

Something wrong which could not be fixed at that club.

Let's see how he gets on in 2024-25…

“Really got on my fucking nerves”, says Duncan. Know how you feel Dunc!!

Our win/loss record from last season would suggest otherwise with, I think, 15 separate teams beating us across all competitions and Chelsea fans may also beg to differ.

I definitely think a dose of Big Dunc's “steel” in the side wouldn't go amiss.

For me, he frustrated. Not the first Everton player I've said that about. I'll never have a go at a player for injuries. It was his discipline that let him down more than once. I remember being at Charlton away with the lad and he got sent off. I got his passion and aggression, but there is controlled aggression.

Off the pitch, he seemed a totally different character. He seemed very passive as a member of the coaching staff aside from the short stint he had as caretaker manager.

He does deserve respect for his commitment to Everton. I just always have this lingering feeling of what could have been. He seemed to be a reluctant footballer.

But to me his passion, despite all his flaws, ignited what was and, to a large degree still is, a passionate fan base and for that he deserves to be recognised as one of the many legends our club has had.

Always lifted my spirits when he played.

Love the man and wish him all the best.

Mine? Maybe not an obvious one, but him knocking one in at a derby in front of the Kop.

He didn't get enough credit for how good a footballer he was. Because of his physique, most assumed he was a target man. He was actually decent on the floor.

Yes, he didn't play as much as we wanted but he was a damn fine player, brilliant in the air, amazingly adept on the deck for a big man, and terrifying into the bargain.

Rightly or wrongly, Liverpool people are notorious for a "fuck them" attitude and he represented that as though hewn from the sandstone rock this city is built on.

Joe Royle called him "unplayable"... but only when the "Hulk" had been roused. That simply wasn't enough. He could and probably should, have given so much more. For me, he will forever be unfulfilled potential.

I'll buy the book though. If only half of his rumoured off-field escapades turn out to be true, it's going to make for an entertaining read

I have always been a fan of Big Dunc, a player in my opinion, who gave his all for the club. Never boring!

I remember watching him in charge of Everton v Chelsea. An absolutely electric atmosphere that match.

Thanks, Sue, for link. I have reserved my copy.

Definitely over the top considering both teams were more or less doomed when he took over, and nothing to spend.

Duncan on his day was unplayable, brilliant in the air and a great touch, and he wore his heart on his sleeve, especially when he joined the coaching staff, and did a superb job when in temporary charge.

I still believe the Scottish FA were a total disgrace, it probably affected him and his family being sent to jail, considering they banned him fair enough, but as soon as he went to us he was done in court.

The European Court got him released for double jeopardy, the reason he never played for them again.

Who was that Leicester player he nearly strangled?!! He looked genuiely terrified!

And as for the person who broke into his house, he didn't need dogs, he sorted that out himself.

It will be a good read and there is no denying his love and commitment to Everton.

I'm something of a romantic when it comes to football, and he was always entertaining for one reason or another. Being in my early 20s, I needed a hero and for a while it was Duncan, so I'm looking forward to the book...

He may have not fulfilled his potential, but he was a proper handful and whenever he played I'd watch just to see what mayhem he could cause!

Some of his goals will stay with me forever, like those bullet headers and when he dropped Paul Ince as well as the Freund incident. Pure theatre!

Classic Duncan!!

Those days were few and far between, due either to injury or lack of inclination. I was always suspicious of his “disciplinary problems”.

That day at Leicester, there had been no problems during the game, Duncan came on, within minutes he was strangling Freund. The whole thing seemed stage-managed.

Even his managerial exploits, including the shirt in the rain at Old Trafford, made me think he was milking it.

Despite that, I'm not calling him phoney. I suspect he is just a great big character, operating on a different level to most of us.

It should be an entertaining read.

Did he also knock around a couple of burglars? I would never enter his residence without a written invitation...

I was lucky enough to see a pre-season training session once and was astounded to see Dunc, well in his 30s leading the way in virtually all the running. Including sprints and long distances.

Joe Royle wrote in his book that he felt Duncan couldn't raise his game in the majority of fixtures and the solution was lost on the manager. He would perform to his true potential in the bigger games. But then would be largely anonymous in games against lesser opponents.

In his second spell he couldn't stay fit enough for long enough. Back issues were a problem for 3 years. Additionally when he did enter a phase of form or run of consecutive games - he was liable for a sending off. Usually a straight red meaning a 3 game ban that followed.

Also I remember taking one of my sons to a 6-pointer at home to Bolton and pretty sure he scored a hat-trick an we won 3-2 and he also cleared 1 off the line.

Hope he goes on to have a successful managerial career and bet he is inspirational to play for.

I remember that Old Trafford one well.
He had a great first half Dunc scored two, then when the scores were level late on he missed an absolute sitter for his hat-trick when Schmeichel was laying sprawled on the floor scrambling.

It was a crazy end, of 7 added minutes (classic Fergie time?) United missed sitters too… I think it was Cruyff.

You can find the game on YouTube.

Always welcome at Goodison and the new Everton Stadium. I can see him in the Bramley Moore pub totally at comfort amongst the supporters.

Don't get my comments on unfulfilled promise wrong. I like Duncan. He's an Evertonian.

As for the burglar incident, I believe he broke his fist sorting the situation out. Good job they didn't touch his pigeons, or the situation could have escalated!

As others have commented he could play too always putting the opposition under pressure.

Caretaker manager v Chelsea summed him up, inspiring players and the crowd. When we scored, the ball boy jumped into his arms and he ran down the length of the pitch. Great moment.

Also rumoured that he left a lump of money in one of the blue pubs for free drinks. Is that true? If so, that sums him up. Ball boy from 5 years ago. Who was he?

His final season for us was painful because he was could not adapt to the changing style of football, he was a marked man by referees, no longer able to use any physical contact, every challenge was a booking waiting to happen. He never changed, but the game did and referees made him unplayable.

But as a motivator, a manager, can you imagine Rooney and Ferguson managing the team in the future at the new stadium?

I do, however, greatly admire how he straightened himself out after his playing days, and for his passionate ongoing commitment to Everton and coaching the young lads.

I'll be happy to buy the book, and look forward to that brutal honesty. And some very colorful anecdotes.

I was going to write an almost identical post. Sometimes it seemed like his heart wasn't in it but he was feared by opponents. In the long days of having little to cheer about, I enjoyed that.

I admire him now more than when he played. Will certainly buy the book.

He has no place in the modern game which, dependent on your perspective, is either a sad reflection of a game no more or a testament to the emphasis on speed, skill and athleticism in today's game.

Legend? No. Icon? Yes, for he typified the game as it was.

Even if he was his own biggest enemy for getting nowhere near enough out of his very obvious talent.

Frustrating at times but, when he wanted to, he'd grab the game by the scruff of the neck and win it for you… but sadly, at other times, he'd grab a player in the same way and put you down to 10 and seemingly for no other reason other than he wanted to bully someone.

I think the book will be snapped up by the sporting world because he is enigmatic and a really interesting sportsman. I'm intrigued to read it. An Everton Legend though? Yes, I think as an entire package, he's up there.

I've enjoyed this thread and every single comment.

He'll always be an icon to me despite all the obvious flaws. I've never seen a player connect so well with the people in the stands and in the pubs around the ground, the work he did off the pitch never gets reported.

The likes of Dunc and Seamus are a dying breed and the game is a lot poorer as a result. I'd take him over the divas we get prancing around the modern game all day long.

I watch the Jimmy Bullard video once a year and always enjoy Jimmy discussing it.

As a player, I liked him at first, even sent him a book on pigeons when he was in gaol, but then got used to his erratic behaviour. I enjoyed his good games and put up with his many average games; he could have been so much better and I think he knows that now.

Royle coming in completely transformed the club in a stroke, the energy release was something else to take part in. In that derby, we assumed a reverse, and yet out of nowhere Ferguson just seemed to tune in to the aggressive, defiant spirit of the club. With one well-timed header, he changed the course of an entire season on his own, and we all woke up from a slumber.

Every game that season seemed to revolve around him; even by not playing, none of us could quite believe that we'd turned certain relegation into an FA Cup win, and the promise of more.

In my lifetime, he is the only player that created the belief that we could beat anyone. He also exposed the press for what they were, a non-entity; he exposed defenders' lack of courage; I agree, he should have kept his temper, but we encouraged it: ‘Hit him, Dunc' was a regular shout.

Most teams build an entire playing style around a talismanic centre-forward… Lukaku? Through Ferguson's injuries, and our constant changing of managers, he never got that consistency.

We should have immense gratitude for what he brought to us, warts and all.

It was incredible the energy and belief he brought to the team with his goals against Liverpool and Leeds.

Icon definition — a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol.

Legend definition — an extremely famous or notorious person, especially in a particular field.

Undoubtedly he could have been better but equally he was our best at the time. Not much else to get excited about back then, Speed leaving, Barmby defecting… Rooney!

Duncan's great goals are well remembered but for me, I particularly enjoyed 2 away at Forest when we looked doomed around '98.

Also, for some reason, his winner away at Norwich in his final season as that result was the catalyst to the belief within Carsley and Gravesen etc... that we had a good team post Rooney and could get a Champions League place.

You can't beat being blue and I am sure there will be some great blue stories alongside the life stories in this book. One I will be having a read of I reckon.

For many the fact he kept pigeons was his saving grace.

Whenever we faced the big teams, he was always up for it and was unplayable, never seemed to have that heart and aggression against the lesser teams, by that I mean on the playing side and not the clocking an opposing player by a right hook or strangle hold.

But you knew when Man Utd or our neighbours turned up, he was right up for it and frightened the lives out of them.

One of my most enjoyable memories was the few games he stood on the touchline, blazer off and taking charge, you could see how much it meant to him, how the crowd got right behind him, even though out of his depth, he somehow managed to get a tune out of the team, especially the Leicester cup tie...

At 2-nil down, we pull one back, Leicester on the backfoot, Baines pulls a worldie out to make it 2-all. Leicester totally gone, but second goal came too late, and the tie went straight to penalties. Oh for that Baines goal to have come 5 mins earlier, I think we would have got the winner.

So yes, some great memories of Dunc, on and off the field.

He lived in The Moat House on Paradise Street for a good while, even after he signed for us permanently, and frequented The Retro on Matthew Street religiously. The tales from both of these venues would ensure parental advisory being advised before buying this book!

Ridiculously (and I mean ridiculously!!!) generous to a fault, his love for our club was matched only by his hatred for our loveable neighbours.

Reserving my copy as we speak.

Chose the delivery option, filled in the delivery address, paid, and their confirmation came back as "collect from shop"!!!

Anyone else have that problem?

I remember in a Leon Osman interview him talking about the days Big Dunc would be captain.

He said that you wouldn't want to come off the pitch and face him not having done what he'd told you on it.

I suppose he'd be just as much fun as a manager!

I have a couple of memorable photos of him somewhere on my computer, one is against the RS and they're defending a corner and Sammy Hypia is stood next to the Big Man. You can see the look of terror on Hypia's face.

The other is of Dunc telling a ref he disagrees with a decision, towering over him while the ref is leaning back like the Tower of Pisa.

My favourite player from the season we finished fourth, he seemed to me to give us the fight we needed, and one of two that I would love to meet.

"A story from the past that is believed by many people but cannot be proved to be true".

Sounds spot on for someone - Ferguson - who was as far from being a legend as the distance between Crosby and the South Pole and who is hyped up by so many to the level of wincing embarrassment.

I take the point about ToffeeWebbers 40 or so and below but if DF is the best they can come up with that really shows how shite the times were.

Icon? Representative? Possibly? Representative of what?

I suspect, rightly or wrongly, that many of us lucky enough to see us in our prime - too young for 69-70, first match 1975 - will recognise the things that DF could bring (his debut goal was astonishing and what a night that was) but he was way too inconsistent, too many injuries, a nasty thug too many times for comfort, disciplinary nightmare, 58 goals in 230 games (legend!): that would be used against DCL.

Legend. How sloppily, casually, and easily that term is bandied around. Legend by definition should be a small group. Only one legend in my view has played for us since 1990 and that is Neville.

With regards to Phil Neville, I always thought that whilst he wasn't the greatest player, his presence on the pitch was notable. More so when he wasn't there. He wasn't spectacular, but he certainly made a difference.

Still, the useless Ellery took centre stage for his 5 minutes of fame.

Just look at Rooney (sent off loads for Everton, then given leniency when playing for Man Utd while shouting in refs faces), and Phil Neville (never got near a red for the Mancs, yet sent off loads for us, for much lesser offences).

That's before we start with Paul Scholes (shithouse that he is), Butt etc… yet we saw Pembridge yellowed for looking at ref the wrong way when Scholes had gone through the back of an Everton player.

I thought Rooney was only sent off once for Everton?

But I would much rather have a player with total passion than an arm waver with no passion at all.

Yes, Rooney, 1 Red Card v Birmingham 2002-3

04-05 season. Eric. 6 starts, 28 off the bench. Scored 5 goals. And he was your player of the season!

They knew it wasn't going to be an easy game from then on. You just had the feeling that something was going to happen.

MVP must have been Cahill for his goals.

I don't doubt for one minute his passion for Everton. That is not in question. And I understand how he was an icon to a certain generation, who needed hope.

For me, he never fulfilled his potential. Injuries I can understand, but he always seemed to be a reluctant footballer in my opinion.

But he's one of us.

I'm sure older generations can serve up others.

In more recent times, although they are increasingly distant, I enjoyed watching Peter Beardsley. And Tim Cahill was a revelation, although a modest signing at the time, he surprised many and became a popular blue.

I have seen a lot of better footballers, wearing the Everton shirt, but in terms of carrying the fight, little Timmy Cahill, would probably have a chance of wearing the captain's armband, because he held great influence, and played every Everton game, with total commitment.

The bits on the years of practice he put in to develop that leap and ability in the air should be read by any young player. The levels of dedication are off the scale. A great servant of the club and a true blue.

I was a student in Cardiff watching the derby game which was Joe Royle's first full game. It was full of RS fans. We were bottom of the Premier League and they were top. They all laughed at our team sheet when it was shown on Sky.

They weren't laughing at 10pm. He never lost a derby game during his first spell. He terrorised Man Utd a few times.

I used to walk round Cardiff with my tyre-track away shirt from that season. He was the one threat we had in some terrible teams during the 90s. I remember being more gutted when he left for Newcastle than during any other.

This summer, I turned 50. My twin brother wrote to him at ICT and explained how I idolised him and would he be able to sign something?

He posted a print that he ordered off Etsy to an address he was given. The print was some of the Everton shirts he wore with 'Ferguson' on the back of each one. He returned it signed with a nice message and I was made up.

The equaliser in front of the Anfield Road and when he slid in to slot home against them in front of the Gwladys Street.

I'm sure there are many more. Overhead kick at Stamford Bridge?

With little in the way of anyone naturally aggressive, other than Pickford, I feel we are not likely to have that magic or that star quality to take us further.

Branthwaite is a talent. But you want that from your striker. Lukaku is the only one in decades.

Big Dunc is a great blue. He had so much to offer but his quality and talent was stifled by his reputation and poorly thought out aggression. He was targeted by officials and was easy to rile by opponents who just baited him.

However, I'd have him in that side tomorrow and Calvert-Lewin making daisy chains on the sidelines to pass to Big Dunc if he got sent off.

Legend? Not for me. Legends turn up day in day out, not just when they fancy it.

I'll buy the book, it'll be a cracking read!

I hope he does manage a career in management at a much higher level in the future. His goals were many years ago, and we need to move on. It all just reminds me how we really have had a drought for qoals and quality strikers for decades.