Walter Smith explains how the Everton Chairman, Peter Johnson, went behind his back in completing the sudden and dramatic sale of Duncan Ferguson to Newcastle United.
This Interview by David Prentice is from the Evertonian, 26 November 1998  

 WALTER SMITH

 SMITH FURY

The Everton manager was enraged this morning by a continuing silence from the Goodison board-room, after comments made by Ferguson yesterday suggested Smith had been aware the player was about to be sold.

At the press conference staged by Newcastle to announce the £7m signing, Ferguson said: "Walter Smith told me on Monday morning that Everton were attracting offers for me."

Smith re-confirmed today, however, that at no time did Chairman Peter Johnson inform him that the player was about to be sold. And he is anxious for the Blues' Chairman to make his own statement clarifying the position.

"During the course of last week I was made aware by a number of people that attempts were being made by the club to attract offers for Duncan Ferguson," he explained.

"I ignored this because the Chairman had indicated to me that a number of clubs were interested in him, but as far as I was concerned that interest did not constitute any kind of transfer move because Duncan Ferguson had been attracting that kind of transfer story for the most part of this season and was still an Everton player.

"On the Monday morning I received the same information, and with the rumours going around felt it was necessary for me to talk to Duncan as a manager.

"I spoke to him and told him that I felt moves were afoot to try and sell him and that I would speak to the Chairman before the game, as I usually do, to try and clarify the situation.

"That meeting never took place and, unknown to me, Duncan was transferred to Newcastle during that match.

"At no time was I consulted about Duncan's transfer.

"In football we are surrounded by speculation all the time and we have to live with it.

"At no time, and I stress at no time on Monday was I made aware that Newcastle United had made an official bid, and even more to the point, that the club had accepted it and that Duncan Ferguson was in talks with a view to a transfer."