DUNCAN FERGUSON

"Some of my red cards were ridiculous - I don't see myself as that person. One of them was for singing to a referee!"

- Interview Matthew Ketchell

No Scotsman has more Premier League goals than Duncan Ferguson’s 68 for Everton and Newcastle. Nobody has more red cards, either, though Richard Dunne and Patrick Vieira tie with Ferguson's eight.

It’s believed by some - not least Ferguson himself - that the combative 6ft 4in forward could have broken Denis Law and Kenny Dalglish’s joint record of 30 goals for Scotland, had he not refused international selection from 1997 onwards. He did so in protest at treatment by the Scottish FA over his conviction for assault in 1995; Ferguson had headbutted Raith Rovers’ John McStay in April 1994, which led to the 23-year-old serving a 44-day sentence in Glasgow's notorious Barlinnie prison.

Upon his release, Ferguson returned down south to Everton - they had made his loan move from Rangers permanent by then, showing faith in the talented talisman at his lowest ebb. He repaid them with goals, commitment, captaincy and even two spells as caretaker manager. He helped to save Everton from relegation on multiple occasions, and played his part in their last major trophy win: the 1994-95 FA Cup.

Ahead of the publication of his autobiography this month, FFT met ‘Big Dunc’ for more than two hours in Liverpool, where he still lives, to deliver your questions. And, as with every header and tackle, he didn’t duck a single one...

You made your professional debut for Dundee United at Ibrox when you were 18. Were you daunted, or did nothing intimidate you at that age?

Morag MacLeod, St Andrews

I was fearless - I suppose we all are when we're young. I came on as a sub and beat two or three players with my first touch. I felt great. The noise was incredible - incredible! You couldn't talk to the player next to you. I'd never heard anything like it. I'd come from the youth team and reserves, so to go into that was tremendous - and we won! Rangers hadn't been beaten there for two years. I made a difference, and I was made up.