Former Premier League hardman makes wholesome gesture in bid to save troubled club
Duncan Ferguson has revealed he has been working for free as Inverness manager to help the club through a financial crisis.
The former Everton striker confirmed the selfless gesture after the Scottish club set up a fundraiser in the hope of raising £200,000 in the next two weeks to avoid administration.
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Ferguson, who was appointed as Caley Thistle boss in September 2023, is already believed to have taken two significant pay cuts during his tenure, most recently in August.
And the 52-year-old Scot revealed in a press conference that he is now forgoing his wages entirely in a bid to help the struggling club.
He said: "I felt it would be appropriate for myself to offer my wage into that pot.
"Obviously I can't go without a wage forever because I have got to put food on the table, but at the moment needs must. I'm making sacrifices."
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He added: "I just think it's the right thing for me to do personally, it's a personal choice.
"It's not easy is it? It's not easy for the club, but there you go, I've made the decision and hopefully it can help."
Ferguson's revelation comes after the Scottish League One outfit had written to shareholders warning that the club was at risk of being insolvent, appealing for help in raising vital funds.
Inverness then set up a GoFundMe page on Thursday, and managed to hit the £10,000 mark in just over two hours after making the link public on social media.
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There was a further blow as interim chairman Panos Thomas announced his resignation from the board with immediate effect on the same day due to a "personal family reason."
Ferguson has more than demonstrated his commitment to the club with his latest gesture.
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He took charge of Inverness following the sacking of Billy Dodds and his assistant Barry Wilson with the club bottom of the Scottish Championship at the time.
They would ultimately finish second from bottom, but were later relegated in a play-off against Hamilton Academical.
And Ferguson's recent sacrifice may seem in stark contrast to the hardman reputation he developed during his playing days.
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Nicknamed 'Deadline Dunc' and 'Duncan Disorderly', his fiery personality whilst at former clubs Dundee United, Rangers, Newcastle and Everton saw him receive a staggering nine red cards in his career.
Eight of those came in the Premier League, making him the joint record holder for the most dismissals alongside Patrick Vieira and Richard Dunne.
One on-field incident was so serious that it resulted in a prison sentence, instead of a red or yellow card.
Ferguson spent 44 days in Barlinnie prison in 1995 for a brutal headbutt on Raith Rovers' John McStay whilst playing for Rangers in 1994.
Aged just 23 at the time, he became the first British footballer to be jailed for an on-pitch incident.
Despite this, the towering striker went on to become a cult hero at Everton, netting 69 times in 262 games in all competitions.
Meanwhile his total of 84 Premier League goals mean he is still the highest-scoring Scottish player in the league's history.
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Ferguson would later return to the Goodison Park outfit in a coaching capacity, taking charge of the club on a temporary basis on two separate occasions in 2018 and 2022.
He then took his first managerial position in January 2023, taking charge of League One side Forest Green Rovers, but left the club after winning just one out of 18 games as manager.
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