Iain Ferguson Player Profile
Player Details
- Full Name: Iain Ferguson
- Born: August 4th, 1962 (Newarthill)
- Height: 5' 7
- Position: Forward
- Signed: August 22nd, 1986 (£145,000)
- First Manager: Jim McLean
- Career Totals: 104 appearances, 44 goals
- Also Played For: Airdrieonians, Bristol City, Charlton Athletic, Dundee, Heart of Midlothian, Motherwell, Portadown, Rangers
Playing History
| Season | Division |  |
 |
G2G |  |
 |
Win % | Draw % | Loss % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-88 | Premier Division | 42 (11) | 16 | 0.30 | 4 | 0 | 37.7% | 32.1% | 30.2% |
| 1986-87 | Premier Division | 50 (1) | 28 | 0.55 | 7 | 0 | 56.9% | 27.5% | 15.7% |
| Totals: | 92 (12) | 44 |
| Apps = First Team Appearances (Sub Appearances) | Gls = Goals |
| GtGR = Goals to Games Ratio | W/D/L - Games won, drawn or lost as percentage of games played in |
| Yel = Yellow Cards/Cautions | Red = Red Cards/Dismissals |
| Recent First Team Starts |
|---|
| May 14th, 1988 | 14/05/88 | Scottish Cup | Final | vs. Celtic (N) | 1 - 2 |
| May 7th, 1988 | 07/05/88 | League | Premier Division | vs. Hearts (H) | 0 - 0 |
| Apr 30th, 1988 | 30/04/88 | League | Premier Division | vs. Morton (A) | 4 - 0 |
| Apr 23rd, 1988 | 23/04/88 | League | Premier Division | vs. Dunfermline (H) | 2 - 2 |
| Apr 20th, 1988 | 20/04/88 | Scottish Cup | Semi Final 2nd Replay | vs. Aberdeen (N) | 1 - 0 |
| Recent First Team Goals |
|---|
| Apr 23rd, 1988 | 23/04/88 | League | Premier Division | vs. Dunfermline (H) | 2 - 2 |
| Apr 20th, 1988 | 20/04/88 | Scottish Cup | Semi Final 2nd Replay | vs. Aberdeen (N) | 1 - 0 |
| Mar 30th, 1988 | 30/03/88 | League | Premier Division | vs. St Mirren (H) | 5 - 1 |
| Mar 28th, 1988 | 28/03/88 | Scottish Cup | Quarter Final 2nd Replay | vs. Dundee (A) | 3 - 0 |
| Dec 26th, 1987 | 26/12/87 | League | Premier Division | vs. Celtic (H) | 1 - 2 |
| List of Goals Scored (click to expand) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| List of Games Played (click to expand) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Biography
Iain started his professional career with Dundee, who signed him from Fir Park Boys Club in 1978 and after making his debut scored his first senior goal at the age of 16. A first team regular under Don Mackay, the Dark Blues won promotion to the Premier Division in 1981, and Iain gained international recognition at Under-21 level. In the final league game of the 1982-83 season, Ferguson scored to pull a goal back against United at Dens Park, as the Tannadice side went on to win the Premier Division for the first time.
Having scored regularly against the Ibrox side, Rangers signed him in 1984 for £200,000, and within months he collected a winners medal, scoring the only goal of the 1984 League Cup final against United at Hampden. He then scored two goals against Inter Milan in the UEFA Cup but later found it hard to hold down a regular place in their side.
He returned to Dens Park on loan at the start of the 1986-87 season, and they had a transfer offer rejected by Rangers. Jim McLean then stepped in and brought the striker to Tannadice for £145,000 after two previous bids had been turned down. He made his debut against Hearts the next day. His scoring rate in his first year was remarkable, including a memorable strike from near the half-way line against Hearts at Tannadice in December 1986.
He also scored many important goals that season, including a late penalty equaliser against Forfar Athletic to keep United in the Scottish Cup, and scored a brace against Dundee en route to a Scottish Cup final against St Mirren. Having been cup tied for the earlier rounds of the UEFA Cup, he went on to score against Barcelona and Borussia Monchengladbach on the way to the UEFA Cup final against IFK Gothenburg. Unfortunately, both competitions ended with United as runners-up.
In 1987-88 he scored the all-important semi-final goal against Aberdeen at Dens Park to set up a Scottish Cup final against Celtic, but again finished on the losing side. A phenomenal instinct for goal, Iain was the Clubs top scorer in each of his two seasons at Tannadice.
He left United in July 1988 to join Hearts for £325,000 and although the fee was to be set by a tribunal, the clubs settled at £325,000. Remembered at Tynecastle mostly for his strike against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup, he also had loan spells at Charlton Athletic and Bristol City before signing for Motherwell in December 1990. He helped them to a Scottish Cup final win over United in May 1991, scoring one of the goals. His next move was to Airdrieonians and then to Portadown, before returning to Dundee for a third spell where he ended his senior career. He played briefly for Gretna before the became a Scottish league club.
Last updated on Tuesday, April 19th, 2022 by B Orr.
Debut
August 23rd, 1986
Dundee United 1 - 0 Heart of Midlothian
League (Premier Division)
Timeline
-
Date of Birth
Iain was born on this date in Newarthill.
-
Signed For Dundee United
-
First Team Debut
Dundee United 1 - 0 Hearts
League (Premier Division)
Played at great pace this was an entertaining match more typical of a cup tie. Hearts, particularly In the second half, had more of the play but the points went to Tannadice thanks to a Paul Hegarty h
-
First Goal
Ayr Utd 0 - 3 Dundee United
League Cup (3rd Round)
Predictably against any side under the control of manager Ally McLeod, Ayr United fought valiantly and, particularly, in the latter stages of the first half, proved a real handful. A Kevin Gallacher g
-
First League Goal
Dundee United 3 - 0 St Mirren
League (Premier Division)
A three goal salvo in the last twenty minutes shot us to the top of the League, but it took a long time for the United forwards to pierce a strong Saints defence, in truth, although we had dominated p
-
50th Appearance
St Mirren 1 - 0 Dundee United
Scottish Cup (Final)
Our fourth Cup Final appearance in 13 years ended as all the previous ones - in defeat, but this was perhaps the bitterest pill of all to swallow. In truth we never really played well enough to deserv
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50th League Appearance
Dundee United 2 - 3 St Mirren
League (Premier Division)
The St. Mirren bogey struck again, but for a long time, the luck appeared to be heading our way after 'keeper Campbell Money had to be replaced. He was one of two Saints carried off but the Buddies ca
-
100th Appearance
Dundee United 1 - 0 Aberdeen
Scottish Cup (Semi Final 2nd Replay)
The deadlock was finally broken at the third attempt and it was an lain Ferguson header which carried us into our fifth Scottish Cup final over the past fifteen years. There was nothing cagey
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Last Goal
Dundee United 2 - 2 Dunfermline
League (Premier Division)
The Fifers may have been officially consigned to the First Division, but they went down fighting after a whirlwind start by us. lan Redford headed the ball down to Joe McLeod. Joe's shot was blocked a
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Last Appearance
Celtic 2 - 1 Dundee United
Scottish Cup (Final)
The adage that lightning doesn't strike twice was disproved in our fifth Scottish Cup final appearance! Only three years have passed since the 1985 Cup final when we lead Celtic by a Stuart Beedie unt
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Left the Club
