Derek Ferguson
Manager Profile

Biography

Derek Ferguson was to be Clydebank's last manager in senior football, and a rather reluctant one at that. Derek had a long playing career most notably with Rangers, Hearts and Sunderland. Although, in the twilight of his career, Derek still saw himself as a player rather than a manager and had just completed his first season with the Bankies in season 2000-01.

When the job opportunity arose, Derek believed that he would be assisting Mick Oliver only to find that Oliver would be director of football and Ferguson would assume managerial duties.

However, Derek took to the job well despite all of Clydebank's financial difficulties and led the club to the top of the Second Division by February 2002. However, according to Derek, players he didn't want were being foisted upon him to wreck the club's promotion chances. The club were in administration at the time and David McGhie who had a management contract to run the club was a close associate of football agent John Viola. A procession of out of contract players suddenly found themselves in the Clydebank side and the inevitable slide towards mid-table duly happened.

With McGhie and Viola's motives being questioned, and Clydebank Football Club heading to oblivion as the pair pulled out of the takeover, Derek could clearly see the writing on the wall. With the opportunity to revert to a playing role with Alloa Athletic, Derek decided to move on and who could blame him.

Derek continued to play for a few more years before having another stab at management with Stranraer in the mid 2000s