The Chronicles of Big Dunc: Episode Two

When we last looked in on Duncan Ferguson, the Scottish footballing legend turned coach was straightening out the academic application of a young Evertonian. With upheaval at his long-time club has come opportunity for Big Dunc in the form of his very first opportunity to manage an EFL side.

Ferguson was announced last week as the manager of Forest Green Rovers, currently scuffling in last place in League One, the third level in the English professional pyramid. Rovers have been around since 1889, but only entered the top four divisions in 2017. The more interesting part of their story has little to do with football and much more with their ecological bonafides. Green energy entrepreneur Dale Vince bought the club in 2010 and set about transforming it. In 2018 Forest Green became the first club in the world to be recognized by the United Nations as a carbon-neutral enterprise. Prior to that, in 2015, Vince decreed that the club would go vegan - all players and staff would eat vegan meals in training, and all concessions at the club's New Lawn ground would be vegan, as well.

This element of the club's story made for good, clean, awkward fun during the announcement of Big Dunc's appointment:

Can we *please* get cameras in to document every second? Working series title: Quorn or Nothing https://t.co/3WZsPUYepC

— Melissa Reddy (@MelissaReddy_) January 27, 2023

Big Dunc took to the sidelines for Rovers for the first time this afternoon at Shrewsbury Town. His side took a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute through Jamaican national Jordan Garrick. In a perfect script, Forest Green would've held on, and they did, until second-half extra time, when they conceded twice to ruin the fairytale.

On to Peterborough. Up the Green. Up Vegan Big Dunc!

The Chronicles of Big Dunc: Episode One

In a world that's mad with complexity and uncertainty, sometimes what's required is a dose of old-fashioned blunt talk that strips away the layers and reveals universal values. I'm not sure that's what I'm celebrating today, but it's a useful introduction to the topic.

Duncan Ferguson is an assistant coach at Everton Football Club in Liverpool, where he played 139 games over parts of 11 seasons. The Scotsman is known as Big Dunc because of his height (he's 6'4") and the aggressive way in which he used his size. He's the joint leader in Premier League history for red cards, with 8, and he spent three months in jail in 1994 due to an on-field assault of Raith Rovers' John McStay.

Suffice it to say, not many people willingly fuck with Big Dunc.

Last year Everton supporter Jack Simmons reached out to Ferguson asking for help getting his younger brother Tom to focus on his studies. Big Dunc warmed quickly to the task:

And this week, we learned the rest of the story from big brother Jack.

Big Dunc sticking to his word after my brother got the results he needed in school and took him out for food. Made sure that I got invited to and not one of his mates 🤣🤣 🔵 https://t.co/7h7N08r74P pic.twitter.com/dD0k4Ph7oI

— Jack Simmons (@JackSimmo1998) September 9, 2021

Sometimes the heroes we need are right in front of our fucking faces, lads. Don't fuck the job up.