Bob Ferguson

Defender · Liverpool 1912–1915

Bob Ferguson

Personal

Born
2 October 1884
Place of birth
Cleland, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Died
1962
Other clubs
Cleland Rangers, Third Lanark (1906-12), Whishaw Thistle (1915), Third Lanark (2 / 1915)

At Liverpool

Signed from
Third Lanark
Joined
13 May 1912
First goal
19 October 1912
Last goal
31 January 1914
Last appearance
13 March 1915
Contract expiry
20 August 1915

Liverpool career

103 Appearances
2 Goals
  • League 92 apps · 1 goal
  • Win ratio 40.78% — W 42 · D 19 · L 42
  • Assists not recorded before 1945–46

Player profile

Ferguson, Third Lanark's captain, was obtained by Liverpool in May 1912. The Athletic News claimed he was as "strong as a lion, and active as a mouse. Although taking the game as serious as a judge he is a very human sort of fellow in the pavilion." The Liverpool Echo commented on Liverpool's capture of Ferguson at the time: "Liverpool made a good stroke when they signed Bob Ferguson. The 3rd Lanark supporters are deeply sorry to lose their favoured centre half, who is described in Scotland in the following eulogy: "There has never been a more likable player. Honest Bob would be the correct title for him for he was always playing the game to the delight of his friends. He was the sort of man a club manager likes to have under him - dependable, keen for his club's interests and never likely to get himself or the team into disrepute. Mr. Watson has made a catch and he knows it."

Ferguson was a stalwart of Liverpool's defence said to be "a typical Scottish half-back, neat and clever", who fed his forwards "beautifully" as well as being "the tallest man in the team (5 ft. 10½ in. - 179 cm.), and not so slow as he appears."  Ferguson made his debut on the opening day of the 1912/13 season and was the club's only ever-present that year and missed just two League games the following season when he no doubt enjoyed playing alongside his former Third Lanark teammate Thomas Fairfoul in the half-back line. The 1914/15 season was completed despite the outbreak of war but Ferguson lost his place in the side to future legend Donald Mackinlay with a third of the season gone and only briefly threatened to reclaim it from the clutches of his compatriot.

Appearances per season

Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
1912-1913 38 4 0 0 0 42
1913-1914 36 7 0 0 0 43
1914-1915 18 0 0 0 0 18
Totals 92 11 0 0 0 103

A more detailed look at the player's appearances

Total Started/substitutions
103 Started
0 Substituted
0 Substitute
0 On bench
Total Venue
52 Home
49 Away
2 Neutral
Total Competition
92 League
11 FA Cup
Total W D L Win% Manager
103 42 19 42 40.8% Tom Watson

Goals per season

Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
1912-1913 1 0 0 0 0 1
1913-1914 0 1 0 0 0 1
Totals 1 1 0 0 0 2

The player scored 2 goals in 2 different matches.

A more detailed look at the player's goals

Total Opponent
1 Blackburn Rovers
1 Gillingham
Total Started/substitutions
2 Started
Total Competition
1 FA Cup
1 League
Total Goal minute period
1 46-60 minutes
1 76-90 minutes
Total Goal origin
2 Open play