Duncan Ferguson feared he ‘killed’ burglar during his Everton playing days

The Forest Green Rovers manager retold his infamous story.
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Former Everton striker Duncan Ferguson has spoken out on the moment two burglars broke into his house whilst he was playing for the club in 2001.

Ferguson retired in 2006 after making over 300 career appearances with the majority of those coming at Goodison Park across two separate spells.

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He scored 67 goals in 260 games for the Toffees and was known for his competitive spirit and commitment on the pitch and his towering presence.

Over the course of his career, he picked up eight red cards - a joint Premier League record - and he also served prison time after headbutting an opponent whilst playing for Rangers which only enhanced his ‘hard-man’ image.

However, he was involved in some hairy moments off-the-pitch, which included the time he thought he’d killed one of the intruders who had broken into his house whilst playing for Everton.

Speaking on BBC podcast Tony Bellew Is Angry, Ferguson explained how the incredible sitution unfolded: “I’m lying on the couch,” he said. “I heard something. I put my trainers on. I had no top on, I was ripped back then, and I could see two shadows coming through the conservatory.

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“I was quite calm. I am quite calm with these things, probably because I’ve had one or two of these situations in the past, you get used to it. I got a grip of one of them and that was when I got angry...

“I unloaded, I really did. I really followed in to the point where I thought I’d killed him, I really did. I had to try and resuscitate him then. So you go from a point of unloading on the fella to helping him. It happened in a matter of seconds.”

The two burglars, Michael Pratt and Barry Dawson, were subsequently jailed for 15 months after the break-in which saw them trying to steal bottles of champagne, a framed picture and CDs.

Dawson suffered injuries that left him in the hospital for three days and Judge Anthony Procter spoke at the sentencing to say that Ferguson was ‘shaken’ by the break-in attempt due to the fact that his wife and six-month old daughter.

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Currently, Ferguson is in charge of struggling Forest Green in League 1 in his first full-time managerial role after being involved in the backroom staff at Everton, as well as earning experience as the interim manager in 2019 and 2022.

The Police spoke on the incident at the time as Assistant Chief Constable Ian McPherson said: “Merseyside Police will not be taking action against Duncan Ferguson following the complaint of assault.

“We have made an informed decision not to proceed given the circumstances that he was faced with a man who was attempting to burgle his home. Mr Ferguson was in the security of his home with his wife and child when this happened.”

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