Before he became a Scotland international and moved to Italy, it’s easy to forget that Lewis Ferguson started his youth career Rangers in 2009, long before Philippe Clement took over from Michael Beale, where he played for four years in the youth set up.
The midfielder is now at Bologna in Serie A, where he has become one of their most important players, catching the eye of a number of clubs around Europe, especially in the Premier League.
Speaking to Corriere di Bologna, the 24-year-old was asked about his early days at Rangers by the newspaper, who pointed out he was unceremoniously dumped by the Ibrox side.
This, according to Ferguson, was the tipping point for the youngster, who became more determined than ever to prove everyone at the Scottish Premiership side they were wrong to let him go.
He said: “When I was young, I also played for Rangers. In my head, when I grew up, I had to play for that club. I grew up cheering for that team. I couldn’t see any other path., We call it tunnel vision. At 14, I was forced to leave: ‘You’re not good enough’, was the judgment. It was pretty tough.
“After that rejection, my mentality changed. There was a spark. I wanted to prove to those who had rejected that they were wrong. I had a total burst inside my head. At 14-15, I realised I wanted to be a professional with all my might. I started again at Hamilton, the club in my small town near Glasgow. They were great. They bring out the best in kids, and that’s how it was for me too.”
It was at Hamilton, after moving there from Rangers in 2013, that Ferguson really made a name for himself, climbing through the ranks until he reached the first-team and caught the eye of Bologna.The Italian side offered him a chance to move to a bigger league, which he took, knowing the risks, and has now developed in what Corriere di Bologna call ‘one of the most sought-after midfielders’ around.
He has become an integral part of Thiago Motta’s plans, scoring four goals and assisting another four in 21 appearances this season, leaving Rangers youth coaches perhaps wondering what might have been if they had believed in him a bit more all those years ago.
