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Moyes ready to offload Ferguson

Alan Nixon
Thursday 26 September 2002 00:00 BST
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The clock is running out on Duncan Ferguson's Everton career after his injury jinx held up his latest attempt at a comeback.

Ferguson – made captain at Goodison Park when David Moyes first arrived to take over as manager from Walter Smith – could even be made available when the transfer window reopens as his stock falls to its lowest level.

The frustration for player and club grew as Ferguson picked up a bruised and gashed ankle in his previous reserve appearance and was unable to play on Tuesday, with his next run-out now a couple of weeks away. Everton will be lucky to have the Scot available before mid-October and there is a growing feeling that he will be offered around – even for nothing – when the market opens in January.

Ferguson's big salary is a drain on the club and this latest lengthy absence follows many others in the past. Ferguson's only sustained run in the side since his return from Newcastle United was when Moyes first took over, but the physical demands of the new regime seem too much for him.

There is little chance that Everton would be able to claw back any of the money they spent on Ferguson because of his injury track record, but there are potential employers if he is available for nothing. However, Ferguson will have to make some form of appearance before the end of the year to attract anyone to match the salary of around £35,000-a-week that he is on at the moment.

Meanwhile, Steve Watson is also back on the Everton casualty list, hobbling off 10 minutes into his return with a groin injury that makes him doubtful for a few weeks. But the good news for Moyes is that Joseph Yobo is fit after his ankle problems and should make his first-team debut against Fulham on Saturday if Moyes decides to change the central defensive pairing.

Moyes may yet consider putting Yobo in a full-back position to ease the powerful Nigerian into Premiership action at the start of his spell on Merseyside.

* Tom Hendrie has threatened to take St Mirren to court after they claimed he had resigned. The Scottish First Division club yesterday published a statement which said their former manager had resigned, despite initially stating he had been relieved of his duties on 2 September. He said he has been left with no alternative but to take legal action.

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