‘Big Dunc took a few quid off me playing cards on a flight across the Atlantic, and bought a pigeon – for its maiden flight, it f**ked off and never came back’: Ally McCoist shares hilarious tale from Scotland duty

31 Aug 1996: A portrait of Duncan Ferguson of Scotland taken before the start of the world cup qualifier against Austria in Vienna, Austria. The match ended in a goaless draw. Mandatory Credit: Clive Brunskill/Allsport Ally McCoist.

Ally McCoist has revealed how a young Duncan Ferguson spent his winnings, after beating the Scotland squad at a game of cards in 1992.

With team spirit rarely lacking on Scotland international duty, even the fearsome Ferguson loved life with the squad, during a summer tour of North America in 1992. With McCoist having just won the European Golden Boot, after scoring 34 times in the SFL, Ferguson had to bide his time and wait for a chance.

Still only 21 at the time and making his name at Dundee United, Ferguson did just that, scoring against USA on his first full international appearance in May 92 to earn a spot in the final Scotland Euro 92 squad. That goal, McCoist highlights, certainly helped Ferguson come out of his shell thereafter.

Ally McCoist recalls Duncan Ferguson buying a pigeon

Ferguson in action for Everton (Image credit: Alamy)

“It was his first away trip, and on the way over he was as quiet as a mouse – he wouldn’t say boo to a goose,” McCoist says. “However, by the time we were coming back home, he was running the whole show!

“We were playing cards on the flight coming back across the Atlantic – he took a few quid off me and was holding court with all of these top pros. He loved his pigeons, and with the money he got from me decided to buy another. He bought this pigeon and called it Coisty.

Ally McCoist recalls Ferguson's pigeon story (Image credit: Getty Images)

“But this story has a happy ending – for Coisty’s maiden flight, it f**ked off and never came back! Calling a pigeon Coisty and expecting it to turn up on time, that was an act of unpardonable folly on behalf of Ferguson… I’ve still got that down as a couple of hundred quid well spent!”

While Scotland did manage to beat CIS at Euro 92, it proved too little too late having already lost in the group stages to the Netherlands and Germany.

Ferguson replaced Brian McClair in the 78th minute against the Netherlands, but didn't get the opportunity to play alongside McCoist, who had been substituted five minutes earlier for Kevin Gallacher.

The pair did get to line up alongside each other for a season in 1993/94, though, when Ferguson moved to Rangers from Dundee United. Multiple transgressions saw Ferguson leave for Everton soon after, though, as he attempted to get his career back on track.