Everton hero Duncan Ferguson has revealed that refusing to play for Scotland for 14 years was the biggest regret of his career.
The former Goodison Park favourite earned his international debut against the United States in 1992 and went on to make seven appearances for his country.
But the 6ft 4" striker was jailed for three months in 1994 after headbutting Raith Rovers defender John McStay while playing for Rangers in the Scottish top flight. And following his release from prison a major fall-out between Ferguson and the governing body unfolded.
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Speaking in an exclusive BBC interview with former boxing champion and Evertonian Tony Bellew, Ferguson explained: "Absolutely, my biggest regret in my career is not playing for Scotland. That's my biggest regret and it's my pig-headedness that... because I thought it was a total injustice what happened to me. Not just about the prison, but when I came out of prison, the SFA asked me to serve another 12-game ban.
"So basically what happened is I'd been into the jug, right? I did the seven weeks or the three months. I'd missed X amount of games. I came out and then the SFA asked me to serve another 12-game ban on top of what I'd already done."
Bellew asked: "Jail weren't enough, no?"
To which Ferguson replied: "No, it was never enough for them. So I had to then go to courts and fight my case and say 'look, this is like double jeopardy' or whatever its called. I've been to prison, I've done a bit of bird, I've lost a lot of games and they want me committing to another 12 games on top. So, I actually won my case. I never served their games.
"When I came out of jail, that was it, ended. I got on with my football. But the SFA wanted me to serve on their ban. So I got the hump then. But I regret it now because I should have been playing 200 times for Scotland, you know? They asked me every bloody year for 14 years. They asked me every year until I was 34. Ally McCoist called me at 10 O'clock at night one night. 'Big man come back, we're playing Italy' or something like that. A World Cup qualifier or whatever it was. 'You'll play'."
Bellow pushed Ferguson to enquire when he had been most tempted to return to the international fold.
The Forest Green Rovers boss said: "When Walter [Smith] was the manager. I was tempted then because I loved Walter, you know what I mean? A great man who's unfortunately not here with us [anymore]. But Walter was a lovely man. A great fella, a gentleman and I really thought about it then. Obviously with Ally being there as well.
"But I thought, you know what? I was just pigheaded big man. I'd put a line in the sand, you know what I mean? And that was it. So my biggest regret really was not playing for my country."
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