Barry Ferguson 6, Midfielder

Born: Glasgow (Scotland) 2/2/1978

Rangers youngster Barry Ferguson has been described as the hottest property in Scottish football. Brother of former Ibrox star Derek, Ferguson came to Rangers as a schoolboy and joined the groundstaff when he was sixteen.

He served his time cleaning boots and sweeping up, but was also earning rave reviews with his performances for the schoolboy and junior teams.

Progressing under the eyes of reserve team coaches, Ferguson made his first team debut against Hearts on the last day of the 1996-97 season - and was voted man of the match.

The following year he was in and out of the side, appearing in a total of only seven League games. But with the arrival of Dick Advocaat, Ferguson was handed a regular starting role in central midfield.

Ferguson, from Bellshill, was a revelation. He was soon displaying the confidence to run games with the vision of a mature player and scored his first League goal in the 2-0 victory at Dunfermline in September 1998.

Comparisons were inevitable and he was rapidly spoken of as a worthy successor to Paul Gascoigne and Ian Durrant.

Scotland coach Craig Brown also took notice of Ferguson's precocious talents and he won his first cap as a second-half substitute in the drawn European Championship qualifier in Lithuania.

Why the improvement? Ferguson says: "When I think back I realise I was running about daft in games in my desire to impress.

"Dick's told me to stop doing that. He wants me to sit in one position, be a little more disciplined."

In March, however, Ferguson became another Rangers injury victim when a fracture to his pelvis ruined his season just as it looked like he would gain his first Scotland starts and play an instrumental role in the run in to the season.

Barry also prompted praise from around Europe. Last season Bayer Leverkusen coach Christophe Daum said his side could never afford a player like Ferguson, placing him in the £15million bracket with players like Alan Shearer.

And following his display in the first leg with Parma this season, Italian forward Marco di Vaio claimed Barry would take Serie A by storm and could undoubtedly choose which Italian team he wanted to play for.

But unconcerned with all the words of wonder surrounding him Ferguson insists he just wants to get on with playing for Rangers and confirmed this when he signed an extended 6 year deal in October that will keep him at the club until 2005.

Excellent news for all connected with Rangers, and a blow to the large European clubs who were hovering with open cheque books.

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