When Lewis Ferguson became the highest Scottish in the history of series A, the taxes were led by man whose record had just broke into small pieces.
A representative of the Denis Law Legacy Trust traveled to Italy before Christmas to present to the captain of Bologna with a trophy that honors his achievement to review the account established in Italian football by the most emblematic scorer of the Scottish game.
Lawman himself contacted a sincere personal message only weeks before succumbing to Alzheimer's ravages at the age of 84.
“Someone from Law Charity Trust had come with the prize and introduced me because it would become the highest Scottish in series A,” Ferguson tells Mail Sport.
“I signed some shirts to raise some money for the beneficial organization and then, out of nowhere, Denis himself contacted a charming message a little later.”
During a season in Torino in 1961-62, an unstable law challenged the defensive tactics of the Italian League to score 11 times. Ferguson surpassed that count when he led a late winner against Atalanta in December 2023. He raised his total to 14 when, earlier this month, he first scored from knee surgery that issued him from the euros of 2024.
Lewis Ferguson celebrates his goal against Atalanta who made him the best scottish scottish in Serie A
Ferguson with the trophy was presented on behalf of Denis Law Legacy Trust
The Scotland icon law sent a message to Ferguson to personally congratulate his achievement
Characteristicly cheerful in tone, Law congratulated the former player of Aberdeen for his goals in Italy, but begged him to leave his joint team of 30 goals intact in the national team of Scotland in 55 appearances.
With the law that also described the pride that he felt every time he put on a dark blue shirt, Ferguson humiliated himself and inspired an act of generosity, and saddened by the death of a man served by Alex Ferguson described as the best Scottish player in All time.
“It was special because he was such an iconic player in Scotland,” adds the captain of Bologna, “one of the greatest. And it was a surprise to receive a detailed message so charming from him that he told me:” Well done, keep going, continue So”.
'It was very, very pleasant. It was a beautiful message, something that I did not need to do and meant the world for me.
'That's why he was so sad to see the news of his death last week. He was such an iconic man, an iconic player. One of the best we have seen.
'He was one of the pioneers for Scots in Italy. And let's say that in the past it was probably not as easy as it is today. Everything is there for you now.
It must have been much more difficult in the 1960s, I imagine. So, yes, thanks to Denis for doing that because it was an inspiration for all who play the game and it was absolutely an inspiration for me when I received that. ''
For Ferguson, records and reference points continue to fall. On Tuesday night, the 25-year-old Bologna captain for his first victory in the Champions League, a 2-1 success at Casa in Borussia Dortmund.
The law poses in the field before a clash from series A between its side Torino and AC Milan in 1961
Ferguson writes for Bologna against Rome earlier this month, demonstrating that he has returned to his best moment
Ferguson's role in the first victory of the club in the fond of European club football since 1964 seemed to justify months of rehabilitation at the isethetic rehabilitation center of Bologna after an LCA injury that rejected him from the European Championship campaign of Scotland in Germany and was speculated in a movement of £ 20 millions. To Juventus.
“I had such a good season,” he reflects now. 'I was enjoying every minute.
I was waiting for the euros. Bologna was about to qualify for the Champions League. There were so many good things to come … '
The physical pain in his knee was aggravated by mental anguish. The loss of a great summer movement, doubts about their participation in the champions League this season. Especially its absence of euros.
Invited to the Team hotel by Scotland manager Steve Clarke, he preferred to stay in Italy and break with the long days of rehabilitation. Seeing the games on television was less painful than the physical and emotional effort of traveling to Germany.
“Maybe go and see the boys and be in the stadiums, maybe that happens to think that it should have been me,” he admits.
'I just had to take it on the chin. Such is life. I was motivated to play football again and wanted to stay behind and work in my rehabilitation.
Ferguson took Bologna to his first victory in the Champions League, at Casa A Borussia Dortmund
The captain of the Ferguson Club celebrates with the Italian Bologna manager and defender Lykogiannis
'It was a lot of hard work, many long days. I don't think people realize how difficult that is. '
He could barely remember his last injury. The vague memories of a two -week blow collected when he joined Aberdeen were the best he could find. Nothing he had suffered in the past could match the trauma caused by a sustained innocuous Tackle in a 0-0 draw with Monza last April.
“I had never been in that situation before,” he says. 'You must be mentally strong because it is a long process. There are so many good days in which you feel good doing new exercises and you start new things. Maybe you move a bit different.
'Then there are a few days when you don't feel good and you have some pain and discomfort. Those are probably the most difficult days, but you just have to do the job and overcome them. You definitely need to be mentally strong to get out of the other side.
The days that followed surgery at the Toniolo Clinic in Bologna now feel like a blur. Remember to have seen Ac Milan face Rome in the first leg of its quarterfinals of the Europa League and, with their hopes of the Champions League that now hang from a thread, asked if he would ever gain another opportunity to play against the elite of Europe. Would your shattered knee ever leave it?
“My first training session with the team was really nervous,” he explains. 'And I am not the type of person who gets nervous before games or training sessions.
Ferguson was devastated to miss the European Championship with Scotland last year
The midfielder says that the injury hit him strongly, that he had never suffered a long period of spell before.
Ferguson competes with Benfica Akturtkogu in a match that says he convinced him that he was free of injury
'I don't know why I felt like that, maybe it was just a bit of everything. He had done all the training, he had done all the work, but football is very unpredictable.
“When we played Benfica in the Champions League, that was probably the first game in which I thought:” I feel normal. I feel like me. “
'It was a physical game, there were some strong cups. The first Tackle felt like a shock test doll. But it simply relieved me a little.
'I played a couple of games after that Benfica game and then I started at home to Rome last week. I managed to go to the scorer's sheet, it was pleasant.
'Things feel more normal now. More IIKe was like last year.
Return to normal means a return to speculation about its future. When he won the Bulgarelli number 8 award for the best midfielder in Serie A, Ferguson drew greedy looks from the largest clubs in Italy. Napoli and the giants of Milan seemed to fight Juventus in the summer until the injury killed dead speculation.
He signed a new five -year contract with Bologna last November and moves experts to talk about the renewed interest of Inter Milan.
“Most of the clubs would probably not give a player for such a long period a new contract, so it was a good confidence in Bologna,” he says.
I was happy to sign because I love here, and all the things of transfer? Well, I understand almost every year.
'I really don't think too much. I also had it in my time in Aberdeen, so I have a little more experience on that side of things.
'I do not think too much about any talk outside or do not read too much about things on social networks or in newspapers or what has been informed.
'My thoughts today are what it will be. If the injury taught me something, it is the need to concentrate completely on the here and now … '