IF BARRY Ferguson had been as anonymous during Scotland's match against Iceland as he was for Rangers throughout this cup final, he may not have left the pitch in tears yesterday, seemingly aware that he may have played his last game at the stadium.
Barred from the Scotland set-up and with Rangers still looking to transfer him in the summer he was an emotional figure as he exited the arena.
The phrase "every saint has a past, every sinner has a future" is inked on Ferguson's arm and while h
is former indiscretions are well documented, the future is clouded in more ambiguity.
His team-mate Lee McCulloch said little could be read into the tears, or the midfielder's decision to throw his strip into the crowd, claiming that the guy he grew up playing football with was always emotional on such occasions but Ferguson himself refused to rule out a close season departure. "I just want to enjoy this. It's a great way to finish the season. I have a year left on my contract so I will go on holiday and see what happens after that. I can't turn back time. What has happened has happened and I just have to get on with it. I thought the way Rangers handled it was fine. The way Scotland did, I thought, wasn't great."
A huge section of the Rangers support seemed to echo that sentiment. As they waited for the teams to emerge from the bowels of the national stadium, the cameras scanned the crowd and when they zoomed in on Scotland manager George Burley, beaming his face onto the giant screens at either end of the ground, a cacophony of negativity greeted the image. Falkirk fans retaliated by jeering the shamed player the first time he managed to get on the ball. Boozegate had become a boos fest.
Returning to the scene of the crime was always going to be troublesome. All eyes would be on the man who just couple of months ago was captain of club and country. As it was, David Weir led out the troops yesterday and while he had invited Ferguson to help him lift the SPL trophy last week, he savoured the moment alone yesterday. Ferguson was several places down the pecking order as the team collected their medals, an almost faceless figure in the crowd, as he had been on the pitch.
During the game against Iceland, he gave little consideration to the consequences as he raised two fingers. Yesterday he failed to lift one. Having been welcomed back into the Rangers starting line-up in the absence of Pedro Mendes and Maurice Edu, he struggled to contribute. More of a warm-down after a draining season than the heated battle his Falkirk midfield counterparts were prepared to become embroiled in, not even the usually-opinionated Ferguson could complain as they took control of the central areas.
Ferguson the amiable man is usually overshadowed on matchdays by the crabbit-faced competitor he morphs into but for long spells yesterday even that fire in his belly seemed to fizzle out. It was surprising given the possible magnitude of the occasion. This could have been his last appearance for Rangers, the final opportunity to lift a trophy for his boyhood heroes. Despite Ally McCoist's post-match claims that he expects Ferguson to remain at Rangers, the Ibrox club are still considering shipping him out and cashing in during the transfer window. West Bromwich Albion are one club in the reckoning, possibly taking him as part exchange in a deal for players heading north. Another is Birmingham City, where former boss Alex McLeish may pave his way to some kind of redemption away from the glare of the Scottish media and punters.
"I haven't a clue (if he will go]," said McCulloch, "But Barry is a special player for Rangers and the quality he has got is something we would miss. If this was his last game it's a great way for him to sign off. Winning the league and then getting the cup, it's great because he is Rangers mad."
Maybe so but this was a game which passed him by on the field, although the place it could hold in his personal history probably did not. At least this time he left Hampden with a smile on his face and the winners' medal in his pocket will have ensured the regrets were minimal.
The full article contains 746 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
