DEREK FERGUSON admitted he WEPT with joy after watching son Lewis win the Coppa Italia with Bologna.
The former Rangers midfielder was in the Olympic Stadium in Rome to see Bologna end a 51-year trophy drought by beating Inter Milan 1-0 on 14 May.
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Ferguson told BBC Sportsound: “It was so emotional when they won it.
“When I was going to the game in Rome, if I’m being honest I thought Inter Milan would win.
“I looked at Inter and they had good players, and I thought the class players always turn up in big moments.
“But what Bologna have is a real belief and togetherness and you saw that on the night.
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“I cried like a baby at the final whistle.
“I got in a bit of a tiff with my older son Darren, because he was saying, ‘It’s in the bag’.
“I’m not religious but I was looking up in the final few minutes.
“When the final whistle went I burst out greetin’ for five minutes.
“It was the best footballing night of my life.
“I won a few cups and league titles, but because his family and his pals were there – guys he’d been at Hamilton Grammar with – it was a special moment.
“We got on the pitch at the end, which felt surreal.
“I’m not a cuddler, I’m more a high-five type, but I gave him a hug and I wouldn’t let him go.
“He was like, ‘C’mon da!’
“It meant so much because of what he’d gone through with his injury.
“But his mental attitude is so strong, he’s a lot tougher than I ever was.
“After the first five or six games he missed he was his own self – he was actually reassuring me that everything would be OK, that he was going to meet it head on.
“So that made it even more special – it was a magical night.
“When I go over to watch him I can go as a fan and enjoy myself.”
Ferguson revealed Bologna weren’t the first Italian side to register an interest before Lewis’ move in 2022.
He said: “Cagliari and Lecce came in and there was a bit of interest in England as well, all before Bologna.
“But when Bologna came in he told his agent to pursue that one.
“He’d spoken to Aaron Hickey about Bologna and he’d raved about everything about the club and city, especially the food.
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“Lewis likes his food so that was a factor in his decision.
“Having been across, the restaurants are sensational.”
Former Ibrox midfielder Ferguson says Russell Martin will have to prove fans wrong as Rangers manager.
Ferguson said the new Gers boss – who’ll meet his squad for pre-season training tomorrow – has to focus on winning games rather than the way they do it.
He said: “The word ‘underwhelming’ has been used a lot about the appointment.
“He wouldn’t have been the first choice for a lot of fans – but now he’s in, we back him.
“I wish him all the best.
“I actually like what he’s saying because throughout his career he’s had to prove people wrong and he’s going to have to prove a vast majority of the support wrong now.
“You maybe hear about the style of football he likes to play, but for me, talking from a Rangers perspective, I want winning football.
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“I don’t mind if we win a game 1-0 or 6-0, I just want to win games of football.
“But the demands at a club like Rangers or Celtic, are that you win and win with style.”
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