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Lewis Ferguson opens up on heartbreaking Rangers exit and the gnawing pain of being told he wasn't good enough
Lewis Ferguson has opened up on the agony of his Rangers release at just 14 years of age.
His connection with the Ibrox side runs deep in his family with uncle Barry and his dad Derek both former stars. The now Bologna midfielder was also on track to make it a Light Blue hat-trick but was brutally told he was not good enough to make the grade. It's a conversation he remembers vividly but he used that disappointment to carve out a professional career. After making waves at Hamilton he earned a big move to Aberdeen and took his game to that next level. That's when the chance to go to Serie A came calling and the rest is history.
The Scotland international - back after a lengthy absence that ruled him out of Euro 2024 - has captured the attention of big guns like Juventus and AC Milan due to his level of performances at Bologna. He's a highly-rated talent and he puts all his success down to that motivation to prove people wrong that his release from Govan provided. He now hopes to get back firing as he was pre-injury for his club side and also make his mark on the Champions League with four rounds of fixtures still remaining in the newly revamped league phase.
Looking back to that moment as a youngster during an open conversation with 'Serie A uncut', the 25-year-old said: "Of course I was born into football with my family, my uncle and my father. I also have two older brothers. When I was young it was always football in the house. This was one of the most difficult points in my career when I was younger. At 14 I was told I wasn't good enough to play for Rangers. A club which I supported of course because it had a strong connection with my family. I just used the disappointment as motivation to prove people wrong but just to become a footballer in general was my dream.
"I think coming from a family of football helped in terms of I have experience if I need to ask questions or in situations my family has experience. I took my own path and used that disappointment at 14 years old as motivation to become as good a player as I possibly can."
Opening up on the decision to pick Bologna as his next club from Aberdeen, he added: "When the interest was there from Bologna back in 2022 I obviously knew Aaron Hickey from the national team. I was with the national team at this time when I heard of the interest from Bologna.
"Of course I spoke to Aaron and everything he said was positive. He said what to expect was good people, a good club, good fans, a really nice city and a football team that can help you grow and become a better footballer. Everything he said was true in the end as the last two years I have loved it here."
