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Goal

Barry Ferguson completed his protracted return to Rangers from Blackburn Rovers just hours before the transfer window slammed shut in January 2005.

The former Ibrox skipper and treble-winner had endured weeks of uncertainty as the two clubs haggled over a transfer fee before a settlement was eventually agreed allowing him to move back to Scotland.

Baz's emergence as a Rangers player on May 10, 1997 was virtually lost in the wild celebration of a record-equalling nine successive Scottish titles.

Few paid much attention to the youthful midfielder who wore the No7 jersey as Rangers unimportantly lost 3-1 to Hearts at Tynecastle having seized the crown at Tannadice in their previous match.

From an inauspicious start, Ferguson has gone on to leave his mark as one of Rangers' finest players in recent times. He is the kid who became king.

Reared on Rangers, the tenacious midfielder is living the dream of not only playing for his favourite team but also being captain. To date he has helped the club secure 11 domestic trophies and hopes many more will follow.

Ferguson was initially frustrated at his lack of involvement under Walter Smith but most in the game agree that easing him into the first team was the best policy.

It meant that when Dick Advocaat replaced Smith in 1998, Ferguson was more than ready to become a top team player on a regular basis.

Advocaat wasted no time in tying the young man down on a five-year contract and he got his reward with mature performances in midfield that belied Ferguson's age.

The UEFA Cup matches against Bayer Leverkusen in particular were pivotal in establishing Ferguson as the top emerging talent in the country.

What was more remarkable was that a young Scot could hold his own in Advocaat's multi-national force that had been assembled at a considerable cost.

Sadly, injury prevented him from being involved in the run-in to the 1999 Treble and he had to watch from the Main Stand at Hampden as the clean sweep was achieved in the sweetest way possible - a Cup Final win over Celtic.

Ferguson was so influential the following season that he was named Scotland's Player of the Year, albeit in a close contest with Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

That is undoubtedly one of the reasons why Advocaat turned to Ferguson in the autumn of 2000 to become his new captain when the Dutchman decided that Lorenzo Amoruso should relinquish the armband.

He went on to prove - particularly under the tutelage of Alex McLeish - that he is an exceptional leader on the field.

Yes, there was the silly sending off in a humiliating 6-2 defeat at Parkhead and the petulant throwing of an ice bag in 2-1 Ibrox defeat by Celtic. There were some troubles off the field too.

However, you only have to examine the drive and determination displayed by Ferguson in the treble-winning sweep of 2003 to easily recognise his worth.

He provided the purpose and inspiration on numerous occasions during a remarkable season that produced a seventh Treble for Rangers.

Of course, it must be very hard to understand why a self-confessed supporter would decide to give it all up and move on - especially when he held the lofty office of Rangers captain - but that is all in the past now and he has launched Phase 2 of his Ibrox career!

Phase One, between 1997 and 2003, yielded 241 appearances, a Hall of Fame place and nine trophies - three SPL titles, three Scottish Cups and three League Cups!

Barry, of course, was in place for the business end of the 2004/05 campaign and helped the club secure an amazing CIS Cup/SPL double.He was re-appointed as club captain in July 2005.

Season 2006/07 was a turbulent one for both player and club, with Ferguson and former boss Paul Le Guen occasionally having differences of opinion.

Le Guen's decision to step down in January 2007, to be replaced by Walter Smith, seemed to galvanise Ferguson and he once again approached peak form in the second half of the season.

Remains the beating heart in the team's engine room and is expected to flourish under Smith once more in 2007/08.