I was world’s most expensive goalkeeper but quit football for SCUBA DIVING on the other side of the world

SCOTLAND international Bobby Ferguson became the world’s most expensive keeper when he was signed by Ron Greenwood at West Ham for £65,000 in 1967.

Now 78, Ferguson emigrated to Australia more than 40 years ago.

PA

Ex-Scotland goalkeeper Bobby Ferguson moved to Australia after leaving West Ham[/caption]

He made the move shortly after he left the Hammers after 13 years with the club in 1980, having played 276 games for the East End side.

His final game in English football was in November 1979 against Chelsea.

Along with wife Greer, Adelaide is very much their forever home.

During his long service for West Ham — which included a year on loan at Sheffield Wednesday — one of Ferguson’s headline moments was in the League Cup semi-final second replay against Stoke at Old Trafford in January 1972.

Coming out to collect a ball, he was caught with an accidental boot by Stoke’s Terry Conroy, which left the keeper unconscious and having to leave the field.

With no sub keepers, England World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore took over with the gloves and amazingly saved a penalty, although the rebound was scored.

Stoke won the game and went on to win the League Cup.

Ferguson admitted: “Sometimes that’s the hazards of being a keeper. Unfortunately, there is no way I could have continued.”

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His pathway into football could have been so much different after he studied and qualified to become an engineer.

He said: “At the age of 14 I joined Willie Waddell’s Kilmarnock youth system.

“Although I was an apprentice at Killie I still continued my academic work where I was studying to become an engineer.

“But I got the opportunity to play for the club so football became my priority.”

He was part of the Killie side that won the Scottish top-flight league title in the 1964-65 campaign.

Fergie said: “When I was about 21 I was told there was interest from an English club — which I later learned was Manchester City.

“Everything worked so differently back then to how it is with players and agents today.

“In 1967 I was informed that Greenwood was interested in signing me at West Ham.

“Kilmarnock played a friendly at Upton Park before I joined where I spoke to Ron and everything was agreed there and then.

“Along with my then girlfriend and now wife, Greer, we moved from Ardrossan in Scotland, with a 10,000 population, to London where there were 8.8 million people. It was a life-changing experience for  us both.

“Luckily, we had each other and I was also fortunate that the players made me feel very much part of the club’s ‘family’ straightaway.

“I moved for a club world record for a keeper but I had nothing to do with the transfer.

“I am often asked if the record fee weighed heavily on me. To be honest, I never thought about it for a moment.

“As far as I was concerned other people had come up with that figure, not me. I had joined West Ham and went on to play the best I could for the club.

“During my time at West Ham I had several opportunities to move — even abroad — but apart from a short loan spell at Wednesday I was happy to stay.

“My family has always been my priority and my kids’ schooling was very important to me.

“In 1974 I could have moved full-time to Wednesday but the money was not as good as West Ham, so I felt it would have been crazy to uproot the family and move.

“Today it’s a  completely different concept for players whose wages allow them to move about. But I had to make sure my family was secure.

“I am proud to have played for Scotland seven times. I would like to have played more but I have the caps here at my home and it’s a great honour to say you have played for your country.

“After I left West Ham, we always had plans to move to Australia.

“Greer is Australian, having been born here and moved to Scotland when she was  one.

“In 1981 we moved to Adelaide and have been here for the last 42 years.

“I played a season for Adelaide City but it was a different ball game to what I was used to. It was football — but of a very low standard. I did a bit of coaching in soccer schools.

“I then met up with some people and for five years I taught scuba diving, which was a great experience.

“But it was a seven-days a week job and it was nice to walk away from it after five years.

“My wife and I are now happily retired, loving the weather and enjoying the golf out here.

“Do I miss Great Britain? We have been back a few times.

“The one thing that is difficult is being away from English football.

“I often get newsletters from England showing the players  from my era having reunions.

“That’s one thing I would love to be doing. Back then the squads were so much smaller than today and the first team was more or less the same.

“So, I always think there were so many more friendships made and camaraderie built.

“I count my blessings that I had the opportunity to play at West Ham around a bunch of players who made me feel at home really quickly.”