DUNCAN FERGUSON was handed a sickening start to life as Forest Green Rovers manager after his side conceded TWO stoppage-time goals in a dramatic 2-1 defeat to Shrewsbury.
The Everton legend, 51, left Goodison Park to take charge of the League One’s bottom club earlier this week.
And his first game in charge came away at Shrewsbury on Saturday afternoon.
It looked for most of the match as though Ferguson was steering Forest Green to a first win in eight games after Jordon D’Andre Garrick gave his men an 18th-minute lead.
The visitors held onto that slender advantage for almost the entire match, before disaster struck in added time.
Rekeil Pike levelled for the hosts in the 94th minute as Forest Green’s hopes of a victory were dashed.
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And then four minutes later, in the dying seconds of the game, Ryan Bowman lashed home the winner for Shrewsbury in a quite remarkable turnaround.
Ferguson looked crestfallen on the touchline, with fans pouring in to blame his connection with Everton for the shocking late collapse.
Speaking on social media, one person said: “Duncan Ferguson, you can take the man out of Everton, but you can’t take Everton out of the man”.
Another added: “Duncan Ferguson, bringing the Everton to Forest Green”.
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A third reacted: “Forest Green doing an Everton there for Duncan Ferguson’s first game in charge”.
And a fourth said: “Duncan Ferguson’s Forest Green conceding late in injury time, you say? Once Everton touches you…”.
Ferguson left Everton just days after Frank Lampard was sacked following a torrid run of results which left the team 19th in the Premier League table.
The Toffees are expected to appoint former Burnley manager Sean Dyche as their new head coach.
Meanwhile, Ferguson faces a huge challenge to keep Forest Green in League One.
They sit four points adrift of safety after just five wins from 29 league games.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk