Duncan Ferguson is one of the first names to come to mind when discussing the toughest players in British football history. The Everton legend was a hard-as-nails forward whose take-no-prisoners mentality and 6-foot-4-inch frame earned him the nickname 'Duncan Disorderly'.
Most Premier League defenders feared coming up against the fiery Scot, who was constantly getting in trouble with authority. He picked up nine red cards during his career and served a three-month prison sentence after assaulting Raith Rovers' John McStay in 1994.
That said, some defenders relished facing Ferguson and a few got the better of the former Toffees striker in one-on-one duels. While speaking on That Peter Crouch Podcast, he named five centre-backs he found the toughest to come up against, including a Liverpool legend from his time playing in the Merseyside Derby.
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Keown and Ferguson
Ferguson delved into his Premier League career by highlighting how there's "no easy ride" in the English top-flight when encountering centre-backs. That certainly held true with regards to two former Arsenal stalwarts who were renowned for their tough-tackling and never-say-die attitudes:
"Obviously, you've got boys like Tony Adams, the old school boys back in the days. Tony Adams (them) centre-backs, big (Steve) Bould, (Martin) Keown at Arsenal in the defence."
Tony Adams wore his heart on his sleeve each time he took to the pitch for the Gunners and was the ideal captain for any team. He embodied the grit and determination synonymous with defending in English football during the nineties.
Surprisingly, the former England international didn't name Ferguson among the toughest players he encountered. They collided just four times, and he never tasted defeat against the Scot.
Steve Bould, the tallest of the trio, was a rock-solid defender who partnered Adams in the 'Back Four' that played a massive role in the Gunners' success at Highbury. He could break forward and help out in attack, and he was equally inspirational as his centre-back partner.
Martin Keown, meanwhile, offered a more versatile profile than the pair but possessed similar defending principles. He could play centre-back, full-back and even in defensive midfield, with a fierceness that Premier League fans saw on display when he butted heads with Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2003.
Tony Adams, Steve Bould and Martin Keown's Toughness
Player:
Height:
Record Against Ferguson (W/D/L):
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Ferguson Hailed "Wonderful" Premier League Legends
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Ferdinand and Ferguson
Ferguson failed to win the Premier League title during his career, but crossed paths with two modern-day centre-backs who became champions multiple times. He waxed lyrical about another Arsenal hero and a Manchester United legend who got his hands on six winners' medals:
"Big Sol Campbell, Rio Ferdinand, if you're going by the modern type. They were wonderful players."
Campbell was a behemoth centre-back who played a vital role in the Gunners' Invincibles team. He was strong and quick and excellent with the ball, traits that made him the perfect fit for Arsene Wenger's brand of football.
Ferguson saw how talented Ferdinand was from his early years at West Ham United and Leeds United before he became an integral member of Sir Alex Ferguson's dominant Red Devils. He was just as tough as his longtime partner Nemanja Vidic, but one of the most elegant ball-playing centre-backs in the league.
Sol Campbell and Rio Ferdinand's Toughness
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Record Against Ferguson (W/D/L):
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Liverpool Icon Was Ferguson's "Toughest Opponent"
"The amount of respect I had for that man"
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The rough and tumble of Premier League football is always on display in the Merseyside Derby. It's why Liverpool's encounters with cross-city rivals Everton sit atop the list for the most red cards in top-flight derbies (23).
Ferguson first came across Sami Hyypia during his time at Newcastle and immediately learned how tough the Finnish centre-back was. He recalled a collision between the pair:
“Big Sami Hyypia at Liverpool, I always say, was my toughest opponent. He was big, good in the area, not the quickest, brave. I remember once I flattened him at Anfield.
I was playing for Newcastle, and he was probably getting the better of me, and I'm thinking, 'this big f****r, he's getting the better of me'. I came across and banged him and out he went... gone. He got stretchered off and came back on."
He added:
"The amount of respect I had for that man after he came back on the pitch, he could have just easily swallowed it and walked away.
I gave him a cheap shot, I flattened the boy because he was getting the better of me. He was carted off at Anfield and five minutes later, he was back on. I thought: 'You're more than a good player, you are tough as well'."
Hyypia was unbelievably consistent during his 10 years at Anfield, helping the Reds win the Champions League in the Miracle of Istanbul in 2005. He cost just £2.5m, which has proven to be one of the biggest bargains in Premier League history.
The fact that he ranks higher than the previously named English defenders as Ferguson's toughest centre-back speaks volumes about his physical and mental toughness.
|Sami Hyypia's Toughness|
|Player:|Hyypia|
|Height:|6ft4|
|Record Against Ferguson (W/D/L):|5/2/1|
|Disciplinary Record:|43Y 1R|
|---|
All statistics courtesy ofTransfermarkt- correct as of 14/05/2025.