Ferguson reveals meeting with 'petrified' Man United loanee at Forest Green

Ferguson took over as head coach of the League One Forest Green in January and picked up his first win in Sunday's 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday.

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The former Everton and Newcastle striker has been waiting for his break at managerial level after two spells as interim boss at Goodison Park.

Ferguson's reputation for being one of football's hard men has followed him throughout his career, occasionally striking fear in those around him.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Ferguson told of a discussion with Charlie Savage - son of Robbie Savage - who joined the club in January on-loan from Manchester United.

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And it's fair to say the 19-year-old showed a level of bottle his colleagues could only dream of, considering the team knew all about Ferguson's reputation.

"They knew before I got there," Ferguson explained. "Wee Charlie Savage came to me and said, 'Dunc - I've been designated to come and speak to you'. He's standing there as small as he could be.

"I said, 'What is it, son?' And he said, 'Do you mind if we train at 2pm tomorrow? The boys have put me forward'. He was petrified. It's unbelievable how you can get a reputation for scaring everybody off!"

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Before Sunday's win, Ferguson had picked up just two points from nine games in charge, leaving the Gloucestershire club rock bottom of the table.

Rovers now find themselves 11 points from safety and face a battle on their hands to avoid dropping into League Two.

Despite a torrid run since his arrival, there has been some positives for the Scotsman, including the form of Savage.

"He's been fantastic for me. On Sunday, he covered more than 12km. He was wearing the vest that tracks his distance," Ferguson added.

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"That's incredible. He's 19-years old, what an engine he's got. And he's a good player.

"He's like his dad. Enthusiastic, runs around. He was the highest-distance player on Sunday so that just shows you the character of the kid."