Darren Ferguson odds slashed to return to management at beleaguered EFL club – and it’s not Peterborough
Darren Ferguson could be quickly closing in on a return to management in the EFL.
The 53-year-old has taken charge of over 750 games in the Football League pyramid, but has been out of work since he was sacked by Peterborough United on 25 October.
Peterborough have since handed the reins to Luke Williams and have clawed themselves out of the relegation zone in League One in recent weeks after showing early signs of improvement.
Ferguson’s recent dismissal brought an end to his fourth spell in charge of the Cambridgeshire outfit, after he first stepped into their dugout way back in 2007.
However, his time away from the game may be about to draw to an abrupt close, with a potential deal on the horizon to take charge of another club.
Darren Ferguson among the favourites for Barrow job
Steve Bruce has been linked with a surprise move to Barrow in recent days, after they parted company with their previous manager Andy Whing on 10 December.
The League Two outfit haven’t won a league game since the middle of October, and their recent poor run has seen them slip to 18th in the table.
The Bluebirds now find themselves just four points clear of the relegation zone, and could be at risk of losing their EFL status for the first time since their promotion back in 2020.
| Manager | Odds | |
| 1 | Neil McDonald | 5/2 |
| 2 | Noel Hunt | 5/2 |
| 3 | Darren Ferguson | 11/4 |
| 4 | Leighton Baines | 3/1 |
| 5 | Garry Monk | 7/2 |
Barrow’s next appointment could be pivotal for their season, and Ferguson has quickly emerged as one of the early favourites to take the job.
The Scot has seen his odds slashed to 11/4, with only ex-Reading boss Noel Hunt and current caretaker manager Neil McDonald priced at shorter odds at the moment.
Leighton Baines also in the running for Barrow job
Leighton Baines is another man who could take over at Barrow, with the former Everton left-back potentially set for his first job in senior football.
The 41-year-old is priced at slightly longer odds than Ferguson at the moment, and would need to give up his role as assistant manager at Everton if he were to take on the number one job at Holker Street.
Baines had a brief spell in interim charge of the Toffees prior to David Moyes’ appointment back in January, and had previously spent time leading the club’s U18 team before moving on to first-team duties.
He is an outside candidate to step into the dugout at Barrow at the moment, but the fourth-tier side could provide the ideal grounding for the ex-England international to make a name for himself as a manager.