Jimmy Bullard Revealed the Only Football Hardman He Was Scared Of

Jimmy Bullard didn’t hesitate when revealing the one former Premier League player he feared.

Bullard, 46, was a well-liked player during his career and was known for his eccentric personality as well as his ability on the field.

The former central midfielder played for several Premier League clubs - including Wigan Athletic, Fulham and Hull City - before hanging up his boots following a spell at Milton Keynes Dons in 2012.

In all, the 46-year-old made 335 professional appearances, registering 43 goals and 29 assists.

And during his time as a Premier League player, he faced several world-class players such as Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, who would often scare some of their opponents with raw talent and ability.

These days, Bullard often features on podcasts and TV and has spoken openly about his career and once revealed that he was genuinely scared of one former opponent.

At this point, you may be thinking Bullard named a former Manchester United player as the man he was most scared of, given the Red Devils’ period of domination in the mid-2000s.

But speaking on Goals on Sunday several years ago, Bullard explained how former Everton and Scotland forward Duncan Ferguson “chucked a right hook” after “his eyes had gone” following him being sent off for a challenge on Wigan defender Paul Scharner in 2006.

The Scot was subsequently banned for six games after being charged by the Football Association for violent conduct during the 1-1 draw between Wigan and Everton.

When recalling the incident, Bullard said: “His (Ferguson’s) eyes had gone.

“He’d just got pure madness in his eyes. He just wants to fight. Moyes brought him, he’s chucked a right hook and then looked at me, wants a tear up with me.

“I’ve looked over at (Everton’s) McFadden to say ‘sort your mate out, like, help me out here.’ And he’s like, ‘I’m nothing to do with this.’ So, Dunc gets a red card, and as he’s 30 yards away, I say, ‘See you in the tunnel, Dunc.’ As the final whistle went, I remember thinking I hope he’s not waiting.

“Two weeks after I saw at Goodwood Races. He came over and gave me a bottle of Champagne and says, ‘How you doing, Jim? Come and join me.’ So, I was with him all day. He’s a great lad.”