And the white man continues to keep Robert Mugabe down, ensuring that (as it stands) he has to share the title of most popular DDP hit for 2019…
Fernando Ricksen joined Rangers in 2000 as part of Dick Advocaat’s Dutch revolution. He quickly acquired a reputation as a footballer who could start a fight in an empty room. A Liu Kang-esque kick on Aberdeen’s Darren Young saw him become the first player in British football to be banned on retrospective video evidence, and his appearances at Glasgow derbies have gone down in history for his propensity to get booked/sent off.
He was a cult figure for Rangers fans, however, and eventually became club captain, lifting the title in the 2004/05 season, where he was also named SPFA Player of the Year. He left the following year, however, when an alcohol-fuelled airplane incident saw him fall out of favour with incoming manager Paul Le Guen.
Ricksen was diagnosed with ALS in 2013 and has been a fixture of DDP sides ever since. Like his Rangers career, success took a little while coming but it’s here now and resultantly Thomas Jefferson Survives climbs to the top of the rankings. There may be more on him in an upcoming update…
Fernando Ricksen
27 July 1976 – 18 September 2019
Died aged 43 (113 picks, 22 jokers)