FOR game of football think Game of Thrones. At least that’s what is said about the juniors in Scotland where battles are so fierce that any dragon with half a brain would feign injury to avoid being caught up in the chaos.

If myths and legends are to be believed, there is far more fighting and boozing in the West Premiership compared to Westeros.

If you believe such tall tales then, as it is written, just about every match would see a fight break out on the field, the poor referee had to be helicoptered out for his own safety, all played out in front of a passionate crowd, with every one of them seemingly suffering from Tourette’s.

Some of this, of course, is true. Players of course have turned up still drunk from the night before, there will be a midfield maestro playing now with the touch of a feather and belly of a darts player.

I was once told by a player from the Ayrshire area, a juniors stronghold if there ever was one, of a winger so disgusted by a particular vocal critic that during one mazy run down the line he took a short detour to punch the ‘fan’ in his face.

This actually happened.

So, why would Barry Ferguson, former Rangers and Scotland captain, someone who was used to the best of everything during a trophy-laden playing career which included a European final, decide to become manager of Kelty Hearts of Fife of the Lowland League?

Has he not heard the stories? Surely a man of his standing is better than managing big Tam the centre-half whose bouts of violence –sometimes towards his own team - are legendary and have known to land him in Ayrshire Sherriff Court.

Ah, but this is 2018 and the landscape has changed dramatically and for the better. Kelty Hearts are a perfect example of how non-league clubs operate these days.

They left the juniors after 32 years last December so they could become a SFA senior member, which allows them to play in the Scottish Cup and in the Lowland League, Scottish football’s fifth tier, which the winners of enter a play-off with the team that finishes bottom of League Two for a place in the SPFL.

Kelty sit top of that division right now.

Ferguson is not the first famous name to dip his toes in the juniors, as we shall still call it. Alan Rough, Partick Thistle icon, veteran of three World Cups and all-round goalkeeping superstar, was at Celtic in 1988 and within two years found himself manager of Glenafton.

Who better to warn Ferguson about what he is about to get into? Except, the former Scotland international, his 53 caps just two short of what Ferguson gained, believes this could prove to be a superb move as he happily and sincerely burst a few myths.

“I wouldn’t describe Kelty as a junior club or even part-time, which of course they are, but rather that the players now are semi-professional,” Rough insisted. “The clubs at that level these days are far more professional than many would think and the idea that the teams are full of overweight players is ridiculous.

“They will be as professional as any of the players in the leagues above them. And I know Kelty Hearts to be an ambitious club who want to get into the senior leagues. As we speak, that could happen next season.

“I get why Barry going there is a surprise to some but, when you look at it, this actually makes a lot of sense for him.”

It does make sense for the club. Ferguson is a name and at least initially him being manager will attract publicity and a few more punters.

However, it’s a different world to the one he enjoyed as the pampered millionaire for whom everything was done for.

“When I joined Glenafton, it did open my eyes to that level of football,” admitted Rough. “But my biggest surprise, and this is the truth, was the level of players which was far better than I thought it would be. Barry will find the same.

“What I would say, and this is hugely important, is that he needs backing from the committee at the club. I was lucky. I got 100 per cent backing from the people at Glenafton. We reached three Junior Cup finals and a massive factor in that was the stability.

“I had a mixture of former senior professionals and guys who knew that level of football. We kept that team together and that helped bring success. Barry will have his own ideas but I am told that Kelty is one of the best run clubs outwith the senior league.

“What needs to be said is the standard in the Lowland League is miles better compared to ten, twenty years ago. There are a lot of former senior players there, good pros, and I’m, sure they will react positively when Barry walks through the door.

“It will be an interesting to watch.” That much is certainly true.