Former Rangers star Ian Ferguson was today announced as the first head coach of new A-League club North Queensland FC. Ferguson will immediately cut ties as assistant coach of the Central Coast Mariners to take over in Townsville to prepare for the club's first season in the A-League in 2009/2010.

Mariners chief executive Lyall Gorman is supportive of Ferguson's move, "While it will always be with mixed emotions that we farewell anyone from the Mariners family, let alone a stalwart who has been there from day one, there will always come a time when some members of the club will need to move on to further their won career."

During Ferguson's four-year stint at the Mariners, he assisted head coach Lawrie McKinna in the club making two A-League Grand Final appearances.