7pm

Eddie Forrest is the latest ex-Motherwell player to have a go at John Boyle over the club's financial problems that resulted in 19 players being made redundant last season.  He said:
"It is absolutely disgraceful the way it has been brushed aside.  Motherwell are still going ahead and signing players and getting shirt sponsors. It is just incredible how they can get away with it. I have had to go part-time from a three-year contract.  There are a lot of boys out of the game because John Boyle did not do his homework right.  It is an absolute disgrace how they can go out and sign new players.  I've nothing against the guys who are there but John Boyle could have offered us a compensation pay offer.  They have just gone on as a normal club and nothing has been said. What is a contract worth?"

Meanwhile, Motherwell's new director of football, George Adams, has challenged clubs watching James McFadden to either meet the asking price of £2m or walk away.  Adams was speaking after newspaper reports suggested German side Bayer Leverkusen had Faddy watched during Saturday's game against Livingston.  Adams, who also ruled out a move for Paul Gascoigne (thankfully!), said that recruiting a new full-time coach was currently a higher priority than selling McFadden:
"Compared to what other clubs are quoting for talented young players, the figures being banded about for James are unrealistic.  There is no fire sale here and what we do not want to do is get rid of our best players.  We have not had one written offer for Jamie. I have received telephone enquiries, but what I say to them is to put it in writing - not one of the clubs involved has done that."

Meanwhile Motherwell administrator Bryan Jackson said today that the club may make further signings in the near future:
"The manager is asking if he can bring in one or two players and I am telling him, 'yes, if it doesn't cost us'.  Things have levelled out now, but we could easily go over budget again."

8.35am

Today's newspapers report that Terry Butcher is ready to contact the POLICE after David Clarke was punched in the face during an Under-21 game earlier in the week.  The 19-year-old was decked by Bellshill Juniors defender Gerry Farrell in an U-21 "friendly" at Bellshill's Brandon Park.  Ironically, Bellshill manager Tommy Coyne and his assistant Rab McKinnon arranged the match in an attempt to foster good relations between the two clubs.  Terry Butcher is quoted as saying:
"I can't say too much about it because we have a host of witnesses who saw it and it was an unprovoked attack.  We could well be talking something a lot more serious.  We have to take stock of the situation and decide where we go next.  I'm not very happy at all.  I will speak to my board to see if we can go to another level with this.  

I turned to see David go down.   I didn't see the punch but we have a lot of witnesses who did.  It was blatant in their view, he just hooked him."

Farrell himself added:
"I apologise to Tam and Rab, and to Bellshill, and the club's owner Steve McGhee, but I will NEVER apologise to Clarke.  He fouled me, he stamped on me, and walked over me after the tackle.  He elbowed me and he has left me with a tooth cracked and a dentist's bill.  That kid has played three first-team games and was shouting his mouth off saying 'I can buy and sell you'.  I don't care if he is 19 or 29, boys become men very quickly in our game.  I had nutmegged him in the first-half and that got his back up."

The home game against Celtic, scheduled for Wednesday September 11, has been put back 24 hours to the Tuesday and will be broadcast live on BBC TV.

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