Rumours Page
Rumour:

David Partridge was thrown out of Hamilton Palace on Saturday after being involved in a fight.  He was completely plastered, and Sengewald and Ian Russell (I think) looked on as he took swings at random guys. (16/12/02)

Source: Gord Daw
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):

Rumour:

Regarding the Simo Valakari rumour, he would love to come back but has not actually been released by Derby and there would be major contractual problems if he were to leave.  In any event, Terry Butcher has denied that any move for Simo will be made as we are unlikely to be able to meet his wage demands. (09/12/02)

Source: Our No 1 Source.
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour:

If Terry Butcher butcher doesn't get a couple of wins soon then Sandy Clark or Neale Cooper will take over. (04/12/02)

Source: Colin Wilson
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: When the transfer window re-opens in January:
  1. Simo Valakari will sign
  2. Motherwell born kid Brian Kerr will come on loan
  3. Big Dirk will leave to go to Partick Thistle

(01/12/02)
Source: Linda Stevenson
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):		  
Rumour: Ian Adams will be buying the club in April and is ready just to slot into place. Butcher has been told he will still be manager and Adams has gave money to him (£500,000) which will be spent during transfer window. Butcher is looking at buying Lee McCulloch as he is interested in playing for us again. (30/11/02)
Source: Stuart, who heard it from "a very good Fir Park insider"
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):		  
Rumour:
  1. I have personally seen Ian Adams in Fir Park three times already this week signing paperwork in the main office
  2. Derek Adams and Stevie Woods have asked to be released from their contracts immediately
  3. Terry Butcher is treading on thin ice with Bryan Jackson and Motherwell will need to comfortably win against Celtic or he's out
  4. When and if he goes out I have a shortlist of names for the job:
    - Chris McCart
    - George Burley
    - Mick McCarthy
    - Tom Boyd
    - Neale Cooper

(27/11/02)
Source: Joe McKelvie
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):		  
Rumour: Dumfernline have made a bid of £40000 for Dirk Lehmann.  John Yorkston has been in Fir Park 3 times in the last week, and was spotted in Butcher's office along with Dirk and his agent. (20/11/02)
Source: Chaz, whose mate works at Fir Park.
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):		  
Rumour:
  1. Big Dirk WILL leave Fir Park in the summer but not in January as said in the Sun and he will be going back to Germany
  2. 'Well are trying to get Simon Lynch from Celtic and a young 'keeper called Allaway from Leeds on loan until May
  3. Woods will be sold/released in January
  4. Finally, Spurs have again been up to watch Faddy and want him and Simon Davies to be the players that Hoddle will build his team around in the future (13/11/02)
 
Source: Cloudy, who heard it from "a young 'Well player"
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):		  
Rumour: Neale Cooper has quit as manager of Ross County and will take over from Terry Butcher after the Dundee Utd game. (11/11/02)
Source: Steven Smellie
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):		  
Rumour: John Boyle will take over the club again next year once all the redundant  players don't have to be paid up.  (22/10/02)
Source: Stuart, who heard it from "a good source inside the Fir Park Board"
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour:
  1. The new buyer will be the owner of Stark's Dairymaid ice-cream vans as he has been spotted walking in and out of the stadium.   
  2. The East Stand will be getting a facelift and will end up with 3 tiers in all and executive boxes (20/10/02)
Source: Christopher, who heard it from a club director.
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):		  
Rumour: Terry Butcher tried to sign Tom Boyd as club captain when he was out of contract in the summer break. (18/10/02)
Source: John Abbie, who heard it from a "very good source"
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Former Motorola employee Barry Waite, the man who organised the sponsorship deal, is going to buy the club. He is a multi-millionaire, used to live in East Kilbride, is a huge football fan and is keen to move back to Scotland from Singapore where he currently lives. (12/08/02)
Source: David, who heard it from a friend in Singapore whose dad worked for Motorola.
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Partick Thistle are very keen to offer David Clarke a two-year contract. (05/08/02)
Source: Rickoza, who heard it from "a very good source".
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Two things:
  • A new buyer is already in place, however they will not officially take over until a year and a day after the club went into administration.  This is because the club would be required to honour the contracts on the 19 players made redundant if it comes out of administration within a year.
  • Andy Goram owes John Boyle a considerable amount of money, and is therefore not being paid for his new coaching role.  This is his way of paying back what he owes the club. (28/07/02)
Source: Anon, who heard it from someone who sits in the Vice-Presidents section of the Main Stand.
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Celtic have ALREADY bought McFadden, and are waiting to announce the transfer date once a buyer has been found for the club. (28/07/02)
Source: Ian Prentice
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Fir Park is being sold for development and a new stadium in Ravenscraig is being built in a joint venture with Lanarkshire District Council.  It will have training, multi sports and conference facilities. (25/07/02)
Source: Jaffa, who heard it from an SFA member.
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):		  
Rumour: The new 'Well buyer is Bryan Jackson! (25/07/02)
Source: Cubby, who heard it from Terry Butcher at Larkhall swimming baths.
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: I asked Faddy if he would would go to Celtic. He admitted being a big Celtic fan and that them money would probably be 10 times better than just now, but AT THE MOMENT he is not interested in money he wants to play football every week, he is not stupid like Kenny Miller, and think he will get a game every week, he knows he wouldn't. I asked if he would be taking Lubo's position, now that he is retiring its an ideal chance, he said that Lubo was an amazing player and look at him - on the bench every week. For the meantime, he is a 'Well player through and through. We can't ask for more than that. There was just something about him that made me think he was being so genuine and not full of mince. (27/06/02)
Source: Andrew Moyes, who heard it straight from the horse's mouth.
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Faddy will definitely be signing for Celtic and will not feature in a Motherwell jersey at all next season. (17/06/02)
Source: Anon, who heard it from Scott Leitch.
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Virgin will be the new shirt sponsors, and Richard Branson has been spotted several times at Fir Park over the past few weeks! (16/06/02)
Source: Anon
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):		 (0)
Rumour: Apparently the new shirt sponsors are The Untouchables. (13/06/02)
Source: Charlie Bennett
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Adams the Butchers have bought Motherwell FC. (12/06/02)
Source: Auldy, who heard it from someone who knows his granny!
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Following in from the previous rumour re Stephen Pearson, he is not going to sign for anybody at the moment as he is in foreign parts on holiday. He is a Celtic fan through and through, as are all his family, however he is 100% behind Motherwell at the moment but would jump at the chance to play for Celtic. (12/06/02)
Source: Anon
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Terex will be our new shirt sponsor, and have paid £100,000 for the privilege. (11/06/02)
Source: Rickoza
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Wiseman Dairies Group's lawyers were spotted outside Fir Park yesterday. (05/06/02)
Source: Anne
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Stephen Pearson is due to sign a contract with Celtic. (05/06/02)
Source: Andy, who heard it from someone who heard it from Pearson's cousin.
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: I have heard that one party interested in buying the club is Tom Hunter, one of Scotland's richest men  He is said to be looking to do what Jack Walker did at Blackburn.  At the centre of his plan is a move to Ravenscraig, with a new 20.000 seat stadium, hotel ,training complex, youth academy and an American style sports college & campus. (05/06/02)
Source: Catherine Roddie
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: A consortium of three men fronted by John Boyle are the favourites to take over the club, with Boyle putting up most of the cash. (29/05/02)
Source: Braz, who heard it from "a reliable source"
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Following on from the previous rumour, we are reliably informed that Ian Adams' companies are subject to a substantial takeover bid from The Wiseman Dairies Group. Possibly a front for their bid for the club? (28/05/02)
Source: Fritz
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Ian Adams was spotted coming out of Fir Park on two occasions this week. (24/05/02)
Source: Jamie McCallum
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: The new strip is unlikely to be available until August due to a 6-8 week delay at Xara's end. (24/05/02)
Source: Rickoza
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Kenny Dalglish is about to make a dramatic bid to Takeover Motherwell, he will be setting up a meeting with liquidators soon in connection with a £2 million pound bid, part of the proposed bid is to invest approximately £8 million pounds over 2 seasons to make Motherwell not the 3rd force but the 1st force in Scottish football. He sees McFadden as the ideal player to build his proposed Dream Team around.
Source: Pip
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):		 (0)
Rumour: Jock Brown was spotting running quickly into Fir Park this afternoon amid all the players leaving with their bags and boots. (29/04/02)
Source: Marc Straub
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: One of the interested buyers is local butcher Ian Adams. (26/04/02)
Source: Another "anon" I'm afraid...
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Following on from today's traumatic events, the office staff have been told they will find out by Tuesday at the latest if they are to be made redundant.  The players will have their wages paid up until the end of the month but no guarantees can be given after that. (24/04/02)
Source: Someone within the club, but I can't say who.
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Motherwell will be going into liquidation today. The main reason is to offload players from the wage bill. Players like Mark Brown, Andy Dow, Kevin Twaddle etc who have no future at the club but who are being well paid and have long contracts. We are also top heavy staff wise and many office staff will also lose their jobs. (24/04/02)
Source: Anon
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Eric Black has arranged a meeting for Wednesday at Fir Park, where he will make a "huge announcement". The announcement will most likely be that he is going to Coventry. (23/04/02)
Source: Anon, whose friend works at Fir Park.
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Following on from the previous rumour(s):

Black held a meeting with the players yesterday morning before training. He did not deny the story in yesterday's Sun, telling the players there were "one or two things to sort out."  Looks like he will be on his way.

Also, there was another bust up after last Saturday's game with Deloumeaux and Black having a heated debate in French.  All's not well it would appear... (20/04/02)

Source: Our No 1 source, who heard it from a 1st team player.
Plausibility Rating 
(out of five):
Rumour: Brace yourself:
  1. Eric Black will definitely be leaving......to become Gary McAllister's No 2 at Coventry City.  Black and McAllister became friends when both were studying towards their UEFA coaching certificates last year in France.  Apparently Eric is totally disillusioned with the current situation at Fir Park, as the funds he was promised will not now be made available to him, and he has also been ordered to trim his first team squad from around 25 to roughly 18.  He also doesn't get on with Pat Nevin (see 3. below)
  2. The club cannot afford to keep Deloumeaux, Soloy, Ferrere and Bernard (Deloumeaux is the highest earner at Fir Park).  No other club wants to buy any of them, so the management team's only option is to force them to quit.  With this in mind, Terry Butcher has been taking the aforementioned players for late night training sessions at Dalziel Park, which involves them running around the athletics track at 10pm most nights.  This is an attempt to sicken the players into walking out on the club.
  3. While EB was in Paris to commentate on the recent France v Scotland match, he watched a Le Harve striker who he had first targeted some time ago (can't remember his name, but he was formerly with Auxerre and it was apparently reported in some of the papers).  EB was impressed and spoke to the player and his agent with a view to signing him.  However, with the deal virtually sealed (apparently on a free transfer), EB spoke to Pat Nevin who then knocked the whole thing back as seemingly he wasn't prepared to meet the player's wage demands.
  4. The Bank of Scotland, current sponsors of the SPL, were in talks with Motherwell, Partick Thistle and Dundee with a view to becoming their shirt sponsors for next season.  However, this deal is now in major doubt due to the possibility of there being no TV coverage next year.
  5. When John Boyle took over Motherwell he settled the club's existing debt (believed to be £5m) out of his own pocket.  However he is now looking to sell his interest in the club.
  6. James McFadden has been targeted by Celtic, and Martin O'Neill has had the player watched on no fewer than 4 occasions.  This is why EB tied Faddy up on a new contract recently.
  7. Mark Brown will leave the club in the summer as EB clearly doesn't rate him.  The story about Brown storming out of Fir Park prior to the recent Celtic game is true, and EB gets several letters every day asking why he doesn't play Brown.  Kevin Twaddle is apparently a bad influence in the dressing room and is a regular in the Ladbrokes next to Motherwell Point. (20/04/02)
  8. Dirk Lehmann will definitely not be offered a contract at the end of the season.

Older Rumours

Home