Motherwell FC News – Dec 1997
Motherwell FC News
December 1997
22.12.97
Stevie McMillan was rushed to hospital following a horror clash with Dunfermline’s Ivo Den Bieman on Saturday, but fortunately nothing is broken and he will be available for selection at Pittodrie on Saturday.
18.12.97
Kevin Christie could return to the side on Saturday after missing the Dundee United game with a one-match ban, but Stephen Craigan has a one-match suspension this weekend.
17.12.97
Inter Motherwell team members please note:
ALL EURONET ’98 MONEY MUST BE PAID TO RICKY THIS WEEK!!!
14.12.97
Next week’s match against Dunfermline goes ahead on Saturday afternoon and not Friday night as had originally been planned.
12.12.97
Motherwell have signed Norwich City defender Rob Newman on a three month loan deal. The 33-year-old had made 190 appearances for the Canaries and was in the side that took on Bayern Munich and Inter Milan in the UEFA Cup three years ago. Meanwhile, Scott Howie is reported to have left Motherwell to sign for a Belgian club.
Just days after recovering from ligament damage, Lee McCulloch dislocated his thumb during the reserve match against Hearts on Wednesday. He looks certain to miss tomorrow’s match against Dundee United. Billy Davies and Mickey Weir came through the reserve match with no problems.
Former Motherwell player Steve Kirk could be named as East Fife’s new player/manager.
11.12.97
Motherwell will be without Kevin Christie on Saturday following his sending off against Hearts last week. Also missing will be Simo Valakari, whose ankle injury is expected to keep him out for a couple of weeks. Stephen Craigan faces a one-match ban that will rule him out against Dunfermline next week. Brian Martin, Mickey Weir, Billy Davies, Lee McCulloch and Greig Denham were all due to play for the reserves against Hearts at Fir Park yesterday afternoon and will be looking to get into the team to face United.
Alex McLeish wants his players to end a disasterous home run against on Saturday – by recording their first league victory at Fir Park in EIGHT MONTHS. The last win was back on April 12 when Raith were defeated 5-0, but apart from that the club have won only THREE games at Fir Park this YEAR.
Owen Coyle looks set to stay at Fir Park despite a bid to take him to Easter Road.
10.12.97
Our very own match reporter and Inter Motherwell team manager Ricky Mullen will be appearing on the Radio 5 show The Big Byte to talk about the Motherwell Web Site! The interview, which is being recorded in Glasgow this afternoon, will involve Ricky comparing this site to the Kilmarnock FC Homepage and mentioning the good and bad points about both sites. The program will be broadcast on Radio 5 this Sunday at 8pm, so make sure you tune in!
9.12.97
Newspaper reports suggest that Hibs have made a £200,000 bid for Owen Coyle. Alex McLeish does not want to lose the striker, who has scored 17 goals in 35 games since his move from Dundee Utd, but would find it hard to resist cash which would enable him to strengthen other areas of the side.
05.12.97
Important notice for Inter Motherwell team members :
ENTRY FEE DEADLINE FOR EURONET 98 – READING
The deadline for Euronet 98 is 31 December 1998, otherwise we face the embarrasment of being thrown out, and not being allowed to compete in any future events. Therefore, would team members PLEASE get their money to Ricky Mullen no later than Sunday, 07 December, in order that I may be able to pay our £100 fee and ensure we are in the draw. The original request for £6.00 was increased to £10.00 per person so that not only would the entry fee be covered, but the remaining £80.00 would then be used to offset travelling costs, as getting to Reading will be far from inexpensive.
Please either pay the money to myself on Sunday at the match, or send it to:-
Ricky Mullen1 Saint Brides AvenueUddingstonNorth Lanarkshire G71 5DP
The first 18 team members to pay their fee will be guarenteed their place in the InterMotherwell team.
04.12.97
Greig Denham is available for selection on Saturday after serving a three-match ban, and Frenchman Eric Garcin could also return after being out for a month with a hamstring injury. Tommy Coyne has recovered from a knock he sustained during the Hibs’ game and should also be fit for Tynecastle.
Tonight’s reserve game against Hibs is likely to be called off as the Fir Park pitch is frozen. Alex McLeish had hoped to give both Brian Martin and Greig Denham a run out.
03.12.97
The Sun reports that Motherwell are giving up on foreign trialists because it’s costing the club too much money. Only Frenchman Eric Garcin and Namibian Eliphas Shivute have been signed up on long-term deals after impressing in trials, while more than a dozen players have been released after failing to make the grade. The cost of paying air fares from Europe and Africa and putting the players up for a couple of weeks could run to £50,000 by the end of the season. Alex McLeish says that the club will now do more research before bringing players over so it’s only the better ones they look at.
Brian Martin is battling to be fit for Saturday’s game against Hearts. Lee McCulloch, who was carried off against Hibs last week, should also be fit for the trip to Tynecastle.
Click here to access Ian Buchanan’s new Motherwell FC Archive.
01.12.97
Lee McCulloch suffered knee ligament damage following a challange with Hibs’ Paul Tosh on Saturday. The club will not find out the full extent of the damage until later in the week.
Billy Davies could play in a reserve match against Hibs this week after a knock ended his first team comback last month.
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