RTÉ, the Irish national radio and television broadcaster, regularly pumps out good documentaries about all aspects of life in Ireland. Looking through their site last night for something to put on the iPod, I found two documentaries about Scottish football you might enjoy.
Archive for the ‘Who Are Ya?’ Category
Football on the radio
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009The Scottish Transfer Window Winners and Losers
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009A look through the list of teams that sold players to, or bought players from Scottish teams tells a sad story. With a few notable exceptions, not one of the players leaving Scotland is moving to what could be called a ‘top club’. Likewise, most of the players coming to Scotland have come from teams in the English Championship or below, or from mediocre teams in mediocre leagues. Can anyone tells us, without Google-ing, where FC Ashdod play?
Scotland has always been a ’selling’ league. Even in the glory days of the late 80’s and early 90’s that saw a swathe of European talent move north in search of European football (Hately, Larson, Gascoine, Laudrup) we exported more than we imported. Top English sides would regularly head north for talent. Liverpool stole Dalglish from Celtic and Alan Hansen from Partick Thistle. Joe Jordan moved to Leeds from Morton and Martin Buchan was sold by Aberdeen to Manchester United to name just a few examples.
Nowadays, our players are sold to sides in the Championship, clubs like Derby, Cardiff, Doncaster, Watford and Norwich: the days of selling our players to top English and European sides has long gone.
Perhaps it’s down to the credit crunch, but more likely than not, it’s down to the quality of players the Scottish leagues have to offer. The standard of football in Scotland has improved, but certainly not at the rate of the teams south of the border. Whether it ever will is doubtful without significant investment in clubs at all levels across the country, but until that happens, the best a talented player can hope for is a move to a mid-level English side. The sad thing is that a move to somewhere like Doncaster is more attractive than playing regular football in the SPL; for one, they’re paid more and secondly, the standard of football is higher.
What does all this say about the state of Scottish football?
Probably not much. We are hopeless romantics after all here at Inside Left. We pine for the good old days of flat caps, rattles, rosettes and no women at football matches (only joking!), but seriously, we’d love to hear your views.
So, with all that said, here are the winners, and the losers in this season’s transfer window.
Winners
It’s hard to pick out any winners from the January transfer window, but Hamilton have done well for hanging on to James McCarthy. The youngster 
has been a target for a number of clubs, but McCarthy has decided to remain north of the border for another year to get more first team football experience. Courted by Liverpool and in particular Middlesborough, the money involved in any transfer would not have been huge by English EPL standards, but – and this is to their credit – Hamilton turned down the chance of much needed income to keep McCarthy at the club. The cynics would say that Accies are just waiting for better offers, but keeping a player on for another year is always a gamble: McCarthy could have a stinker next year, or get injured, both of which will seriously affect his valuation.
Willo Flood, formerly of Dundee United, completed his dream move to Celtic last night. Hopefully it wont be a “dream move” of the Robbie Keane variety, but Irishman Flood has done well for himself since warming the bench at Cardiff. A popular player at United, the young midfielder got his Celtic career of to a good early start when he battered his second United penalty against the crossbar in that epic shoot-out last week that saw his new employers, Celtic, through to the final of the CIS Insurance Cup.
Losers
Hibernian, for hanging on to Steven Fletcher. Like McCarthy of the Accies, Fletcher is another player that has been followed by a lot of top teams, both in England and further afield and speculation about his future at the club has been rife. That Hibs want to hang on to Fletcher (he’s scored 6 goals this season and 14 last season) is obvious: with Riordain and Nish he forms part of a trio of strikers at Easter Road that potentially should be one of the most feared front lines in the SPL. But lets be honest here – Hibs will never win the league, and Fletcher is desperate for a move. So when a club came calling with what was described as a ’substantial’ offer, you’d think that Hibs would jump at the chance of some tasty income, ready to sacrifice their greatest asset in the interest of the future of the club.
Unfortunately, the club that made the offer was Celtic, and that was the end of any moves for Fletcher. We can understand that Hibs are probably not keen to sell to an SPL rival, but with Fletcher tied to the club until 2013, he’s not exactly going to be the most motivated player. If anyone has seen Didier Drogba’s or Dimitar Berbatov’s disinterested appearances for their clubs following their on-off transfer saga, you’ll know what we mean. Hibs should have sold – they need the money more than they need Fletcher.
We where not sure in which category to put Rangers: winners for hanging on to their key asset Kris Boyd (although this was more down to the Boyd himself, the £3.5m all but completed until Boyd’s personal terms scuppered the deal), or losers for failing to offload any of their players (despite the massive ‘Clearance Sale’ signals coming from the club) for significant amounts, money which could have been used to reinvest in the team. In the end, we stuck them here, as losers.
Rangers have, for the first time we can recall anyway, not made any moves in the transfer window. A slow trickle of players left the club (Gow, McMillan, Burke and Adam), all on loan, with no one coming the other way. The sum total income this transfer window: £0. It’s debatable whether Rangers need strengthening on the field, but certainly if the sounds coming out of Ibrox are to be believed, the club could have done with strengthening the balance sheets. With neither Boyd and the other transfer target, goalkeeper Allan McGregor leaving, where this leaves Rangers financially remains to be seen, but if the money-spinning friendly fixture with AC Milan is anything to go by, the club are desperately trying to find alternative sources of income. Manager Smith might (should!) be happy that he’s kept his team intact, allowing Rangers to continue to challenge Celtic all the way for the title, but we suspect chairman Murray is anything but.
The loss of Hearts central defender Christophe Berra to Wolves in a £2.3m remains to be seen, but there’s many a Hearts fan would rather have seen Andy Driver sold, mainly on the assumption that central defenders are hard to replace. Berra has been solid in the back for the Edinburgh side this season, his absence noted in the sides 2-0 defeat at Accies last weekend. Artmedia Bratislava defender Pavol Farkas has been mentioned as a possible replacement by manager Laszlo, but with the transfer window now shut, it looks like Hearts will have to fill the void somehow.
Like Berra, Chris Porter has played an important role for his club this season. The former Motherwell striker, who joined Derby was the clubs top scorer this season with 9 goals. It’s not the first time that Motherwell have sold on their top scorers; in recent seasons, Scott McDonald and Ross McCormack have all left the club. Porter goes to English Championship strugglers Derby County for a fee reputed to be around £400k. The question is whether Motherwell can find a replacement for Porters’ goals, especially now they’ve finally got a decent run going. It’s going to be a tough year for David Clarkson …
Dumbarton FC
Wednesday, November 12th, 2008
In this, the latest instalment of our regular series profiling the lesser-known clubs around the country, we look at the team currently the subject of Inside Left’s latest attempt at football management by way of Football Manager 2008. Ladies and Gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you: Dumbarton FC.
Who Are Ya?
We’re Dumbarton FC, also known as the “Sons of the Rock” on account of the Rock of Dumbarton, a 250ft high volcanic plug that dominates the town. We were founded in 1872 by a group of enthusiastic followers of the round-ball game who had just returned from Glasgow where they had seen Vale of Leven getting beat 3-0 by Queens Park. Our stadium, the romantically named Strathclyde Homes Stadium, lies under the shadow of the rock, nestled between the rivers Leven on one side, and the Clyde on the other. The town of Dumbarton itself lies 13 miles up-river from Glasgow and has a population of about 21,000.
Past Glories
You have to go back a long way for this, the late 1800’s to be exact. Shortly after we were founded, we were something of a powerhouse in the league. We had already won the Scottish Cup in 1883 (and where runners up in the two finals before that, losing both to Queens Park) by the time we helped found the Scottish Football League along with Celtic (themselves founded only two years previously), Hearts, St Mirren, Rangers, St Mirren, and some teams you may not have heard of – think of Abercorn, Renton, Third Lanark and Vale of Leven. In that first inaugural season, we finished equal on points with Rangers, but because goal difference hadn’t been invented yet (and wouldn’t be for another thirty-one years) we had to play a decider game. So, on the 21st May 1890 at Cathkin Park, home of Third Lanark we played our bigger neighbours from up the river Clyde, Rangers. Unfortunately, that game also proved inconclusive and ended in a 2-2 draw. Unable to decide a winner, the league declared both ourselves and Rangers winners of the first league competition.
P W D L F A W D L F A Pts 1. Dumbarton 18 7 2 0 35 8 6 1 2 26 13 29 Rangers 18 7 1 1 31 11 6 2 1 27 14 29 3. Celtic 18 7 2 0 26 8 4 1 4 22 13 21 4. Cambuslang 18 5 2 2 30 20 3 2 4 17 22 20 5. Third Lanark 18 6 0 3 20 15 2 3 4 18 24 15 6. Hearts 18 4 2 3 20 15 2 0 7 11 22 14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7. Abercorn 18 4 1 4 20 18 1 1 7 16 29 12 8. St.Mirren 18 5 1 3 24 23 0 0 9 15 39 11 Vale Of Leven 18 5 0 4 19 20 0 1 8 8 45 11 10. Cowlairs 18 3 2 4 19 27 0 2 7 5 23 6
The next season though, we did a little better and won the league outright, pipping Celtic to the title.
Low Point
Since that second league title back in 1891, we’ve not had much success. Towards the end of the century we’d gone from finishing first to finishing last. While most of Scotland where turning professional, we preferred to remain an amateur side, a throwback to the Corinthian spirit embraced by that giant of Scottish Football, Queens Park. Our best players left, drawn to the professional (i.e. paid) terms that most other teams in the league where offering. In 1896 we were relegated from the First Division and started a roller-coaster ride up and down the leagues that culminated in 1984 with promotion to the Scottish Premier League. We lasted only one season, finishing ninth. We finished 8th in the Third Division last season.
Have you heard of ..
Murdo McLeod? The Celtic midfielder and Scotland international made over a 153 appearances in two spells for Dumbarton, first in the late 70’s (before moving up the river to Celtic) and then in the early 90’s. Rangers and former Scotland manager Walter Smith played in defence between 1975–1977, in between spells at Dundee United. Irish international and current Burnley manager Owen Coyle started his career at Dumbarton, scoring 36 goals in 103 appearances. Defender Neill Collins, who currently plays for Wolves in the English Championships played for Dumbarton between 2002 and 2004, scoring 4 times.
Stand up if you hate …
Historically it’d be Clydebank but since they went bust and where replaced with Airdrie United, it would be the likes of Morton and Queens Park.
This Season
Losing manager Gery McCabe halfway through the season certainly didn’t help. McCabe replaced Paul Martin after he was sacked following our relegation in 2006. After a fifth placed finish last season, expectations where high. The results however refused to come. David McFarlane, brought in from Albion Rovers but failed to find the kind of form he had at Hamilton and Stenhousemuir, and Brian McPhee, signed from Airdrie scored only eight goals between them. By the middle of November we found ourselves with 3 wins in 11 games and following a 2-0 defeat to Albion Rovers, McCabe was sacked. After John Brown declined to take up his new post for personal reasons, former Son Jim Chapman was appointed as manager. Three more defeats followed before we won our first game since September when we beat East Stirling 3-1. It was good to get the three points, but for the 303 people who turned up to see that victory, there would only be five more wins before the end of the season. We finished the 2007/08 campaign in 8th place, fifteen points of the play-off placed and fifty-one points behind champions East Fife.
Next Season
Jim Chapman has gone through a massive clear out in the off-season. Out went strikers Brian McPhee and David McFarlane, replaced by 21 year-old Derek Carcary and veteran striker Paul Keegan. Carcary, capped at U-21 level has previously played for Queens Park and Raith Rovers. Irish international Keegan has played mainly in the Irish Eircom league, but has had short spells at Motherwell and Partick Thistle. In these two signings, Chapman has brought in experience as well as youth to hopefully stop the goal drought and get Dumbarton scoring again. In goal, David McEwan was signed from Derry as cover for the experienced Mark McGeown – the 38 year-old has signed a deal following his release from Ayr United at the end of the season, to keep him at the Sons until his 40th birthday. In defense, Michael Dunlop (ex Kilmarnock and Ayr) signed up, as well as the re-signing of defender Andy Geggan, twice winner of the Sontrust Player of the Year award. In midfield, Iain Chisholm and Scotland U-19 cap David Gray complete the rebuilding work at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium.
Extra Time
Did you know that from 1879 Dumbarton went on a run of victories that saw the team not losing a home game for five years?
Or that there is a tenuous link with Inside Left favourite, Aberdeen? Pat Travers managed both clubs during his career: Dumbarton from 1920 to 1921, and Aberdeen from 1924 to 1937. Donald Colman managed the Sons for a short period in the 1930’s as well as being the Aberdeen trainer during Pat Travers’ time at the club. David Winnie, a former Aberdeen player, was manager of Dumbarton from 2002 to 2003.
And before we played at out current stadium, we played our home games at Boghead Park for 131 years, the longest time a senior club has spent in one ground.
Information
Ground Info: Strathclyde Homes Stadium (capacity 2,025)
Contact address: Dumbarton FC, Miller Street, Dumbarton, G82 2JA
Web Site: Official | Fan Site
Motherwell FC
Thursday, September 18th, 2008
Tonight in the French town of Nancy, Motherwell make their return to European football after a thirteen year absence. A cracking league campaign that saw the Steelmen finish in third spot last season earned them the right to compete in the Uefa Cup and, together with Celtic, they make up the Scottish representation in Europe this year. So what better time to take a closer look at the team that has yet to rekindle the kind of form that brought them to northern France this evening. So, Motherwell: Who Are Ya?
Who Are Ya?
We are Motherwell FC, known to some as the Steelmen, to others as just The ‘Well. We’re from the North Lanarkshire town of Motherwell and are situated on the north side of the M74 motorway roughly 15 miles from Glasgow and 36 miles from Edinburgh. Founded in 1886 following the merger of local amateur sides Glencairn FC and Alpha FC, we played our first game against local rivals Hamilton, winning the game 3-2. Admitted to the Scottish Football League in 1893 following our decision to become a professional side, we started life out in the old Second Division. As a professional outfit our first game was a 4-1 home win against Clyde, a game which also saw us wear the colours with which we’d later be associated – maroon (although we played in our original colours, blue and white, for a few more seasons).
In our first season in the division, we finished fourth winning eleven of our eighteen games. Also in the league at the time where clubs such as Hibernian, Clyde, Partick Thistle and Morton as well as clubs long since defunct – Cowlairs, Port Glasgow Athletic, Abercorn, Morton, Northern and Thistle. Just before the outbreak of the First World War we changed our colours from the blue and white that we’d worn since our foundation in favour of a colour scheme that would not clash so much with the rest of the teams in the league. We chose a nice claret and amber, a colour worn by top English side Bradford, winners of the 1911 FA Cup.
Like most teams we’ve had some highs and lows along the way, but with the odd blip aside, we’ve been a top division side in Scotland since 1984.
Past Glories
Our best seasons came in the 1920’s and the 1930’s, a time that was not kind to the town. With the decline in the Clyde shipyards, the steel mills on which so much of the towns population depended for work where forced to let much of the work force go as they sought to keep their heads above water in the face of drastic reductions in demand for their steel. During this dark time, we reached the quarter final of the Scottish Cup, and thanks to players such as Hugh Ferguson and Willie McFadyen we finished in the top three seven seasons in a row, and eventually won the league in 1932. Before the outbreak of World War Two, we also appeared in three Scottish Cup finals – sadly, we lost all three. In 1951 we won the League Cup, while the 1951/52 season brought us our only Scottish Cup victory when we beat Dundee 4-0 in the final. We’re also one of the few teams that ’split’ the Old Firm when we finished second behind champions Rangers, and one point ahead of Celtic at the end of the 1994/95 season.
Low Point
Most teams have a few low points, but we’ve had more than our fair share – cup final defeats, relegation, financial problems as well as the tragic early deaths of three of our past and present players.
We’ve been relegated four times in total (1953, 1968, 1979 and 1984) but with the exception of our relegation in 1979 we’ve bounced back straight away the following season. Since the 1984/85 season we’ve never finished lower than 10th.
Our administration in 2002, the result of declining attendances and the expensive purchases of players such as Andy Goram and John Spencer that failed to provide an on-field return for their off-pitch expenditure, was another low point. The club was very close to going out of existence. It was only the sale of most of our players that kept us afloat. We finished bottom of the league but avoided relegation largely due to Falkirk’s lack of an SPL compliant stadium. Manager Terry Butcher augmented the team with a youngsters such as Stephen Pearson and James McFadden from the club’s academy, players that would go alleviate the clubs debts once they were sold on – McFadden’s £1.25m transfer to Everton and Pearson’s £350k move to Celtic went a long way towards helping us out of administration during the 2004/05 season.
The deaths of Phill O’Donnell last season during a game against Dundee United, as well as former Motherwell favourites Davie Cooper and Jamie Dolan (who between them made 553 appearances for the club, scoring 45 goals) are some of the darkest hours the club has faced. More recently, Paul Quinn was convicted of assault following an incident at a team-mates birthday party, but despite much speculation in the press he remained team captain, one of the youngest in the clubs history at the age of 22.
Have you heard of ..
Former Liverpool and Scotland player Ian St. John was a Motherwell native and turned out for the ‘Well over 113 times between 1957 and 1961. Brian McClair, who played for Manchester United during some of their best years played for Motherwell between 1981 and 1983, while current Leeds United boss Garry McAllister started his career at Fir Park.
Our current manager is Mark McGhee, a European Cup Winner’s Cup winner with Aberdeen back in ‘83. There was a lot of speculation linking him with the job at Hearts, but he decided to remain with Motherwell for one more season. Whether he’ll stay after this season ends is another question, but for now..
Former managers include England captain and Rangers legend Terry Butcher, Birmingham boss Alex McLeish (who started his managerial career at the club) and former Preston North End and Derby manager Billy Davies. Ally McLeod, of Argentina ‘78 fame was also a manager, as was Tommy McLean, brother of Dundee United legend Jim McLean.
Stand up if you hate …
Geographically, Hamilton would be our closest rivals. They’re located on the opposite side of the M74 motorway. We’ve not played in the same division for many a year, so this season will see the return of a tasty North Lanarkshire against South Lanarkshire derby. Other than that, the Glasgow sides are bitter rivals given our proximity but pretty much most of the rest of the league could be considered rivals for that coveted third European spot.
This Season
It’s been a bit of a struggle so far as we try to get our season of to a start. Right now we’re in 10th spot having only won one game so far, a 1-0 victory away to Hibs. Our heavy defeat to Celtic last weekend wasn’t good and manager Mark McGhee is going to have to work wonders if our season is going to be anything like last season. Losing key players like Scott McDonald to Celtic last season wasn’t good, but new signing John Sutton from Wycombe is proving a good purchase, while young David Clarkson (who is beginning to establish himself in the national side) and the slightly older Steven Hammell are key players for us, and defender Stephen Craigan is an established international player with Northern Ireland. We’ve got European football to look forward too, our first adventures abroad since 1995. We’re playing Nancy in the first round of the Uefa Cup. They’re not one of the stronger teams in the competition but they’ll still prove tough opposition especially as we’re not on exactly on top form ourselves at the minute.
Information
Ground Info: Fir Park, Motherwell (13,700)
Contact address: 1-39 Firpark Street, Motherwell
Web Site: Official Club Website | Motherwell Mad!
Celtic FC
Sunday, August 17th, 2008
Celtic have been much in the news of late. If they’re not winning three-in-a-row, they’re going around steeling defenders from under the noses of their greatest rivals.
On the day that Celtic continue their defence of their title at Dundee United’s Tannadice Stadium, we ask new Inside Left contributor and Celtic fan Garry Swan: so, Celtic, who are ya?
