Terry's All Gold
HELLO GLF
Who would have believed the massive changes that have taken place in the last few months and they are really positive moves that supporters I am sure will back. So many clubs are being taken over by all and sundry, wither by getting clubs out of debt or throwing massive amounts of money at players and transfers. Surely under such circumstances football will blow itself up.
So for Motherwell to find itself in the control of John Boyle, a man seemingly bucking the trend, his thoughts have been for everyone at the club but particularly for the supporters. For years fans have been saying that football is too expensive but the higher up in football scale it seems that only the rich are being catered for, so to be a Motherwell supporter in 1998 is just unbelievable what the owner of the club is doing for them.
It is great to see John Boyle's radical reforms getting its rewards though the turnstiles, I also think that bringing in Pat Nevin is an excellent idea particularly the way he can guide players into the right channels financially, a long neglected area for those outside the mega buck players.
Of course the cynics have come out nit-picking at Well's reforms, I would have thought with years of negative thoughts and actions in Scottish football people would leap with delight to see someone coming into action. He has not come into the club with a big ego throwing his money around but this gives the club a lift which gives everyone hope for better things to come, but it cannot guarantee anything. We all know it is what happens on the field that of play that counts at the end and nobody can foretell that. All I can say is thank you Mr. Boyle for acting in such a positive way in trying to better Motherwell.
The way John Boyle has come into Fir Park and then read about Manchester Utd. and other so called big clubs and what might happen with their take overs, you realise our favourites operate on another planet. Motherwell and most other clubs live in another world to these big city clubs, the word sport has no meaning to them, how to fleece the customer is the name of the game.
When I read about the planned Old Trafford takeover my thoughts went back over 40 years just before the Munich disaster and I went to the Molineux ground to see Wolves play Man Utd. and I witnessed the finest game of football I have ever seen. After the war those two clubs were the top double act of the era both famed for rearing their own players, the Wanderers had started the nursery system before the war. What magnificent players those two clubs had, I always had an admiration for how United played and the he way they brought their own players through into the first team, the "Busby Babes". Much to my delight Bobby Ancell at the same time at Fir Park was operating on a similar basis with his "Ancell Babes".
So as I read about the Rupert Murdoch bid and likely United acceptance I felt sick, my mind flashed back to Molineux and that long gone match, wonderful football being played by these very young men on £20 per week. I thought when are the gullible public going to wake up and stop pumping money into this bottomless sewer pit, the eroding stink coming out of the top end of football is getting worse by the day.
My admiration for Manchester went years ago, it is one big money making machine, nothing to do with sport and football. I look at the Utd. players today and think that they should take there over blown wages away and how many of them would still be at Old Trafiord? As for the Wolves 40 years ago a few short years after the game I watched the maximum wage was abolished, soon after their great player and manager, Stan Cullis, was sacked and ever since it has been mainly down hill for them and rearing your own players is a dim and distant memory. The money god is now all powerful but only for the favoured few.
A first hand reaction on Man Utd came a few days ago when my neighbour said his brother who is a United Season Ticket holder told him it was getting too expmsive to go and support them. Thanks John Boyle, I like your ideas far better than Manchester Utd's Martin Edwards.
It interested me when I read about Well's Shaun Teale coming through the non-league ranks and making it at Boumemouth aged 24, a lot of people think a player is too old at such an age, but there are many instances where this is nt true. Here in Leamington we had a similar case, Roger Brown, a magnificent centre half for our local club playing in the Southern League about 20 years ago, had been with us for about 5 years playing excellent football week afier week, he was made capain, he also had a good job something a part time player is loathe to give up, however at the age of 24 Boumemomh came in for him. He took the plunge into full time football and never looked back, he became popular at Bournemouth and after a while attracted the attention of Norwich City who were then in the First Division, he signed for them and had a number of good seasons with them as a first team player, one match I remember against Liveqmol, Roger kept Kenny Dalglish very quiet.
So given Roger Brown's career I am quite sure Sham can make the same type of impression at Fir Park. Funny enough Shaun's birth place and first club Southport have fond memories for me as my family and I have had many holidays at that resort and I always make sure that I go and watch Shaun's old team, and may I add that they have a lovely ground and set up. Another of Shaun's old teams, Aston Villa was the one my Dad supported, therefore look forward to Mr. Teale's time at Fir Park.
I have just read that Harri Kampman has left Fir Park and Billy Davies has replaced him. Have Well fans known a year like 1998? I am sure that we have not, with so many upheavals. I don't think Harfi coming from another country had much chance to settle in Motherwell also one of the men who helped bring Harri over, Alan Dick is also on the move so that would not have helped. On Alan I am very disappointed that he is leaving, no doubt Motherwell are losing a top grade administrator, a person who worked all hours for the club, I remember meeting him one Sunday morning as he was forking the Fir Park pitch. So sorry that you are leaving Alan, all the best with your new club Partick Thistle, their gain is Well's loss.
I wish Harri the very best back home, our dream of a fresh start with your ideas did not work out - what a pity.
However Well fans I am sure that Billy Davies will get your support. Nobody knows how football matches will turn out, it just sickens me that so much hatred is aimed at managers and staff when teams are not winning, what a sad life some supporters must lead. As 1998 closes surely all we ask of 1999 is STABILITY, and a rise in the standard of football and young players brought through with every hope of first team appearances.
Happy Watching
Terry Willoughby
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