GLF75: Christopher bemoans the culture of short term loans.
Looking Out For Modern Day Claret & Amber Heroes
I assume that as you are having the good grace to read this editorial you are either (a) short of good toilet reading material, (b) a dedicated 'Well follower, (c) both. This being the case, if asked to rhyme off your fave Motherwell men from your formative Fir Park forays, I'm sure you wouldn't be short of a misty-eyed name of three. As you read through this issue alone, you will find such names as Sailor Hunter, Hughie Ferguson, Willie McFadyen, George Stevenson, Davie Cooper, Phil O'Donnell, Willie Pettigrew, Joe Wark, Bobby Graham & Brian Martin recalled and celebrated fondly.
It's just SOO 20th century!
Of course I'm far too young to recollect (most of) these former greats. My first love from the terracing was Andy Walker as he rolled home a late winner at home to Brechin on 4th May 1985 to ensure my first full year of support was the only one to date that I witnessed my team playing outside the top division. From there, when asked who my favourite player was, I would respond over the campaigns with names such as Stevie Kirk, Colin O'Neill and Tommy Coyne. Why this walk down memory lane I hear you ask?
Well it's a combination of two things, the first of which is the recent dismay voiced by many 'Well fans at us only having our 'heroes' either on short-term deals or only for a short amount of time. Looking at the facts, we got to enjoy these players for the following number of starts; Lukas Jutkiewicz (30), John Ruddy (39), Stephen Hughes (73), Chris Porter (61), Simon Lappin (7), Ross McCormack (44). Hardly testimonial-earning stuff, but is it a case of rose-tinted spectacles??
There were obviously some different reasons for the following numbers but even in "the good old days" we didn't exactly get to enjoy the following pool of players for too many seasons; Andy Walker (85), Colin O'Neill (64), George Burley (57), Nick Cusack (68), Sieb Dykstra (80), Ray Farningham (69), Miodrag Krivokapic (71), Joe McBride (88), Peter Marinello (77), Ally Mauchlen (75), Luc Nijholt (97). My message - long-term or loan deal, enjoy them while we can!!!!!!
Put Your Shirt On It ......
And the 2nd reason? For my son's third birthday last month I bought him the new away kit, unsullied by a sponsor. If he was to want his first hero's name printed on the back today, would they still be about by the time we were moving on to our next kit design?? So whilst the likes of Stephen Craigan, Stevie Hammell and Keith Lasley seem to get the brickbats first, they are the ones who (bar another Gannon-like appointment) will be about long enough for the next generation to admire and want to be. Having said all that, I could stretch to subsidising our latest signing on the back of Junior's top, as even though it's only a six-month deal, I'd only need to fork out for the price of a G, O and W !!
It's good to be back for our 22nd season after a hiatus since February thanks to another impossible set of Split fixtures - Come On Ye 'Well !!!!!!!!!!!!
Love 'n' stuff
Christopher Hutton
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