Jonesy Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 There was a picture up on the old forum Im sure of Fletcher in one of our youth teams. Don't think he was actually signed though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 According to Wiki he lived in Hamilton, so its possible he was with us, but it also mentioned that Hibs signed him to their youth scheme when he was 14, which would have been in 01/02? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well Up For It! Posted January 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 With all this Fletcher talk it reminds me of a great story of a club letting a quality player slip through their net.... Newcastle gave a trial to Alan Shearer when he was at S form age, and decided he wasn't up to much. Talk about mistakes - that one cost the Toon £15m!!! Priceless! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonesy Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 With the Shearer story, was it not reported and then confirmed by Shearer that when he played in a trial game or whatever they put him in goals, despite knowing he was a striker, and that was why they never signed him because he had a howler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well Up For It! Posted January 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 With the Shearer story, was it not reported and then confirmed by Shearer that when he played in a trial game or whatever they put him in goals, despite knowing he was a striker, and that was why they never signed him because he had a howler. That's the story as I know it Jonesy. Unbeleivable!! Wonder if the then youth scout at Newcastle can live with himself?! Did he have to cough up some of the £15m for his sheer incompetence?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishyWell Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 One of the boys I went to Uni with is now staying out in LA and he e-mailed me this amazing story today... He recently met Ruud Gullit out in a bar and approached him to shake his hand, the usual nonsense. He was apparantley a top bloke and chatted to my mate for some time. When Gullit discovered he was from Scotland, he said that he always liked the physical appeal of the Scottish game and was once linked with a managers job in Scotland...and I'll give you two guesses which club?!! Apparantley it was after the departure of Billy Davies, big Gullit who had been out of the management game for a year and was having little luck landing another high profile job following his disatorous "sexy football" spell at Newcastle, talked to Pat Nevin about the posibility of taking over at Well. I'm assuming his wage demands were ridiculous, or he was deemed to be at it, and the club went for Eric Black... Now my mate is a diehard blue nose, and he is prone to the odd wind up - but he was rather adament when I sent him a big "AYE RIGHT!" reply. But to be honest I don't really care if it's true or not, I just thought it was a wonderful past rumour! Has anyone else got any other too good to be true rumours from days gone by...? Right story - just the timings are slightly wrong. It was in February 1998 and Gullit had just left Chelsea. Motherwell were looking for a new manager after McLeish and the board were meeting on a Sunday to discuss possible candidates. In a fit of optimism, I sent a fax to Gullit's agent the Friday before (ironically, Friday the 13th), enclosing a letter to the big man urging him to consider the Motherwell job. I talked up the club as much as I could and reminded him that, when he joined Chelsea, he had said that "the challenge would be the adventure" - and pointed out that, at Motherwell, this would certainly be the case! I faxed it off and promptly forgot about it - then couldn't believe it when I later heard that he actually had contacted the club! I still have a copy of the letter to remind me of the value of a "Why not...?" attitude! And what did Motherwell do at the time. One word. Kampman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well Up For It! Posted January 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 According to Wiki he lived in Hamilton, so its possible he was with us, but it also mentioned that Hibs signed him to their youth scheme when he was 14, which would have been in 01/02? Wiki and it's dam lies!!! Or maybe he just wore that Motherwell top for a bet, or was a fan caused he stayed local?! Did Rangers no pinch Barry Ferguson from under our noses when he was 14 or 15? That's another rumour I have heard through the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well Up For It! Posted January 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Right story - just the timings are slightly wrong. It was in February 1998 and Gullit had just left Chelsea. Motherwell were looking for a new manager after McLeish and the board were meeting on a Sunday to discuss possible candidates. In a fit of optimism, I sent a fax to Gullit's agent the Friday before (ironically, Friday the 13th), enclosing a letter to the big man urging him to consider the Motherwell job. I talked up the club as much as I could and reminded him that, when he joined Chelsea, he had said that "the challenge would be the adventure" - and pointed out that, at Motherwell, this would certainly be the case! I faxed it off and promptly forgot about it - then couldn't believe it when I later heard that he actually had contacted the club! I still have a copy of the letter to remind me of the value of a "Why not...?" attitude! And what did Motherwell do at the time. One word. Kampman. Awesome!! So my mate isnae telling lies and we nearly had the legend that was big Ruud Gullit! When the day comes when McGhee leaves The 'Ark, I'm gonnae start a campaign to get Gullit to bring his "sexy football" to the mighty well!! Who's with me?! PS Get the letter on these ere forums WishyWell!! Would make my day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonesy Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Wiki and it's dam lies!!! Or maybe he just wore that Motherwell top for a bet, or was a fan caused he stayed local?! Did Rangers no pinch Barry Ferguson from under our noses when he was 14 or 15? That's another rumour I have heard through the years. No, he was wearing the top in a team photo, taken just before or after a game if I remember it right. Like I said I doubt he was ever signed and perhaps the game he played in was just a one off or whatever, but the photo is out there somewhere and was definitely on these boards before the change over in December. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC'd Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 That's the story as I know it Jonesy. Unbeleivable!! Wonder if the then youth scout at Newcastle can live with himself?! Did he have to cough up some of the £15m for his sheer incompetence?! Pretty similar to Real Madrid really as well.. Couple of ones.. Raul was on the books of Atletico Madrid as a kid, there Youth System went burst and couldn't afford to keep them on.. what a mistake as that was as he was released, picked up by Real, 15 yrs later, he is the greatest ever goalscorer for one of the biggest clubs in the world, if not THE biggest. A few more years at Atletico if they persevered with there youth system would have pocketed them multi million. Also, came back to bite Real on the arse... let Ruben de la Red out on loan to Getafe, let him go permanently, a year later in the Spain squad for Euro 2008 and Real have to buy him back for £8m. Not on the same scale as Shearer but a daft, daft mistake. You would have thought they would have learned there lesson,.. but nah.. Let Juan Mata go for f all at 20, depite being Spain U19 captain... let him go to Valencia, 18months later he is in the Spain squad and interesting all the top clubs around Europe. Just shows you win some you lose some.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brazilmfc Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Bebeto at love street, omg that would have been the business. Never heard about the ronaldinho deal before, comedy gold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishyWell Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Awesome!! So my mate isnae telling lies and we nearly had the legend that was big Ruud Gullit! When the day comes when McGhee leaves The 'Ark, I'm gonnae start a campaign to get Gullit to bring his "sexy football" to the mighty well!! Who's with me?! PS Get the letter on these ere forums WishyWell!! Would make my day! Ok, Well Up For It!, there you go (don't know how to upload an image, so I've just scanned in the text): 13th February, 1998 Dear Mr Gullit, I was saddened to hear last night that you had left Chelsea, as I felt that the style of play you introduced to the English Premiership was a breath of fresh air, certainly for the neutral Scottish football fan who just wants to watch an entertaining game. However, this does open up an interesting possibility. Motherwell FC, who will next year be one of the founder members of the new Scottish Premiership, lost their manager this week, and I would urge you to give serious consideration to the reasons I give below for you to apply for this vacant post as player-manager. If you join the club in this capacity, I feel that the benefits to the club and to Scottish football are obvious, with your proven track record both as a player and a manager and with your standing in football in general. At first glance, you may not consider there to be many benefits to yourself. On closer inspection, however, there are several attractions for you: • Next season (1998-99) marks a new era in Scottish football, with the establishment of a new and more competitive top league and more money for each of the top ten clubs involved; • Motherwell fans love players and managers with flair and skill - for instance, the late Davie Cooper was idolised during his time at the club, and attracted greater attendances through his presence; • Motherwell has potential, under the right manager, to grow - although the club is near the foot of the Premier League at the moment, in recent years they finished third and second in the league, and could possibly have won it if they had possessed more self-belief; • There is also potential for the fan base to grow. There is a solid core of loyal fans at them moment, but the club loses many more football followers to Rangers and Celtic each week. However, it is getting harder each year for people to get seats at Rangers and Celtic games, and if Motherwell could become a viable alternative, then many of these fans could be won back. For example, when Motherwell won the Scottish Cup in 1991, they easily sold out of their allocation of tickets for the final at the national stadium, and the entire town, men, women and children, went 'cup crazy'. There is a great deal of affection in the town for the football club, and the club needs to take advantage of that; • Flair players flourish in Scottish football, and are highly regarded for their skills throughout the country - take the examples of Brian Laudrup and Paul Gascoigne, for instance. Motherwell must achieve its potential in order to survive, and the names being suggested for the manager's position have neither the experience at the top level of management and playing to achieve this. You have, and I would urge you to consider contacting the club and enquiring about the possibility of joining them. I would emphasise that I have no official connection with the club, but I am worried that the board of directors would feel that you would not consider the club as a possibility and would not consider contacting you themselves. I, however, remember that when you joined Chelsea, you stated your feeling that the challenge would be the adventure, and for Motherwell this would certainly be the case. For that reason, I can offer the following contact: Alan Dick, Director and Secretary, at Fir Park, Fir Park Street, Motherwell, Lanarkshire, tel.: 01698 333333. If this has sparked some interest in you, I would ask you to act quickly, before the board commits itself to another route. If you decide that it is of no interest to you, may I take this chance to wish you luck and happiness in your future, and thank you for the enjoyment you have brought to me both through your playing and management. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickoza Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 I heard that before davie cooper signed for rangers we sent a scout to clydebank to watch him and he came back saying he was pish and didnt have a left foot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wonder what that scouts doing now eh? I'm all for care in the community, but employing partially sighted scouts was surely a step too far........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaka Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 I heard that before davie cooper signed for rangers we sent a scout to clydebank to watch him and he came back saying he was pish and didnt have a left foot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wonder what that scouts doing now eh? I remember that from the Davie Cooper video I had in the early 90`s about his career, The well scout watched him and could see he was superb,but in those days it was a tick box sheet instead of a report,so it said his left foot,skill,crossing,set pieces all got ticked but he wasnt considered cause the report had no ticks under tackling,heading,right foot,work rate etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kat Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Alex Mcleish knocked back freebie Stern John who would forge a decent career down south Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well Up For It! Posted January 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 I salute you WishyWell! A true ambassidor for the club! Big Gullit is a living legend and to see him strut his stuff at The 'Ark would have been incredible! One of my all time favourite players - and he had the 2nd best hairdo in the history of football (behind Carlos Valderama!) If Leanne Dempster ever steps down from her current role, I will write a letter to Boyle explaining why I think you should be General Manager!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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