Phil O'Donnell (footballer)

Phillip ( Phil ) O'Donnell ( born March 25, 1972 in Bellshill, † December 29 2007 in Motherwell ) was a Scottish footballer who played up to his death, the Scottish first division club FC Motherwell.

Career

Phil O'Donnell began his professional career in 1990 at FC Motherwell. There was soon clear that he brought the conditions of a successful career. His only international match in the Scottish national football team, he played in 1993, when he came on in Aberdeen in a match against Switzerland in the 76th minute.

In 1994 O'Donnell for 1.75 million pounds to the Scottish giants Celtic, but he could injury rarely get its full power. A transfer to England to Sheffield Wednesday did not bring him the expected surge in development. During his first season there, he completed only a single competitive match. For the season 2003/ 04 he returned to his original club Motherwell, where he was appointed in 2006 to the team captain.

29 December 2007 O'Donnell collapsed during a game against Dundee United. After a short treatment off the field he died in the ambulance on the way to hospital due to heart failure. He left behind his wife and four children.

After his death, the main stand of Fir Park O'Donnell was renamed in honor of "The Phil O'Donnell Stand ".

Trivia

Phil O'Donnell's nephew, David Clarkson, was between 2002 and 2009 with FC Motherwell under contract and played five years with him in a team. He was in at the time of the collapse also on the field and was replaced immediately.

Achievements

Scottish Champion: 1998