Motherwell Captain Phil O'Donnell Dies

[y2krog2000]

Motherwell captain Phil O'Donnell has died after collapsing towards the end of his side's Scottish Premier League game against Dundee United.
The 35-year-old midfielder fell to the ground just as he was about to be replaced with Marc Fitzpatrick near the end of Motherwell's 5-3 victory.

O'Donnell was treated for around five minutes on the field before being taken to a waiting ambulance.

But his death was later confirmed by Well chairman Bill Dickie.

Staff from both clubs, who believe that O'Donnell suffered a seizure, had made efforts to revive him en route to hospital.

But he did not regain consciousness and was pronounced dead at 1718 GMT.

Motherwell owner John Boyle said: "This is an unspeakable tragedy for Phil's family.

"At this stage, we do not know the exact cause of death, but the club is obviously liaising with the medical staff at Wishaw General.

"Everyone at Motherwell is shocked to the core and we are sure that everyone involved in Scottish football will feel the same.

"Phil was not only an inspirational player for Motherwell and club captain but was an inspirational person.

"All of us at Motherwell are thinking of his wife Eileen and their four children."

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee had said immediately after the game that O'Donnell's substitution had been "an absolute coincidence" before his sudden seizure.

The manager had simply been looking to give his captain a rest ahead of Wednesday's game against Hibernian.

O'Donnell's nephew, David Clarkson, was substituted moments later after scoring two goals in the match.

"We took Clarkson off because he got a fright from the nature of the collapse," said McGhee.

The manager said that the whole team was in shock at the news of the death.

"We are all totally devastated and our thoughts are with Phil's wife and family," he said later.

"Phil was a great professional and gave everything when he played the game.

"This is a shocking tragedy."

A news conference has been called at Wishaw General Hospital, which will be addressed by chief executive Ian Stillie.
O'Donnell, who earned one cap for Scotland, was lauded as one of the country's brightest talents when he broke into the Motherwell first team as a teenager.

He moved on to Celtic for a club record £1.75m fee, but injury problems were to blight his time with the Glasgow club and his next club, Sheffield Wednesday.

O'Donnell returned to Motherwell in 2004 and became club captain, playing beside his nephew.

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Motherwell | Motherwell captain O'Donnell dies