Caddeneyes bright future under hero’s keen tuition
CHRIS CADDEN was just 10 when he burst into hysterics. Sitting on the edge of his seat in the comfort of his uncle’s front room, the Lanarkshire primary school boy was catapulted to his feet as a football hundreds of miles away on a Parisian pitch flew into a net.
It is a memory that is still fresh in the mind of the now Motherwell midfielder, who has the privilege of sharing a dressing room with the man responsible for that outburst of emotion almost nine years ago.
September 12, 2007. In the south west area of the French capital at the Parc des Princes, Scotland forward James McFadden brought a nation to the brink of delirium as his 30-yard shot beat Mickaël Landreau to give Alex McLeish’s team a famous victory.
Back to the present day, and Cadden is desperate to soak up as much experience from the former Everton man as he possibly can in the hope he might, perhaps, one day, be part of something just as special.
McFadden was unveiled on Tuesday as Motherwell’s new assistant manager, re-uniting him with the squad he was a part for the second half of last season, and Cadden couldn’t be happier to have his idol back where he believes he belongs.
“I was absolutely delighted when Faddy came in and told us he was back,” he said of the 33-year-old, who is also registered as a player for the forthcoming campaign.
“Faddy’s always been brilliant with me. He’s kept me behind after training when he was a player and worked on my left foot. He tells you what to do.
“With the career he’s had he’s played with top teams and under top managers. He’ll have a few things to teach us so I was delighted.
“I tell him this all the time. I remember being in my uncle’s house, I can’t even remember what age I was, watching his goal against France. It was brilliant. “I look up to him. As a boy from Motherwell he’s gone on to play in the Premiership and for Scotland. What a career he has had, hopefully I can try and get somewhere near it.” The 19-year-old has certainly started in the right manner. The youth academy graduate, who captained the Under-20s to Scottish Youth Cup glory last season for the first time in the club’s history, emerged as one of Motherwell’s top talents under Mark McGhee.
Blessed with natural ability and a terrific engine, just as importantly Cadden possesses a level head on his young soldiers, and it is this quality that makes him appreciate the opportunity in front of him as he gets set for his maiden season as a fully fledged first-team player.
HE said: “It’s a bit different being in the first-team dressing room and not having to do jobs or clean the gaffer’s boots. It’s pretty nice just to turn up.”
Cadden got his first goal of the campaign on Tuesday night in the 3-0 victory over East Stir- lingshire. It was a frustrating game for the Fir Park club, who dominated throughout and were thwarted with some desperate but switched-on defending on a host of occasions.
However, the midfielder is certain the side will be hitting its stride when the league starts next week, saying: “People forget it’s still July. We wouldn’t even have been playing competitive football this time last year.
“We’ve just got to keep going and keep creating chances. It’s the only way we are going to win games if we score them.
“It’s better creating them than not, but as I said it’s only July. It’s maybe rustiness, but I’m sure for the start of the season we’ll start banging in goals.” seven caps for Scotland, turned out for West Brom, Preston, Crystal Palace, Sheffield United, Swansea and Watford after leaving Celtic for the Hawthorns in a £1.25 million deal in 2007.
Returning north of the Border in February 2012, the experienced forward went on to represent Hearts, St Johnstone, Dundee and Ayr before last season’s stint with the Binos.
Beattie joins City’s fellow new signings Dean Cummings, Neil Martynuik and Ryan Porteous at Meadowbank Stadium.