Friendly feel ends when ref starts game
Motherwell hero Jim Paterson insists a legends match against local side Fir Park Corner this weekend will be far from a friendly – with a host of club legends desperate for the bragging rights.
And the former midfielder (pictured) admits the challenge, which will celebrate the amateur side’s 20th anniversary, won’t be anywhere near as tough as one of his previous post-playing career outings for ‘Well – when he was up against Celtic icon Henrik Larsson in the late Phil O’Donnell’s memorial match in 2008.
A team packed with Steelmen legends including 1991 Scottish Cup winner Stevie Kirk, defensive icons Brian ‘Buff ’ Martin and Rab McKinnon, plus former midfielder Brian Kerr and current first team coach Keith Lalsey will take part in Saturday’s clash at Dalziel Park.
And Paterson – who played in the 2005 League Cup final against Rangers, dubbed ‘The Davie Cooper Final’ – said: “It will be interesting. I know what these games can be like, it starts off as a friendly, but it gets competitive very quickly.
“These guys are old pros that don’t want to lose, up against fans who are still playing regularly so it will be a good game.
“When I saw that Brian Kerr and Keith
Lasley were the central midfielders I thought: ‘Brilliant, so we are not playing forwards.’
“But seriously it will be good fun. “There’s a few I’ve played w ith previously, like Brian Martin, Brian Kerr, Keith, Marc Fitzpatrick and Stevie Hammell, but there’s a few boys I know as well like Stevie Kirk.
“It will be great to be involved in it, but it can’t be as tough as the Phil O’Donnell match I played in.
“Brian Martin and I got the short straw at Parkhead that day.
“We were some of Phil’s best friends and I was involved in the game.
“Chris McCart and Craig Paterson started the game, but Craig tore his hamstring after three minutes and Chris got a head knock at the first corner, so me and Brian had to play centre-halves for the rest of the game against Larsson, [Harald] Brattbakk and Darren Jackson – when all these guys could still really play.
“Big Brian that day was unbelievable, playing the full game, so it can’t be any tougher than that.
“It will be good fun to recognise Fir Park Corner’s 20th anniversary, but there will also be proceeds going to charity as well.”
The match will also prove a special moment for Paterson’s son Michael – who will finally get to see his dad play in claret and amber.
The 41-year-old added: “Bringing all those old players back will be great for the fans as well.
“My son was too young to see me play. He only really caught the tail end of my career, so it will be an interesting one to have him along there. He’s always finding old photos of me and asking ‘When did you used to be in this shape, dad?’
“And I’m like ‘Yeah, that did happen a long time ago.’
“That Motherwell team that Stevie – and Phil – played with has legendary status, so it will be great to play with the likes of Stevie.”