Personal
Date of Birth: 25th March 1972,
Birthplace: Bellshill
Nationality: Scottish
International Caps 1
International Goals 0
Died: 29th Dec 2007

Playing Career
Motherwell, June 1990 - September 1994
Celtic, September 1994 - June 1999
Sheffield Wednesday, June 1999 - January 2004
Motherwell, January 2004 - Dec 2007


Awards
Scottish Young Player of The Year 1992

Celtic Career Review
Phil O'Donnell was considered as a dynamic young prospect at Fir Park, well before having scored one of Motherwell's goals in their epic 4-3 Scottish Cup Final victory over Dundee United in 1991.

He became the first 'proper' signing Tommy Burns made as Celtic manager, the deal to bring back Andy Walker from Bolton having already been brokered by Lou Macari before his departure. £1.75m was handed over to Motherwell in a single payment, effectively funding the construction of a new stand at Fir Park.

Posessing a fantastic engine and a sweet left foot, O'Donnell made his debut for Celtic on September 10th 1994 at Firhill versus Partick Thistle, where he scored both goals in a 2-1 victory from his central midfield berth. That was followed up by a typical O'Donnell goal in a 2-0 win over Hibs at Celtic's temporary home, Hampden, a lung-bursting rush from midfield beyond the strikers to lash home a lay off, and a position as a mainstay of Celtic's aging central midfield looked assured.

His performances wilted with the rest of the team that season, though he was spared the anguish of the infamous League Cup Final defeat to Raith Rovers by being cup-tied, along with the first occurences of niggling injury that was to dog his Celtic career. He recovered to head a clinching third goal in the Scottish Cup semi-final replay over Hibs at Ibrox, and came off the bench against Airdrie in the Final to earn a second Cup winners medal in four years in 1995.

A return to Parkhead and again a promising start to the season as O'Donnell scored against his old side in the first league match at the half-built new stadium, but as was to be the pattern of his Celtic career, he found form to be patchy while he became a running joke among the support for his susceptability to recurring injuries.

Following the departure of Burns, O'Donnell looked to be blossoming again, this time as an energetic left-sided player under Wim Jansen and then Jo Venglos, his natural athleticism and strength finding favour under the continental managers, but amid continuing injury and non-selection, O'Donnell and fellow contract rebel Simon Donnelly opted to take lucrative Bosman transfers to Sheffield Wednesday. O'Donnell's injury record, if anything worsened and he barely featured for the Hillsborough club in his tenure there, much to the ire of the Wednesday support. Eventually freed by the Yorkshire club, O'Donnell returned to his roots at Motherwell as club captain.




Death
On 29th December 2007, in the Motherwell v Dundee Utd game, Phil O'Donnell 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 the Fir Park club. He was only 35.
He leaves behind at death a loving wife and four children. The world of football is stunned at his death.
His nephew was also playing in the same M'Well team on that day and scored twice in the match and had to be taken off.
RIP Phil, you'll never be forgotten.

Articles

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