Clarkson is keen to make amends

MARK WILSON February 01 2005

HALF a century has passed since Motherwell contested a League Cup final, but more recent history will be to the fore as they prepare for tonight's semi-final with Hearts at Easter Road.

The pain of losing to Rangers in the last four of the 2002-03 Scottish Cup is still fresh, and it is an experience that hardened some of the Fir Park youngsters. Motherwell were 2-1 in front against Alex McLeish's side at a sun-soaked Hampden when David Clarkson, then only 17, spurned an excellent opportunity to effectively kill off the Ibrox side.

Rangers won 4-3, but Clarkson was sanguine as he reflected on it yesterday. "Unfortunately, it went wide," he said, with a grimace. "That's football, sometimes they go in, sometimes they don't. I'm just looking forward to this one.

"It's still a young squad and that game might stand us in good stead to face Hearts. It was good for the young boys to experience a semi-final situation."

Phil O'Donnell, Clarkson's uncle, is on hand to steady any nerves his nephew may feel, unlikely given Clarkson's temperament. The 32-year-old midfielder, who scored to help Motherwell to Scottish Cup success in 1991, has the opportunity to bracket his career with Hampden finals for the Fir Park side.

"It's a provincial club and they are not contending cup finals as often as the Old Firm," he said. "If you can have an achievement with Motherwell, like we did in '91, it means that bit more. The town is behind you, it's not a split city like Glasgow, and it would be great to give everyone that chance again."

Successfully marrying the youthful and experienced elements of his squad is of prime importance to Terry Butcher, the club manager, who confesses a soft spot for the occasionally maligned tournament.

"When I won the League Cup in 1986 with Rangers, it was my first domestic trophy," he said. "That was a year after David Clarkson was born, which puts things in perspective. There are young players within the squad but we have some very good senior players who'll help me do my job.

Butcher scoffed at suggestions he was happy Saturday's Bank of Scotland Premierleague match against Hibernian was postponed after the undersoil heating failed.

"Hearts have played twice since we last did and won both matches," he said. "They'll take confidence from that, while we're going into the game on the back of another wretched run, five defeats in six.

"It's not the ideal preparation for a semi-final but the old cliché about form not mattering is something we'll stick to."

Butcher doesn't believe the transfer dealings surrounding Paul Hartley will upset Hearts' preparations, and revealed mixed feelings about a transfer window closing without serious moves for his players.

"It might sound perverse, but I would have liked more activity about our players because that would mean they had been playing better," he said. "From a Motherwell point of view, though, it's great to keep the side together."

Motherwell have apologised to Hibs fans after the late postponement of Saturday's game. "We're extremely sorry for the inconvenience caused," a spokesman said. "We wanted the game played, and because of what has happened, Motherwell have suffered a substantial financial loss."

Taken from the Herald