The Long Ball: Motherwell fans warned, Bairns sign MacDonald, Pars sign keeper plus more
Published: July 10, 2009
Motherwell have warned their fans about travelling to Albania for the Second Qualifying round away tie in the Europa League. Falkirk have signed Burnley striker Alex MacDonald on loan until January 2010 and Dunfermline sign Oldham keeper Greg Fleming on a season long loan deal. Plus more news in our Short Ball section.
Motherwell fans warned about travelling to Albania
Motherwell and Strathclyde Police have urged fans not to travel to Albania for the club’s Europa League qualifier. The Steelmen’s 3-1 aggregate win over Llanelli set up a second qualifier against KS Flamurtari on 16 July. However, club bosses do not want supporters to go to the Vlore region after consulting the Foreign Office.
“At this stage we are not chartering a flight and ask fans considering making the journey to seriously reconsider,” said a statement on the club website.
A Motherwell spokesman told BBC Scotland that there were no concerns over the location of the match itself, and that the club would not ask for the game to be moved. Although the club praised the behaviour of its supporters for the match in Llanelli, they are concerned about fans travelling independently to Albania.
The Foreign Office website states that public security is generally good, particularly in Tirana, and Albanians are very hospitable to visitors. However, it also says crime and violence still represent a serious problem in some areas, with gun ownership widespread. It adds that the coastal city of Vlore is one area where there have been recent reports of luggage being stolen from hotel rooms and public transport.
MacDonald signs on as a Bairn – but only on loan
Burnley striker Alex MacDonald has became the third player to join Falkirk in what has been a hectic twenty four hours of transfer activity for the club. The Scotland under 19 international has joined the Bairns, initially until the 1st January 2010.
The Bairns had hoped to take MacDonald on a season long loan but Burnley manager Owen Coyle holds the player in such high regard that he would not allow the player to leave Turf Moor for a full season at this stage. MacDonald is a quick and energetic striker who adds further options to the Bairns strike force.
Pars sign Oldham keeper on loan
Dunfermline have signed goalkeeper Greg Fleming on a one-year loan deal from Oldham Athletic. The former Gretna and Livingston keeper signed for the English League One side in May 2008. Fleming, agreed a three-year deal with the Boundary Park outfit when he left Gretna, but has agreed a move back to Scotland ahead of the new season.
The keeper was released along with the rest of the Gretna squad after the club entered administration and folded.
The Short Ball
Manager Jim Gannon is anxious to recruit some new Motherwell faces after the Europa League win at Llanelli. “There’s a sense of urgency now that we have an opportunity to bring players in before the registration deadline,” Gannon told BBC Radio Scotland.
“We’re looking forward to getting two or three in. We’re in the next round and that might speed up the process.”
Aberdeen boss Mark McGhee expects to miss out on Stephen Hughes, whose wage demands appear too high for the Dons.
Neil Rankine says he is trying to persuade Livingston owner Angelo Massone to walk away from the cash-strapped First Division club and give the green light to a rescue package.
Graeme Smith has become the third senior player to leave Rangers this summer after joining newly-promoted St Johnstone.
The third-choice goalkeeper has quit Ibrox after two years in a bid to play first-team football with the Clydesdale Bank Premier League new boys.
Forfar manager Dick Campbell has signed former Plymouth defender Stuart Malcolm and Ross County goalkeeper Matthew Curtis.
Striker Graham Barrett has been handed a trial by Grimsby Town after his release from St Johnstone last week.
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