The close season of 2004’05 saw a number of changes to the Fir Park playing staff. A surprise addition among the new faces was Irish striker Richie Foran who had been released by Carlisle United.
The striker came with some notoriety having broken a curfew with the Republic of Ireland U21 squad and had some off the field issues whilst with Carlisle. His reputation was enough for Aberdeen to have second thoughts on signing him a few years previous but Terry Butcher was convinced that he could do a job for Motherwell and that he could keep Foran on the straight and narrow.
Richie’s professional career began with League of Ireland side Shelbourne. During his time there he had a loan spell with Home Farm, but it was his impressive performances with Shels that caught people’s eye. He finished the clubs top scorer in the 2001 season, netting fourteen goals in just over thirty games and was also on target in both games against Norwegian Champions Rosenberg in the Champions League Qualifiers.
Richie’s performances were rewarded with a call up to the Irish U21’s side and he was invited across the Irish Sea for trials with Bristol City and Middlesbrough, although nothing was to came of it. A move was however imminent and his countryman Roddy Collins, manager of Carlisle secured the services of the big striker!
His first season at Brunton Park was a huge success. Richie scored sixteen goals and was named Player of the Year by Foxes fans who appreciated his eye for goal and his undoubted commitment to the cause! His second season in Cumbria was not quite so successful though he did net 9 goals and played in the LDV Vans Trophy Final in front of 50,000 people at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Injury and suspension blighted his third year at the Borders club and it was to end in disappointment. Midway through the season he was farmed out to Oxford Utd before returning to Carlisle to help the fight against demotion to the Conference. Having been renowned escape artists on numerous occasions in the past this was a year too much for the Cumbrians and with relegation came Richie’s free transfer from Carlisle.
It looked likely that Foran would return to Ireland but suddenly Butcher made his move in June 2004 and the course of Richie’s career would change once more.
With his reputation proceeding him Richie had something of a cult-status with many ‘Well fans before he even kicked a ball with the club. As it was his determined and direct style of play made him hugely popular with the Dossers support.
Though primarily signed as a striker circumstances dictated that Terry Butcher would more often than not use Richie wide on both the right and left of midfield. The unfamiliar role didn’t hinder Foran unduly as he began to find the net with increasingly regularity, including a spell of 6 goals in 8 games.
Richie’s reward was a new improved contract with the club, and within weeks he had scored in one of the most dramatic games in the club’s recent history to help take us to Hampden and the League Cup Final.
By the end of his first season Richie had clocked up 40 league and cup appearances, scoring 9 times and firmly established himself in the Motherwell side.
Richie's second season at Fir Park went along very similar lines with the Irishman having equalled his previous season's tally by mid-February despite once again playing on the left hand side of midfield.
In fact he went on to net 12 times and finished joint top scorer with Scott McDonald. Notable strikes amongs his dozen goals included a fine curling effort against Falkirk at Fir Park and a header against Celtic in the CIS Cup Semi Final that for a short while had us believing we were on our way to another Final.
Things were slightly iffy for both player and club at the beginning of the 2006'07 with rumours suggesting things were not quite right behind the scenes with the Irishman looking a pale imitation of the player we had seen in previous seasons.
As the campaign has wore on however Richie returned to goalscoring form, though some supporters remained sceptical of his contribution in open play.
Netting his first and what proved to be his only hat-trick in claret and amber, Richie got all three for the Dossers in a 3-0 win over Queen's Park at Hampden in the League Cup, by early December he had already hit double figures and by the time he moved on to Southend at the end of January had netted 14 goals in 27 appearances.
A number of those strikes came as a result of Richie's coolness from the spot and throughout his time at Fir Park earned Motherwell many a vital point.
Taking the 2006'07 season alone Foran netted on consecutive weekends scoring two spot-kicks against Falkirk in a 4-2 win and a last minute penalty winner in the 1-0 victory over Caley Thistle in Inverness.
Debate raged from almost day one of Richie's Motherwell career about about whether Foran could be even more effective if used more regularly at centre-forward with many fans keen to see what he could have done if given an extended run upfront.
Terry Butcher and Maurice Malpas however both felt they got the best of both worlds utilising Foran's aerial ability and goals coming in from the left hand side, while still being able to accomodate a futher two strikers in the starting eleven.
By January 2007 Foran moved into the last few months of his contract which Maurice Malpas sought to extend. Richie was non-commital but as time ran out on the transfer window Southend came in with a bid which both Motherwell and the player couldn't refuse.
£150,000 up front with the promise of £50,000 if the Shrimpers retained their Championship place, which alas they failed to do, was enough to tempt Motherwell and after 35 goals in 105 league and cup appearances, Foran returned south to English football. |