Montenegrin defender Miodrag Krivokapić spent three years at Fir Park in the mid-nineties and was a much loved figure amongst the Steelmen support.
A former Red Star Belgrade player, he came to Scotland in 1988 when he joined Dundee Utd for £200,000.
It was against Motherwell that Mio would net his only goal for United, that coming in a 2-1 win over ‘Well in March 1989 and the only medal of his Tannadice career also came against Motherwell where he earned a Scottish Cup runners-up medal in 1991.
Krivokapić wouldn’t be the first or the last to fall out with Dundee Utd manager Jim McLean and he spent almost the whole of season 1991’92 away from the club. He returned to Tannadice but things were never quite the same and he was released in the summer of 1993.
Tommy McLean moved swiftly to secure the 33 year old’s services and as Davie Cooper had done some four years earlier, Mio’s experienced playing style would have a positive influence on every one of his Motherwell team-mates.
Punts up the park were rare when Krivokapić was playing, with the former Yugoslav international eager to take possession and start from moves from deep. The likes of Davies, Lambert, Dolan and O’Donnell all benefited from his determination to play football at every possible opportunity.
His defending wasn’t too shabby either, with Brian Martin and Rab McKinnon both gaining Scotland caps after playing alongside him in defence.
Perhaps Mio’s most memorable moment in claret and amber came late in his first season at the club as ‘Well travelled to Easter Road. With the hosts seeking to cancel out Motherwell’s 1-0 advantage, Krivokapić broke from defence to claim possession midway in his own half.
Progressing over the halfway line, he fed Tommy Coyne to his right. Continuing his run, the defender arrived at the back post at just the right time to deftly nod Coyne’s cross past Jim Leighton and into the net.
His celebration was a joy to behold as the defender surged over the advertising boards towards the Motherwell fans now bounding down the terracing towards him. Blowing kisses to all, he disappeared from view under a pile of ecstatic team-mates
Mio moved on having played more than 70 league games for the club but latterly returned in a coaching capacity.
He also briefly took charge of the first team in a joint caretaker role for a spell alongside John Philliben prior to the appointment of Eric Black.
