Football's Fallen - Phil O'Donnell

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

Recently, I wrote a couple of pieces for a new website called Football's Fallen - a site dedicated to those footballers who sadly get taken away on the football field. Set-up by my former colleague at Total Football Magazine and fellow football fan, Laura Jones, I have written pieces on one of Scotland's brightest hopes, Phil O'Donnell and this one about the ex-York striker David Longhurst.

Christmas is a period where families come together and celebrate a special time. It is often the period for goodwill, giving and joy but not in all instances.

For the O’Donnell family, their world was feeling good as the end of 2007 dawned. Married with four children, Phil O’Donnell (pictured below) was skipper of SPL side Motherwell and was enjoying one of the best spells of his injury-hit career. Sadly their hearts were about to be ripped out by a tragedy that is among one of the worst to have hit the game in Scotland.

Phil O'Donnell had found form and fitness again before his shock death in 2007

Full of promise as a youngster, O’Donnell had won the Scottish Cup twice and experienced the big time as a Celtic player in the mid-1990s before injuries ruined his stint in England with Sheffield Wednesday. 

To continue reading this article, visit Football's Fallen

Categories: 1990s, 2007, Career, Celtic, Christmas, Family, Injury, Motherwell, Phil O'Donnell, Scotland

Football's Fallen - David Longhurst

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

Recently, I wrote a couple of pieces for a new website called Football's Fallen - a site dedicated to those footballers who sadly get taken away on the football field. Set-up by my former colleague at Total Football Magazine and fellow football fan, Laura Jones, I have written pieces on one of Scotland's brightest hopes, Phil O'Donnell and this one about the ex-York striker David Longhurst.

Perhaps not the most prolific of strikers but David Longhurst (pictured below) gave it his all and still potentially had the best years of his football career ahead of him. He represented all of his football clubs with great dignity. The Northampton-born attacker was only 25 when he died on the pitch playing for York City on 8 September 1990.

David Longhurst was taken far too soon, only 25 when he collapsed in 1990

Parallels can be drawn from the sudden collapse of Fabrice Muamba during the FA Cup quarter-final match between Tottenham Hotspur and Bolton Wanderers in March 2012. Like Longhurst, Muamba was a young, hard-working footballer who wasn’t the most gifted but would be a vital cog of any team. In David’s case, that was for the numerous Football League clubs he represented.

In terms of strike rate for goals per game, Longhurst was far from the best. Just over 40 league goals in nearly 200 appearances, so around one goal every five matches. He had the ability and the desire to improve on his weaknesses on the football field though and it can’t be argued that he was taken far too young.

To continue reading this article, visit Football's Fallen

Categories: 1990, Career, David Longhurst, Fabrice Muamba, Football, Halifax Town, Heart Attack, Northampton, September, York City