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GLASGOW - Motherwell owner John Boyle described the death of club captain Phil O'Donnell as an unspeakable tragedy after the 35-year-old collapsed on the pitch during a Scottish Premier league soccer match today.
O'Donnell, who won one cap for Scotland in 1993, was taken off the pitch on
a stretcher 12 minutes from the end of the game against Dundee United, which third-placed Motherwell won 5-3.
"Phil was rushed to Wishaw General Hospital by ambulance after collapsing during today's game," the club said in a statement on their website.
"Motherwell and Dundee United medical staff believe he suffered a seizure and efforts were made to revive him en route to hospital.
"Despite the efforts of the two club's medical staff and medical staff at the hospital Phil did not regain consciousness and was pronounced dead at 17.18 (GMT).
"This is an unspeakable tragedy for Phil's family," Boyle said.
"At this stage we do not know the exact cause of death.
"Everyone at Motherwell is shocked to the core and we are sure that everyone involved in Scottish football will feel the same. Phil was not only an inspirational player for Motherwell and club captain, but was an inspirational person.
"All of us at Motherwell are thinking of his wife Eileen and their four children."
O'Donnell's nephew David Clarkson, who also plays for Motherwell and had scored two goals in the match, was substituted shortly after O'Donnell had collapsed.
Motherwell manager Mark McGhee said: "We are all totally devastated and our thoughts are with Phil's wife and family.
"Phil was a great professional and gave everything when he played the game. This is a shocking tragedy."
Former Motherwell team mate Billy Davies, who managed the club when youth player Andy Thomson died at the age of 19 from a heart-related condition, said: "I can hardly believe this, it is shocking news.
"I can still clearly remember the day that Andy Thomson died and the whole club being stunned. Andy was only 19 and all his team mates were devastated as was everybody at the club."
O'Donnell, in his second spell at Fir Park, was a huge favourite having made his debut as a 17-year-old in the 1990/91 season and later that campaign scoring in their 4-3 Scottish Cup final win over Dundee United.
He made his sole Scotland appearance as a substitute in a World Cup qualifying game against Switzerland at Aberdeen in 1993 and the following year moved to Celtic for what remains a Motherwell club record fee of A3;1.75 million ($4.6 million).
He spent five years at Celtic before moving to England with Sheffield Wednesday, where he made only 20 appearances in four injury-ravaged seasons.
He made an emotional return to Motherwell in 2004 in a game against Dundee United where nephew Clarkson scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win and earlier this year signed a new contract as a player-coach.
"But for the injuries he would have had may more caps," former Scotland manager Craig Brown told Sky Sports.
"It's very, very sad news and I just can't take it in. He was a perfect gentleman. You will not get a more ideal role model for a young footballer than Phil O'Donnell."
Motherwell's away league game against Hibernian scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed, the club said.
- REUTERS
