By grabar
July 31 2008

Motherwell's Greatest Ever Cult hero Colin O'Neill is looking forward to coming back to play in Dougie Arnott's Testimonial against an Old Firm select at Fir Park on Thursday 11th September. He is also hoping to come across an old foe from is playing days

Motherwell's "Greatest Ever Cult Hero" Colin O'Neill is the latest former player who has signed up to play in Dougie Arnott's Testimonial game on Thursday 11^th September.

Irishman O'Neill has a lot of time for his former team mate as he explained, "Dougie was close to me in many ways, he was an ordinary guy who always gave 100% for the team. He never had his heads in the clouds, and the fans identified with him as he could easily have worked in Ravenscraig at the time."

He also believes that Arnott wasn't given the credit he deserved as a player, "Dougie did a lot of unselfish running off the ball that many people didn't see but this was a quality that was admired by his team mates.

"He was also good in the air for someone his size, this was shown when he scored his header against Celtic in the semi final back in 1991."

Looking back at that game in 1991 O'Neill still has a bone to pick with Dougie for his comments on TV after the game, "He asked in a post match interview ‘Did he mean it', well I can tell him that I did mean it!

"If you watch the video you can see I have a look and I thought I am just going to hit it!"

There were almost some serious repercussions for O'Neill if he hadn't score that goal as he added, "If you also watch the video Nick Cusack was clean through and Manager Tommy McLean said after the game if it hadn't gone in I would have been on the boat back to Northern Ireland."

After playing in the recent Phil O'Donnell tribute game he is looking forward to coming back to Fir Park once again to meet up with his former team mates and play in front of his own fans, "It was great sharing some craic with the likes of Bobby Russell and Ian Ferguson travelling on the bus to Celtic Park.

"We knew we had a half decent side back then but never got the credit we deserved as you are always in the shadow of the Old Firm. It was therefore great to win the Cup and get some of that recognition we were due as a team."

Psycho is also hoping an old adversary will be lining up for the Old Firm Select. He is hoping Peter Grant can make it after making his mark on the Celtic midfielder in their playing days, "I'd need to get my elbow sharpened if he was going to be playing in the game. I still have one of his fillings stuck in there....

"Having said all that I did speak to him not long after that game and he was okay with things, I think this was down to the fact he was a similar style of player as me. After all what happens on the pitch stays on the pitch."

O'Neill joins Sieb Dijkstra in the squad of Well Legends who will take on an Old Firm Select on Thursday 11^th September at Fir Park. More details on this game and the other events planned for Dougie's testimonial can be found at http://www.dougie-arnott.com/