Birmingham Duo Earn Rovers Trials

**garykelly** · 29/03/2006, 2:45 PM

Birmingham City youngsters Chris Cottrill and Carl Motteram have joined eircom League Premier Division club Sligo Rovers on trial.

Sligo boss Sean Connor is a long-time associate of Birmingham boss Steve Bruce and has exploited his contacts to bring the players to the club in a bid to strengthen his squad.

The 21-year-old pair have been unable to force their way into the first-team picture at St Andrews, due in part to long-term injury absences.

Cottrill, a central defender, still awaits his debut at first-team level, while winger Motteram spent time on loan at Conference side Tamworth Town in December, making three appearances.

Both featured for the Birmingham reserve team against Leeds United on Monday night before making the trip to Sligo.

From here http://www.eleven-a-side.com/premier...p?newsid=21785

**Rory H** · 29/03/2006, 3:01 PM

we need bodies and these lads who things to prove so its a good move

we need a left winger so heres hoping

**feo123** · 29/03/2006, 4:42 PM

can they play on saturday?

**Red4Eva** · 29/03/2006, 6:20 PM

if they do sign, hopefully people won't be judging them and sayin they're sh*te after a cupla games like some idiots have done with our other new players

**Red&White Rover** · 29/03/2006, 7:22 PM

5"5'? he's left sided version of raf!

**gustavo** · 29/03/2006, 8:05 PM

badly need cotteril anyway there was no defenders on the bench on monday

**redrov2005** · 29/03/2006, 9:00 PM

Originally Posted by Red4Eva

if they do sign, hopefully people won't be judging them and sayin they're sh*te after a cupla games like some idiots have done with our other new players

Don't you start.Not sure if that's a swipe at my comments, but if it is then you are acting like an idiot.

I simply made an observation based on what i saw in Derry and i'm entitled to that opinion just as you are if you think the new signings are great.

I think it's interesting that after bringing in nine new players, Sean feels he has to go out and get two more in. Don't get me wrong i think he's right to as the squad needs strengthening.

**redrov2005** · 30/03/2006, 4:51 PM

I was hoping that we might have got a striker. Maybe Mansaram will come good and McT can get going.

**redrov2005** · 30/03/2006, 7:48 PM

From the Birmingham Evening Mail.

Blues duo in Irish trial Mar 30 2006

CARL Motteram and Chris Cottrill, both 21, have joined Irish side Sligo Rovers on trial.

A winger and right-back respectively, they have been told by Blues that they will not be getting new contracts when their present deals expire in the summer.

Motteram, a former young-player-of-the-year, was hampered by an eight-month absence due to a serious knee injury and recovered to play on loan for Tamworth this season.

http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/...name_page.html

**Guts&Glory** · 31/03/2006, 10:32 AM

Presumably with such a tight budget Sean Connor will need to lose one of the current squad to take on these two lads.

From previous comments of his (Connor) he only had enough spare cash on the wage budget for maybe one extra player when he was looking to sign players near the end of pre season.

I wonder what he is going to do if both impress, especially with the rest of the lads under contract.

**The Stars** · 31/03/2006, 10:39 AM

maybe with the new commercial manager on board they will get these two players as they know extra money will be coming in.

**Guts&Glory** · 31/03/2006, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by The Stars

maybe with the new commercial manager on board they will get these two players as they know extra money will be coming in.

Fair point, I am just wary that we have missed the boat pre season in trying to get more financial backing.

We had a commercial manager before and it all ended horribly.

I didnt see any individual players sponsorship in the programme which is a straihgt forward money spinner.

I wish the commercial manager all the best but have to say it may be very tough to get big backing.

**Rory H** · 31/03/2006, 11:48 AM

i disagree...there are plenty of potential sponsers out there.......

these players wont be available for 6-8 weeks probably

**Guts&Glory** · 31/03/2006, 1:22 PM

Originally Posted by wild rover

i disagree...there are plenty of potential sponsers out there.......

these players wont be available for 6-8 weeks probably

Plenty of potential, getting ink on paper is the difficult bit.

In fairness to Tohers Chemists they have backed the club when others wouldnt, plus the season has already started, so they are not going to be replaced as main sponsors.

Possibility of sponsors on back of jerseys for more revenue as associative partners doesnt really work in Ireland as no club is big enough to justify any potential fee.