Phelan and McGovern reappear - January 15, 2001
"Where are they now?" was the question being asked about Terry Phelan and Brian McGovern for most of the season. Search parties were out but now they can all be called off because the two Irishmen turned up in the same game at the weekend.
Phelan played for Fulham in August in the Worthington Cup against Northampton and then disappeared. He suffered a bout of depression after a falling-out at the club and was told by his doctor to take a month off to recuperate.
He returned to Craven Cottage a fixed man but again disappeared into a London hole. He finally resurfaced at the weekend when he started on the bench for Jean Tigana's team and even made an appearance when he replaced Andrejs Stolcers in the 57th minute.
On the opposing bench was one Brian McGovern. The former Arsenal defender joined Norwich at the start of the season for £50,000 which was to rise to £250,000 with appearances. He only started three games for his new club and made a couple of substitute appearances before he mysteriously disappeared in early November. After two months in the twilight zone he finally returned to the land of the living on Saturday and even impressed when introduced into the game early in the second half.
Let's hope both men are back for good and they don't disappear again.