Mickael Marsiglia Joins Clyde

Billy Reid today restored Clyde’s French connection with the short-term capture of twenty-eight year old attacking midfielder Mickael Marsiglia.

It’s another transfer coup for Billy, and this time his close association with agent Willie McKay, which previously resulted in Karim Kerkar and Jean-Louis Valois briefly wearing the white shirt of Clyde, has produced a deal that will last four months.

Mickael’s registration papers have been been passed by Clyde to the League and SFA but a vital clearance from Spain had not been received by the SFA at 5pm. Hopes were not high that they would be received on Saturday morning so his first appearance in Clyde’s colours could yet be delayed for a few days.

Mickael’s career started with AS Cannes in 1993, where he made his name as a central midfielder. He stayed there until 1999, before moving to Racing Club Strasbourg for two seasons, having previously been on loan to Strasbourg during 1998.

He then hit the headlines on 4 July 2000 when France’s biggest club, Olympique de Marseille, paid Racing £1.75m for his services and gave him a four tyear contract. He was seen as the replacement for Robert Pires, who had moved from Oympique to Arsenal the previous day, but unfortunately only made one first team appearance in his in debut season at Marseille.

Thereafter he never seemed to figure in the scheme of things. During his second season, 2001-02, he was loaned out to Racing de Ferrol, a Spanish Second Division club, for whom he was a key player, making sixteen appearances before returning to Marseille on 7 January 2003. He made a further two appearances during 2002-03 for Marseille, just three in total, before his contract was terminated on 27 August 2003.

During 2003-04 he returned to his first club Cannes, playing in twenty-two matches. Most recently Mickael has been with Spanish Second Division FC Cartagena; now he hopes his four month spell with Clyde will be beneficial to the Bully Wee and to his continuing career.