Earlier this month my '98 Citroen Saxo 1.1x clutch failed so I took it to a
local mechanic: 'Autostop' in Bridgend.

The invoice indicates that they carried out the following work:
Replace clutch.
Change gear oil.

I have been driving the car since then, although not many miles, since it's
Christmas.

Suddently today, whilst driving, the gear stick became very loose in the
side-to-side motion. Now it will only allow me to select 3rd and 4th (i.e. the
two gears reached by pushing the stick forwards and backwards) and won't allow
me to select the gears which require the stick to be moved left or right (1st,
2nd, 5th and reverse).

It no longer springs back to the central position when in neutral - it just
sits wherever you leave it left-to-right.

I managed to limp home today but the clutch was stinking because I had to pull
away in 3rd at every junction.

I am planning to call the garage and ask them to take the car back in. I'm
assuming this was caused by their failing to reassemble the car so will be
asking them to repair free of charge.

I would be pleased to hear any information or advice from this group which would
help me in discussing this with the garage. Do you think this was their fault
or do you think it is an unconnected coincidence?

(p.s. I had noticed that, since the clutch replacement, the car was difficult
to get into 1st gear. I would often have to slow to less than 2 miles per hour
before it would allow 1st gear to engage. I don't know if this is connected.)