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It's just amazing how quickly some have forgotten the absolute dross we've watched under previous managers compared to this season. I'm not getting hyped I'm just happy to see the team play football the way it should be played and to great effect most weeks. Christ, we've earned it.

I was sorry to learn that John Boyle took unwell and collapsed at Fir Park this afternoon. Hopefully he's ok. Its great that he still takes an interest in us and I still have a lot of time for him. I met him on several occasions and he was always pleasant and approachable. Yes he made huge mistakes, but his heart was in the right place. Hopefully he'll be attending games again in the near future. As I say, I hope he's recovering and its nothing serious.

We sold out our allocation today because we were quietly confident of a result. That's testament to how well the team has done this season. Unfortunately it didn't materialise due to multiple factors but not for lack of trying. We're brave on the ball and the quality is there for all to see. It's got it's results that sees us sitting pretty in the top six with a realistic chance of European football come the summer. Yes, we're out two cups and that's disappointing but we're still very much a work in progress. The whole fur coat no knickers narrative is simply pish.

4 defeats in the league all season, the first in nearly 3 months and all of a sudden the players are full of themselves or we need X, Y and Z. Sometimes it'll just be an off day or luck won't quite be in your favour. If people can't just accept that without the character assassinations in this season of all seasons then I honestly don't know how you manage to go about your daily life.

There are 2 counter arguments going on here that can be true at the same time. It is clearly very difficult for a club like ours to hold onto a good manager and good players, because as many have stated, money talks. Players and managers are ambitious so they will always want to test themselves at a higher level (and be remunerated for that). However, just because the manager and our better players will move on, doesnt mean we cant still try and build on that success. If we are smart, we move the players on when it suits us, for fees that allow us to re-invest in the squad and strengthen as a club. We also trust in the process that led us to Jens and try to find someone else who fits the same mould. Obviously, there is an element if luck attached to these things, but just as there is a cost to bad decision making (as we have seen in the past) there can be a benefit to good decision making. With the Well Society now pulling the strings at the club, we have discovered our identity, and we now have a model in place, that if done correctly, can be sustainable. Being the best version of ourselves that we can be is the ambition the club needs to show, and so far its going pretty well.....

I dont think thats fair. The only big game I dont think we turned up in was the League Cup semi-final, and even that game was down to "moments". Performance wise, we have been excellent against Hearts twice, Celtic three times and Rangers three times. Results wise you could make an argument for it, but given all 3 teams have significantly bigger budgets than us and are above us in the league, they might just be better/luckier than us. The fact that we have been able to go toe to toe with them is a significant improvement on mindset and performance levels from years gone past. Of course, if we want to develop and get better, Jens will have to find a way to bridge the gap and turn those performances into results.

Honestly think perspective is being lost by some. We're well on track to be 4th. We got beat today by a better team who played well and have the depth, strength, quality of players to hurt us and they did. It's not because we were poor , or have poor players or have a ref who caused it. Today we came off second best, albeit still competed well with them until the penalty. I do wonder if all the hype and suggestion of winning the league has skewed many perspectives. I don't agree that a bubble has burst - we're too many games into the season to refer to bubbles/lucky streaks. We're a damn good team and on course to be 4th.

I cant believe some of the stuff I am reading seems to me folk cant see progress just want to piss and moan about anything christ we could win the league and Scottish Cup folk would still wet the bed we didn't win the treble. We might not have won anything but give me this season over any season we have had recently that's for sure.

Ifs buts and maybes, sentimental pish, we are having a great season and its not over yet, so lets all get behind the team ans see where we end up.

Nice internet debating technique. Don't want a substandard stadium build then you are a luddite. It's possible to hold two (or more) thoughts at once. I don't want a substandard new build and don't like the substandard facilities we have now. Maybe there are other options that are better, and that's why we have invested in reviewing options.

Can't think of many things worse than a flat-pack effort of a stadium at that desolate Ravenscraig

Davie Cooper would have been 70 today. Tragically taken from us far too young. Still one of best players I ever saw in a well jersey

Im suprised anyone outwith his favourites turn up. Clarke is everything that is wrong with the Scottish game.

Maybe now we can start looking at the fact that O'Donnell will be 34 next season, McGinn will be 36 and Welsh will be somewhere else earning much more money.

A look at your posts over some time re the uglies clearly shows an attempt to minimise the awfulness of RFC. Walk like a duck comes to mind!! Yesterday's aftermath is a case in point in that you blame Celtic supporters when even the dogs in the street can see the Rangers fans where in attack mode . Celtic fans although they shouldn't have invaded the park were largely celebratory. And of course I don't recall Celtic supporters attacking Rangers players!!! I suggest you fully brief yourself on RFC as even the most basic analysis shows that it remains a cornerstone of bigotry in the 21st century. For example this is seen by them continuing to play in orange strips when this colour is nowhere to be found in their official colours. RFC clearly knows its support base . And aside from their ' values' we can't forget their liquidation resulting from their evidenced cheating of HMRC and indeed other clubs ( including us) from points, trophies and European places. Any other club would have been put out of existence. Yup, Celtic and many of its supporters are distasteful but they are manifestly not as disagreeable as the blue lot no matter how much you might want to disagree. Finally, when posting in the future you might want to remember the great journalist Ian Archer's description of RFC and its support " As the permanent embarrassment and the occasional disgrace". Never a truer word.

I'll throw my two cents into this debate as she who shall not be named ruined it the last time this surfaced. A year ago I wrote a presentation as I thought we had reached our Rubicon with respect to FP. It was written with Lennon's prospective transfer in mind as we were due to receive a second once in a generation fee for a player four years after the last one. With the success we've had this season we could be facing a high seven to low eight figure cumulative total this summer which only adds to our list of options. I think it's worth pointing out that while the McLean adds to the quirk of FP, since it was completed the second tier has earned us approximately £10-12m in extra revenue over a single tier stand. I suspect that extra income has played a major part in our 40+ top tier status and often kept the wolf from the door. For example, St Mirren will never sell more than 2,000 seats to away support in their 8k stadium. We will sell 20k extra away seats than them over a season which is approximately £400k in extra revenue. I should add, I'm very much a proponent of a new stadium and studied architecture at university, I’m just convinced in the modern game you need to have multiple ancillary income streams beyond hosting 25 or so games a season. However I'll flag some of the issues I've seen brought up on this thread already: It's human nature to be resistant to change, I can't fault anyone for nostalgia being a factor for them. We can't ignore FP is limited in what we can do or achieve. If we strive to be the best we can be on the pitch that should extend to what surrounds the pitch. Training Facility - We were looking at one in Muirhouse, now there's talk of Watling Street. A building with changing, physio, conditioning, gym, rehab, dining room and kitchen and possibly an integrated grandstand. If moving to a new stadium the first thing to consider would be a campus where all facilities are centrally located. The main stand could incorporate all of these functions to avoid duplication with training pitches around the stadium footprint (think Man City). Essentially the cost of a satellite facility could be absorbed and spent on the stadium to give an enhanced experience. Design - When there's so much to admire off the park in recruitment, transfers, etc. why would anyone assume the decision makers would drop the ball and not take heed and avoid the traits of all the poor stadiums constructed in the past 25 years. You'd think they'd look to Tynecastle as a very good basis for ideas. I think this fear is unfounded. Transport - Best not to use 2026 transport links to a pretty much empty site to what may evolve. Not many bus companies that would spot an opportunity and then not act on it. Income - Vast improvement on hospitality offering and revenues. Ability to hold all events PotY etc. in house, ramp up outside/midweek events. Look for business' that may want to be tenants, have facilities available for public 7am to 11pm such as cafe/restaurant/etc. and sweat the asset. Cost - Safe to say since covid base materials have jumped as has labour, what we may have faced years ago have increased at a rate of knots. However there are ways and means to address it. If we pursue a new stadium we would have a sizable down payment. We could easily sell the McLean twice over to the OF and that stand perfectly illustrates the precedent of maximising and exploiting the OF support. Look to grow home support from current 7k (still a bit mad to type that) to 9k and continue to allow away support a minimum of 5k (to maintain current away revenues) moves us into a 14k capacity stadium territory. If you assume every 1,000 away capacity we add we make at least £100k per season (1000 seat x three OF games x £33), expand that to 2,500 seats (17.5k stadium) and it's £250k per year extra over current revenues. Over 20 years that generates an extra £5m + inflation at the conservative end of the projections over and above what we earn now. Get top six in half those seasons, plus Hearts and Falkirk have shown this season could easily bring in excess of the McLean 4,800 capacity if it was possible. The cost, upheaval and disruption of demolishing the POD and it's replacement out of commission for at least one full season cannot be overlooked. That stand is our primary breadwinner and our revenues during the construction would face a 7-figure loss in addition to the build cost. I appreciate a lot of the above is back of fag packet sums but I'm happy to address any omissions, errors or oversights if highlighted. I have one idea that I think would have legs but it would need major central and local government involvement but I don't think there's anything in the pot. Future Stadium - Presentation

A wee bit of self promotion, sort of! Myself and fellow Well fan Gary Muircroft (Crofty off Go Radio) have started a podcast called Motherwell Daft. It's available on You Tube, Spotify and Apple. We've done 2 episodes already, pre and post St Mirren. We plan to do a weekly preview and then review of all Motherwell matches, so any feedback is appreciated, not to mention likes, shares and for folk to subscribe! Cheers 👍

Your best joke ever 🤣

If I was a hibee I'd be hacked off with that, they have to claw back 6 points and settled for a draw , time wasting also...wtf is that about ?

We look up when the ball is in the air We look down when the ball is on the ground brilliant 😂

You need to have arrived in the UK on an inflatable boat under cover of darkness to stay there these days, its free though.

The JBA pre match interview on a Thursday is becoming one of my favourite things to watch, it’s like waiting for your favourite tv programmes next episode. The man is class.

This thread is getting nauseating, which is what tends to happen once the Rangers/Celtic fans pile in.

JBA and our stock is high, building on it would put it stratospheric, fingers crossed we show some ambition

We've gone from winning title chat to struggling to finish 4th. I mean we're still just 5 pts behind Champions League qualification. Long way to go for chat, in both directions.

Spot on , my thoughts as well its been a joy to come to Fir Park this season and watch the football we have been playing, long may it continue.

See you next season, enjoy your extended break. What an absurd take on things.

A wee bit of self promotion, sort of! Myself and fellow Well fan Gary Muircroft (Crofty off Go Radio) have started a podcast called Motherwell Daft. It's available on You Tube, Spotify and Apple. We've done 2 episodes already, pre and post St Mirren. We plan to do a weekly preview and then review of all Motherwell matches, so any feedback is appreciated, not to mention likes, shares and for folk to subscribe! Cheers 👍

Hopefully we don't treat every game like a cup tie!!.. 🤪🤪

Also back on topic, beat Hibs, consolidate 4th and chase down Hearts for third as I fully expect them to collapse.

As time goes on with him in charge of Scotland the less arsed I am about the national team. He’s not stepped foot in fir park in years and continues to pick guys like Hanley and Ralston. His comments basically saying our individuals aren’t as good as the collective team must have p1ssed off a few of our players. I hope we go out and destroy Hibs and highlight “again” Hanley as a weak link.

League cup only matters if you win it, maybe that's just my 'historically we've been fish to bicycles' mentality , but even landing the final in the 00's it was still 'only' the league cup, shit to lose but do you think there would be 7k+ turning up this late in the season, the feel good factor, the plaudits IF we had St Mirren's season? And you think folk just want a trophy. Delusional.

If you think our season's basically been over since Pittodrie, fair enough. I don't feel that way at all, and whatever happens in the summer, I'll wring every bit of enjoyment I can get out of the remaining games.

I was always against VAR because, as I said at the time, it was madness to think the same people making bad decisions on the pitch would somehow start making good decisions when they looked at video. It has turned out worse than I thought, because now they are intervening far more than the original claim of overruling "clear and obvious errors" and are practively refereeing games. When you add the ability to make decisions that change games in favour of big teams then the game, as they say, is gone.

Longelo gave the officials a decision to make. Very soft but the sort of challenge that the old firm get awarded penalties for week in week out. The issue like the game at Fir Park is that questions need asking on why the officials failed to send Celtic players off for obvious offences. Tho it is a recurring theme for all teams against them. Then you have the officials turn a blind eye to shoves in their box or over zealous challenges. The shove was soft but a foul everytime outside box. Just was targetted yesterday and was kicked constantly with no protection from the officials. Given how tight the title chase is these officials and the decisions they make are only going to be more biased and outrageous. Hearts have no chance. As for the media and Authorities they ignore the big issues and as a result our game is still in the dark ages and struggles to modernise. All we can do is play our football and try to grow as a club.

I have no interest in you pro rangers agenda, your opinion doesn't matter either tbh, Motherwell are at Celtic on Saturday, stick to predicting defeats.

You really are trying too hard to ignore the facts to suit your narrative. Firstly you don't comment on the fact that Rangers fans invaded the park when they thought they had scored and indulged in goading of the Celtic fans. Did you forget this? More importantly the Celtic fans didn't react. Furthermore you overlook the fact that once the Rangers fans attempted to attack the Celtic fans after the penalties the latter resisted the goading. Lets be thankful they didn't. As for the Celtic fans having the form you refer to which ofc is not inaccurate, you dont note the facts that Rangers fans have on many more occasions over the years invaded pitches. The list is endless, examples of which include a League Cup final in mid 60's, Scottish Cup final in 1969, Newcastle in 1969/70, Scottish Cup final in 1980 and in more recent times when Rangers fans brought a halt to a game at Fir Park when playing Jock Wallace's Motherwell. In all instances Rangers had either lost or were losing. Spot the pattern? Could of course add Manchester when they caused untold damage to that city but what's the point. Let me repeat the Celtic fans who surged the gates, caused damage and left disgraceful graffiti deserve every condemnation. But when it comes to the aftermath on Saturday it is patently wrong to say the Celtic fans are the main culprits. Finally, you might want to ask yourself why in a much more important game the Celtic fans didn't charge the Aberdeen fans after penalties following last season's Scottish Cup final. In short he contrast with Rangers fans last Sunday is stark. No more comments from me on this subject. Anyway let's get back to this coming Saturday when I'm sure whatever our differences we will be rooting for a Motherwell win.

If you're not ultra optimistic as a Motherwell fan, it must be a hellish pastime. Four major trophies in 140 years tells its own story. This season may or may not be repeated, but while we're waiting and hoping for silverware, I'd much rather spend my hard earned watching a team at least attempting to play decent football. Or in St Mirren's case, football.

Crowds haven't gone up this season because we won the cup in 1991. The hope is, if we carry on down this path, success will follow. If someone said we'd have a better chance of winning a cup were Robinson to return, with his footballing philosophy in tow, I'd say, no thanks. I realise some would roll out the welcome mat.

Keep running tracks out of football stadia, oval stadia for football is outdated

I think he is the one player in the team we would struggle to replace. On top of being one of the best technical players in the team his work rate is ridiculous. Top player.

I was pleasantly surprised. I kind of expected a heartless, concrete ground but not so. Still areas for improvement but a better experience than at other comparable new builds. Finance clearly defines what we could achieve but it will be interesting to learn how much a proper refitting of Fir Park would cost in comparison to a new build. Especially if the Local Authority was able to provide the land at no cost to MFC. Folk living in the area will know far better than me whether there is council land lying vacant which could be utilised. MFC are an asset the Authority should be proud of and willing to support. I do understand that many fans have a sentimental outlook where Fir Park and our history is concerned. I respect that view. But that approach by previous Boards has contributed to the situation we now find ourselves in. And to the increased cost of now finding a sustainable solution.

Seems simple to me . Move to a soulless new stadium like all the other horrible new stadiums built in the last 30 years . Ruining the history and wiping out the legacy of our home Fir Park. Or keep the three existing new refurbished stands ,knock down the main stand and rebuild it from scratch as a modern base for a modern club to our required specifications. We have a great playing surface and three modern sides to the stadium 75% of a good stadium already in place . Obviously a lot of disruption ,planning and organisation required for this but the best one . Nowadays history and tradition seem to go for nothing in the corporate world and the sporting world.. Surely its a matter of pride that we have been at the same site for over 100 years and worth presrving. So what if you need to park in a street n walk to the ground on match day ,its all part of the matchday tradition . Everything has got to be so new , sanitised and shinny these days . You could have a stadium in the middle of no where with a carpark right next to it costing £10 to £20 park every home game and an hour to get out of after the game ,no thanks Redevelope the Main Stand for me.

I very rarely post but have posted on this a few times in the distant past. I love Fir Park dearly and believe we must preserve our history and stay / redevelop if at all possible. If we leave Fir Park we will lose something we will never get back. Realistically, we would not get anything special or architecturally interesting, it would be Almondvale with different colours and a bigger away end. That is the economics. I don't know the ins and outs of course, but surely rebuilding the POD from scratch would provide a platform to modernise the stadium / facilities while addressing the worst of the problems, and though expensive would be a more manageable project than a complete move to RC?

Yes money talks and bigger clubs can offer a lot more than us, but thats only part of the deal, as we all know the atmosphere at either of the ugly sisters is toxic, especially Celtic, so i agree i dont think JBA would move to parkhead. We all know he will move on eventually, but for me it will be to a club that aligns with his values or he gets a chance at a really big club, a category that neither of the ugly sisters are in. He is obviously very happy with all aspects at Motherwell both on and off the pitch, so he may see us as a longer term project,for domestic and European sucess, a Scottish Bodo Glimpt, so lets just continue to enjoy this season and see where we end up

Gonna have to give a 9/10, Tommy Coyne wisnae fat The Stevie Cowan appreciation society isnae happy either

Looking for. The SFA to do something is a waste of time, they will do feck all in case they upset the ugly sisters. Play acting, diving, cheating, simulation call it what you like has been going on for as long as football has been played, and it wont stop , if a player thinks he can take a dive, or manipulate a situation to win a penalty, get an opponent sent off etc they will do it. Motherwell can be all sanctimonious about it, make a stand by pulling Slattery up for it, go on about the integrity of the game etc, but the rest of the clubs will say nothing and behind the scenes piss themselves laughing. Its the authorities that need to deal with it, VAR could easily have overturned that red card on Saturday but they chose not to, the same way they ignore loads of othe blatantly wrong calls. So if the SFA / SPFL etc do nothing why should the clubs bother. As ie said before many times the governance of the game in Scotland is not fit for purpose, particularly re VAR and referreeing standards and until it is sorted nothing will change.

I think it was a bad brush on his eyelash….. as a contact lens wearer I’m forever having problems with them and I’ve lost count of the times I’ve fell and rolled around on the ground in Merry Street after a little gust of wind hits my eyes. I’m just hoping he’s fit enough for next Saturday as eyelashes are a big problem in football today…. I don’t think it’s mentioned enough 🤥