WishyWell

Flow, will the pics of the under-11s and 12s be updated on the official site once the new server is up and running?

I don't know, and am just wondering, but did they lay turf rather than growing it from seed. If, so, they there would probably be a difference in the short term quality, whereas ours is supposed to be a better way of doing it in the long term. On the other hand, if they did it the same way as we did, then my argument is buggered!

And St Johnstone's surface looked pretty poor yesterday, too. Sorry. Just started on my clootie dumpling and custard from the work's canteen, and my concentration disappeared...

I think on that occasion it was more than a tractor - was it not a huge crane that they were using to hoist up bits of the South Stand when they were building it? We were told at the start of the season to expect criticism over the winter from the media, who wouldn't have remembered that the club had said the pitch would not be great and woud cut up in its first winter but that it would be fine in subsequent years, as is normally the case when you seed a new pitch from scratch. And Falkirk's surface looked pretty poor yesterday, too.

Punctuation tends to do the job with written speech that pauses and tone of voice do when you're speaking. You don't speak in one big non-stop sentence, otherwise people would find it hard to understand you, so why would you write that way? Or are you Ina from the 8.10 sketch on Clyde 1?

I did say in my post that what I had head "may or may not be true" and only asked you to imagine that it was for the sake of argument. However... If you were making the statement as fact, then I disagree. Ifyou were doing it to point out that we shouldn't take anything at the moment as fact until we definitely know one way or the other, then I wholeheartedly agree. There are always going to be stories for and against someone coming out of a situation like this. Having said that, on the different man-management side of his job, rather than allegations of his comitment or lack of it... there do seem to be a lot of happy people around Fir Park at the moment. I think there were probably a whole host of factors affecting this.

Not sure it's shite. If he is refusing to sign a contract and allegedly coming up with a new excuse each time, and if he has been going to interviews, and if he has been disappearing for a day at at time, it does display a certain lack of commitment to his job.

I'm curious about how definite this statement is. I heard several weeks ago from someone inside the club that Gannon had been for interviews with at least 2, probably 3, clubs down south. Then heard from another source that he JG had been stunned when Gus Poyet was appointed, as he was conviced he had got that job. I didn't mention it at the time as it was told to me in confidence, but that doesn't matter now. There was also a newspaper report yesterday that Gannon had a habit of disappearing for a day without anyone at the club knowing where he was or being able to contact him. Now this may or may not be true, but imagine for a moment it is. if you are Jim Gannon, on a forum, speaking publicly, would you say: (a) Yes, actually, I've been for three interviews already despite not even having been at the club for half-a-season, but am still here because I didn't get any of the jobs; or (b) no, I've not been for any interviews and feel that I owe John Boyle for giving me this chance at MFC. Do you honestly think that, as an employee of MFC at the time, he would tell a group of fans or even Tam Cowan on his own that he had been interviewed for other jobs? So, on that basis, how can you say that he definitely never went for a single interview anywhere? All I've heard one way or the other is hearsay, so if you have a reliable source on this I'd find it interesting.

See if someone tells you the burgers are the dog's bollocks, just beware - it's not a recommendation, it's a statement of fact...

Sad week for the u12s - five boys dropped to cut the squad is as they move into 11-a-sides. Everyone knows it is part of the game, but the looks on the boys' faces (and the parents') makes your heart go out to them. the squad have by and large been together for a couple of seasons, or more in some cases, so they are all quite close. The reduced squad have a game against Celtic Boys Club tonight (not the Pro-Youth mob, just a team drawn from the Celtic Community set-up, so our u12s will play their u13s). Still, a win against anyone wearing green and white hoops is never a bad thing, so hopefully it'll cheer the boys up. Good luck to them, and to the other 5 for their future.

From yesterday's Lakeland Echo: Connerton in Motherwell talks <H2></H2> Published Date: 10 December 2009 LANCASTER City striker Jordan Connerton could soon be running out at top football grounds such as Ibrox and Celtic Park if a move to Scottish premier league club Motherwell goes ahead. Blues boss Tony Hesketh is in talks with the North Lanarkshire outfit about a possible transfer for Lancaster-born Connerton. The 20-year-old, who has already scored 23 times this season, recently had a trial at Fir Park, where he impressed manager Jim Gannon. Hesketh said the deal could be wrapped up in the next few weeks – although the move would not officially take place until the January transfer window. "We have spoken to Motherwell and early negotiations have taken place, although no fee has been mentioned yet," he said. "For now we are just getting on with our daily routine and until Jordan has put pen to paper I would urge him to do the same. "He is a natural goalscorer, a very athletic boy, but his all-round game gives him a great chance of making it as a professional. "If he makes the move then I'm sure he will do well because he has the right attitude." Connerton started out at Marsh United and Lancaster Youth while progressing through the Myerscough College Academy. He had a spell with Kendal Town before returning to Giant Axe this season. Most recently, Connerton scored in the 3-1 win over Wakefield on Saturday as well as in the Unibond League Challenge Cup win over Mossley on Tuesday night, when he made a 20-minute appearance from the subs bench. He also featured in the 3-2 win over Motherwell in a pre-season friendly at Giant Axe in August.

Well done to all the Well girls teams - what a haul of silverware. Congrats to the u13s Academy team (who my neice plays for) - to reach the final was a brilliant achievement and no disgrace to lose to the other Well team.

True. We hit the post and had one cleared off the line, and all the chances that came from good incisive passing football seemed to come from the Motherwell boys. On a side note, it was good to see Steven Saunders and Seb Kosiorovski (no idea how to spell it, sorry!) spending their Sunday afternoon going along to watch the team.

Condoms and all sorts of stuff???? Bloody hell! How much protection do you need?

I was at Betty's funeral today and it was stunning, though not surprising, how many people were there to pay their respects. The church and the adjacent hall area were absolutely packed and the congregation included a fair number from football, including Faddy, Clarky, Coach, Pearo, Scott Leitch, Mark McGhee, Maurice Malpas, Tommy McLean, Brian McLean, Mio Krivopavic, Kevin Kelly, Davie McPartland as well as, of course, everyone from Motherwell, including a guard of honour from the under-19s... and there were probably many others who I didn't see. Someone said they had heard that Bob Malcolm was flying back for it, though I didn't see him. The effort people had made to be there gives a glimpse of how highly regarded Betty was, and still is. The number of people there shows how widely her warm infuence was felt, and how many lives she had touched. We all have to go sometime, but when we do, that's a wonderful legacy to leave behind. I will never forget that beaming welcoming smile. My thoughts are with Elaine, Alan, Emma and Betty's sister, Moira, at this hardest of times, as well as with Flow, who will be suffering as well.

Youngy mentioned this last night at the Pro-Youth welfare night. He said that they are asking the club about parents getting a concession, but that for now parents will have to pay full price. He didn't say why this had changed. It doesn't matter to me, as I have a season ticket and the wee man would probably like to sit with his friends from his team while we go off to our normal seats, but I would have thought it would be good to keep the parents included in the free tickets - many of the Pro-Youth boys are from families who don't support Motherwell, and it would be good to encourage them to come to our games.

I'm completely shocked by this. I was speaking to her just last week and, although she's had her health difficulties over recent years, she was doing great. On a personal note, I have known Betty all of my 41 years (she 'had a hold of me' as a baby just after I was born) and I have seldom come across such a warm, thoughtful, dedicated and diligent person. She was the perfect PA/Secretary: meticulous, caring, wonderfully fearsom when she needed to be, and willing to go not just the extra mile, but the extra ten miles. If she felt something needed to be done, nothing, not even ill health, would prevent her from seeing it through with no regard to how she felt physically nor to 'normal office hours'. She was fiercely loyal and utterly dedicated to Motherwell Football Club, and the players she regarded as 'her boys'. Her job will be filled at the club, but the hole she will leave there never will be. My thoughts and totally inadequate, but no less heartfelt, sympathy go to her family. RIP Betty - a quite lovely person.

"Look, son, there's the guy who came second to you in the Pure Handsomest Rangers Fan contest."

And... If we win our next two games, and with the Turd Twins playing each other a week on sunday, the worst that we can be is clear in third place, one point behind second and only two points off the top! Depending on the result of the Old Scum Game, the top 3 would be: Blue Turds win: 1. Blue Turds 17pts 2. Green Turds 16pts 3. Well 15pts Draw: 1. Green Turds 17pts 2. Blue Turds 15pts 3 Well 15pts (Positions depending on goal difference) Green Turds win: 1. Green Turds 19pts 2. Well 15pts 3. Blue Turds 14pts So what would you prefer: clear in 2nd place and 4 points off the top or 3rd place and only 2 points off the top? On the other hand, if we bang the goals in over the next two games, and the Bigot Brothers draw with each other, we could be second and only 2 points off the top! Isn't unbridled optimism wonderful?

Yep - that would be the Joyces. Nice guys... and good to have on your side. They're both now cops, so still good to have them on your side!

Now you're making me feel old - I joined 13th Motherwell in '76 and lasted until about '88 after managing two years as an officer before leaving (or, rather, being asked to leave!). Which brings us back to football people you knew when you were young: I played in the same BB team as big Gravy, who can be seen fixing the Fir Park pitch at half time. Does that count?

Under-12s did great against Rangers today. Narrow defeats for the two Well teams but all the great passing football was played by the boys in claret and amber!

No doubt he'll end up at Dagenham & Redbridge. Their strips are, quite simply, red.

About as much as David Livingstone, but we're happy to celebrate the fact that he came from our county. And Sheena Easton

He's a free agent at the moment, though I heard that Aberdeen are looking to sign him. If it's true, it wouldn't be the most surprising news.