Frazzie

Well, that's good news. Here's hoping there's no big freeze over the next week or so! Frazzle

So, has it started to thaw out up there or what? Do we expect the game to take place next week? Frazzle

Lip69, Is there actually anything the Trust can do to stop you from continually sniping at us? We wouldn't be serving one of our main purposes as an organisation if we declined to attend this meeting, although I personally think you'd have preferred that as it would have given you ammunition. You've not got any, so you're basically making up nonsense reasons to have a pop and you come across like a total idiot. I'm not suggesting for a minute that the Wellboys needed us to be there to represent them - they are more than capable of representing themselves - but there were a couple of very significant points raised by the Trust that I believe will be put into practise to the benefit of the Motherwell support as a whole that were not part of the Wellboys agenda. We didn't spend the best part of an evening just to negotiate how many rows are allowed to stand. Frazzle

I wouldn't like to say too much without the Wellboys deciding what their official stance is on it first (there's a Trust press release pending this) but I thought the meeting went well. The match commander, the clubs new stadium H&S manager and three head stewards were there, and each and every one was very approachable and seem to have the best of intentions for the club and the fans. There was a bit of negotiating and an initial compromise was reached on the Wellboys issue. There was also another couple of points raised by the Trust that have been taken on board and I expect to be acted upon (time will tell) but I wouldn't want to comment on that until the minutes have been released and the press release is out. It was also agreed that this meeting would take place three times a year going forward and ongoing communication was very much encouraged. I was personally quite heartened by it and, to re-iterate a statement I made in another thread, if any fans have any questions or concerns regarding the police, stewards or any Health & Safety issues surrounding match days at Fir Park, please bring them to the attention of myself or another MST board member and we will raise them with the appropriate person with an aim to resolving it. Frazzle

I doubt they could afford it. Apparently it costs a fortune, and with transporting it on top of that, they'd lose more than they've now lost from it being rescheduled. Frazzle

If it was guaranteed to be on, I'd take two days off work and do an overnighter. However, there is no such guarantee and the atmosphere would be nowhere near as good with half the number of 'Well fans there. I'm going to need to have a think about this one... Frazzle

Our bus-load is booked into a Bowling Club somewhere - anyone got any idea where that might be in relation to the ground? Frazzle

Lappin was decent, not great, when he was here before so I'd be happy enough if he was to return, but I would much rather we re-signed Porter & Hughes than brought him in. I also think we could be doing with a nippy striker to partner Porter - I'd be more inclined to go for Dougie Imrie from Inverness rather than Don Cowie. I also think centre-half wise we'll be ok now if McLean is fit, so I'd be in the market for full-backs first as I think Quinn and Hammell are more in need of pressure to perform than Reynolds & Craigan. Frazzle

Has nobody said Nancy? I think the whole away end was blootered that night. Aberdeen is always a good bet - I wasn't allowed into the ground the last time, eventually sneaked in just before half time when the OB had wandered off. Was also absolutely wrecked at Easter Road when we got three sent off when Stevie Ferguson scored. However, as Andy rightly says, saturday could be a new height of away game drunkeness. Frazzle

I don't know what makes you think Hearts are a better club than Motherwell if you are using 'bigger' and 'better' as two seperate statements. As a club, Hearts are the laughing stock of Scottish football and I do not envy their supporters in the slightest. Hearts are undoubtedly a larger club than Motherwell, and so they should be. It could even be argued that you've got a better team on the park than us at the moment, but a better club? Not a chance mate. Frazzle

You reckon wrong... Frazzle

Sorry Gaag - I'm afraid the ticket is already away anyway. Hope you get one sorted. Frazzle

Got Gaags pm - didn't get yours. That's the power of being the site owner for you! Frazzle

Went for O'Brien, probably more because of the drastic improvement in him over the last couple of games when I had almost lost hope in him, although I wouldn't grudge Reynolds or Klimpl the award. Frazzle

Someone in our group has a spare ticket. If anyone wants it, drop me a pm or it's going on Ebay! B) Frazzle

Title says it all. Here's his profile. Brum Profile My source is Sky Sports News if anyone is wonderring. Frazzle

Does anyone know if the shop is open today? Frazzle

All the best for the new year to everyone with claret and amber blood pumping through their veins. Moan Ra Dossers - still undefeated in 2009! Frazzle

These are all entirely fair comments. Before I joined the Trust (and the board), I was the biggest critic of them. I still am, to an extent. The Trust have done nowhere near enough for the Motherwell support since the club came out of administration, and the small measures that have been taken have not been publicised enough. I don't blame anyone for not handing over their tenners to us at the moment. What I will say is that I am not on the Trust board to massage my own ego, or for any agenda of my own. I have no desire whatsoever to obtain employment within the football club or join the board of directors. I genuinely want to infleunce decisions that are made on behalf of the fans. Football in general, and Motherwell in particular, have been disregarding supporters for too long and it's about time that our views are taken seriously. However, here's where the catch 22 comes in. The Trust won't be able to serve the fans to it's full potential unless we are given a place on the board. We have been adding to our shareholding significantly year on year, but (at present) we have never been given a number required to gain a board position. The feeling is that, regardless of how many shares we hold or how much we contribute to the club, we will never be taken as seriously as we deserve with our present number of members. There's no reason why non-members should believe me that we're here to turn the Trust around and that we have the best of intentions for all Motherwell supporters - you've heard it all before, no doubt - but I'll do my best to prove it until you are all convinced enough to join up. All I ask is that you judge me, and the present board, on what we say and do - and not on what those before us have. Frazzle

I think the initial suggestion of 3 Trust folk and 3 Wellboys is sound. I think any more than that it will become less constructive, seem like bullying and perhaps lose order. I would like to propose two things: 1. Can we (the MST) meet with the Wellboys seperately before this meeting, even just briefly, to clarify the position on a few matters? 2. Can we try to conduct these discussions by pm or private email until the meeting is done and dusted? Too many cooks spoil the broth, etc. Frazzle

We got him for nowt, he majorly contributed to getting us into Europe and now he could be leaving for nowt. Fair enough - can't grumble at that really. Frazzle

I seem to remember him coming on for the first time since his return to the 'Well and making a total mess of something, either a sclaff or a fresh-air swipe, and thinking that he was doing a Brian McClair. How wrong I was... Frazzle

OK, I'll take your word for that. I'm not interested in point-scoring against the 'Well Shop. I'd like to think I have a good relationship with them and I think Provan Sports do a great job with it, especially with the Bukta range, which must undoubtedly be the best range of kit 'Well have ever had. The panoramic photo was on display in the office of the Chapman Building for quite a while before it was on sale in the shop. It was suggested to Leeann Demspter that these be put on sale when she met with the Trust. Within two weeks, they were. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not. Does it matter? Not a jot. The Trust had the idea to try to boost sales of the Phil O'Donnell DVD by using the kiosk in the stand. Within a week of having the idea, in we went. The club shop went in with some stuff at the same time, and there had clearly been no-one at all in there since Ladbrokes left as it was a total disaster area. Is it a coincidence that the kiosk was opened up for the shop after the Trust suggested it? Maybe, maybe not. Does it matter? Not a jot. The point I am making is that ideas the Trust are having, however small and insignificant at this stage, do appear to be taken on board for a change and are being acted on. Whether Leeann pulled strings to make these things happen because we suggested it, or whether she did it because she (or someone else) thought of it doesn't really matter. It is excellent that progress is eventually being made and I think the relationship between the club and the fans could be beginning to turn the corner. Of course, I'd like the Trust to be able to gain a bit of credit from it as I do believe we're entitled to it, but if you don't want to give it to us, it won't ruin my Christmas. Progress is undoubtedly being made by our club off the pitch, and that's all that matters to me at the end of the day. Frazzle

I read Graeme Smith in the paper yesterday saying that McGhee was calm after the game when he was talking to the players. I'm sorry, but regardless of what he was saying, if the manager was anything like calm in our current situation then I'm afraid he's not the right man for the job. McGhee undoubtedly has an excellent fitness regime in place at the club, tactically we can debate him until the cows come home, but what I know for a fact is that if Terry Butcher was our manager at the moment, we would not be getting served up this disinterested, gutless dirge. Frazzle

I didn't demand anything. I already said if you'd rather not, then that's absolutely fine. I politely requested that fans go through the Trust to have their views aired to the club, and gave what I consider to be two fairly decent and well-meaning reasons for making the request. In addition, I would think that any opinion or proposal expressed to the club would carry more weight coming from a organised and shareholding organisation with an existing relationship with the club, rather than a random guy with a chip on his shoulder. Your perogative though, and you're quite entitled to it. Also, you're completely wrong when you say that the Trust's responsibility starts and ends with the Trust members. I feel you're attempting to discuss a subject you know nothing about so I don't think there's any point in taking it further. Frazzle