MJC

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not a fan of a goalkeeper being the captain. Plus I don't really see Liam Kelly as a leader on the pitch like Butcher or Casey would be. That's not a slight on Kelly as I still see him as a key part of the team, just not a leader/captain. If KvV is going then it would be better for us if he goes sooner rather than later and before pre-season or the season itself starts. We lost Cedric Kipre on the eve of the season in 2018 which was a massive blow for the team as it will be if/when Kevin van Veen goes. At least if he moves on in the close season we will have the chance to prepare for life without him and get a replacement lined up.

Kelly is one we should definitely be keeping. A solid and reliable goalkeeper who has bailed us out on numerous occasions. I would though be taking the captaincy off him and giving it to Butcher or Casey if we manage to keep one or both of them.

I remember that, as well as “I want MY players to aim higher than Motherwell”. I’ve no problem with players or managers having self confidence, even when it borders on arrogance. The great players and managers in the game have tended to have a degree of arrogance about them. The difference with McGhee was that his self confidence/arrogance was all about him on a personal level, not the club and that’s what I couldn’t stand about him. There was always this “I’m better than Motherwell” attitude about him and he made very little attempt to disguise that.

100% this. It was easily the worst of our many ‘jobs for the boys/old pals’ moves in the last decade. Mark McGhee first time around was the best managerial appointment that John Boyle made in his time. The way he turned that team around in summer ‘07 to deliver some sublime football, a third placed finish, European football and all while dealing with the tragic death of Phil O’Donnell was an incredible feat. The problem thereafter was that from 2008 onwards McGhee had clearly decided that he was too good for us and spent the majority of the next season virtually making no secret about that. He was obviously going to leave that summer and when the Celtic and Aberdeen jobs became available on the same day he hung about here for as long as he could in the hope he would get the Celtic one, before eventually accepting Aberdeen. Meanwhile we were sitting with a squad of out of contract players and a manager with no intention of staying. That left a bad taste in the mouth as he basically treated the club with contempt. To bring him back after all that in 2015 was a ridiculous move and his behaviour and attitude was no better. The quote that always stands out is “this is why, and please don’t misinterpret me here, I am managing Motherwell today and not Liverpool”. It takes a really special type of arrogant walloper to disrespect the club you are employed by during a press conference like that but that cap certainly fits McGhee.

I think the comments about Sondre and his megaphone swaying opinion in these polls are fairly accurate to be honest. Though he did contribute more than Bevis or Lamie in the first half of the season. Kevin van Veen certainly has enjoyed a ‘purple patch’ since Kettlewell took over in mid February but he has clearly been out and out our best player all season long. Without the goals he got from August to February we would probably have been facing the playoffs this week at best. I know he cut a frustrated, even huffy figure at times during that spell but given that he was getting next to no support from his teammates and the system we were playing just didn’t suit him then I can understand that. He definitely did improve significantly when SK took over, as did Blair Spittal who has looked a different player to what he was under Hammell. When you then factor in his almost ridiculously good scoring run in the last round of matches then it is no wonder that he is our player of the year.

Well, that was hugely satisfying in the end. If KvV does move on this summer then best of luck to him. He’s been superb for us this season and it’s been a pleasure having him here. Likewise Max Johnston, a top young talent who will do well in the game. And finally it’s brilliant to see Dundee United relegated and for us to beat them in the process. Delightful stuff. #Down, Down! Dundee United are Down, Down! Dundee United are Down, Down!# Get it right up them and their media chums.

Delighted for Johnston. Now let’s see if we can fucking hold on to this!!!!

Well taken from Spittal! Lovely finish.

We’ll probably get them in the league cup group stages. And lose to them.

Kettlewell has done a superb job for us but being schooled by Jim Goodwin twice in just over a month is a bit of a sore yin for him and us.

And there it is. Game over.

Well so far, so expected. It was brilliant to see KvV smash yet another record and once again he took it really well. Apart from that though we have been second best as we usually are against Utd. Mugabi demonstrates yet again that he just cannot be relied upon. We’ll be lucky to get out of this with a point.

Whether that award was justified or not Mugabi is an absolute bombscare, always has been always will be. The games going the way it usually does against Utd at home. Scrappy and poor from us and them looking the more likely side. That’s why all the talk of us pumping them today was absolutely wild. We NEVER pump Dundee Utd at Fir Park.

Only one winner now.

Beat me to it! A beautiful sunny day Premiership safety secured KvV scoring for fun Playing at home against a team effectively relegated… …all of the above points to the game itself being an anti-climax and a disappointment. Now I don’t have a crystal ball and I’m not proclaiming this to be “The Gospel according to MJC” here. But from pure experience of following Motherwell, this today has defeat or at best bore draw written all over it.

We’ve not beaten them at home in two attempts so far this season. We tend to struggle against them, especially at home. They beat us 2-1 at home last month when we could have effectively relegated them and secured our own safety that day. We might be missing some key players, namely defenders. They have more incentive to win than we do. We might win, we might lose and we might draw tomorrow. But suggesting that we will pump Utd and that it will be a skoosh (and yes, I know that no one as actually said that, but…) is overly optimistic in my view.

Definitely. There is FAR too much over confidence about tomorrow on this thread. Talk of KvV hitting a hattrick and us pumping them? When we get that it rarely if ever comes to fruition and as I said, it’s never that easy against Dundee Utd, especially at home. We’ll be doing well to get a draw tomorrow imo.

Graham Alexander been appointed Head Coach at MK Dons. Hopefully he comes in for Josh Morris.

The term ‘odious prick’ could have been invented especially for Tom Boyd.

Yeah that’s the 5-3 one that I was talking about. It gets forgotten about given what happened but we were actually sublime that day and David Clarkson had arguably his best game for us. Some terrific football and some terrific goals.

I can only remember us really giving Dundee Utd a serious going-over at Fir Park on two occasions in my time. One of them was 29th December 2007 when we won 5-3 having been 3-0 then 5-1 up, but for obvious reasons the game itself that day was rightly put in perspective and largely forgotten about. The other was the 2011 SCQF replay on a midweek night when we scudded them 3-0 with Francis Jeffers scoring the third. They brought a huge travelling support down that night and filled the South Stand. That was a great night. Other than those two matches the games between the two sides at Fir Park have been tight and often frustrating affairs so expecting us to pump them on Sunday is unrealistic imo. I’ve seen us lose 5-4 to them having been 2-0, 3-1 then 4-2 up. And the last time we played them at home on the last day of the season in 2012 they beat us 2-0 after we’d secured 3rd and Champions League Qualification due to Rangers going down the tubes. Indeed, was the CL music not played over the tannoy that day?

I don’t know, it’s never easy against Dundee Utd, more especially so at Fir Park I might add. It really wouldn’t be that much of a surprise if we lose this one. Hopefully not mind you, as it would be a great way to end the season by winning, securing 7th place and sending Dundee Utd down with a defeat.

We’ve failed to beat Dundee Utd at home in two attempts this season and I don’t see that changing on Sunday. 1-3

He just keeps on doing it!!!

34 years old or not he’d be a great signing for us. But I think he’s heading to Hearts this summer.