Tweed

Hamilton have a problem in that they lost a generation of fans when they were playing outwith Hamilton. Therefore guys like me in their 20s didn't catch the bug in the town and have either been lost to the game, come to Motherwell or more likely gone to the Old Firm. But a promotion derby where both teams are going pretty well is always going to gain a bigger support than one where both teams are struggling. Also I know of some folk who couldn't make it yesterday because of family New Year commitments. By not playing on Ne'er Day for a number of years people have developed traditions that weren't there ten years ago. Not denying there is a multitude of problems because there clearly are but I don't think the comparisons to the Fife derby are fair because they are not like for like.

For me: Blackman - is a young striker who for the first time has hit a real barren run. How he reacts to that will determine his career. But I think the boy is quality so I'd try and keep him. Fitzpatrick - versatile, winning runner. I've always thought he was underrated so I'd keep him too. Gow - you can see his quality with some of his touches but he kind of wastes that with poor decision making/greediness. On balance I'd probably try and keep him but of the three he is the one I wouldn't be gutted to see leave.

I think if we had played with the same intensity in the first 70 minutes as we did in the last 20 we would probably have won that. And our change of fortunes came when Fitzpatrick replaced Saunders - not really sure why as Fizzy wasn't really involved in much. First half we had most of the possession and territory but did not a lot with it whilst they had the three or four best opportunities and their confidence grew as the game went on. As that happened chances came along more often. Second half was a half of two halfs. They pummelled us for 20-25 minutes then we took hold for the last bit. But final balls and finishing both ends were poor hence it ending up a 0-0. Though it was a much better 0-0 than the sterile midfield slog we served up last time we were there when the penalty boxes were barely seen. Randolph and Cerny are both excellent SPL keepers but I don't think either had to do that much for their clean sheets. What I thought was really obvious today was that Jamie Murphy was lacking in confidence. Movement off the ball just not happening almost waiting for it to come to him. Young guy so no doubt it will come back but some work definitely needs to be done there. All in a bit disappointing but I firmly believe away points are not to be sniffed at against anyone and getting one while being mediocre is hardly reason to be suicidal.

No. After Alan Muir got lambasted by Levein and Gannon in our game last season neither of us had him again for about six months. However nobody from within either club came out and criticised him or accused him of any wrongdoing and we didn't appeal the decision. Therefore the club have basically said the red was justified and any issues there are are not with him. Aye he was a fanny and aye no very good but nothing came into the public domain about him not being fit to ref another Well game.

Ditto. But my favourite was beating Hearts at Tynecastle in April.

Fitzpatrick for me by a distance. Was clear he had the role to win the ball back and if he then gave it away again fair enough because the defence were back in position. It allowed the full backs to function better than on Sunday and it allowed us to try and attack. Celtic defended better than we attacked so it didn't work entirely properly. Agree his distribution could have been better at times but he was always under pressure when he had the ball just by the nature of what he was doing and he never looked like doing something goal costing. Good performance.

Celtic steamrollered us until they scored tonight. And it was an avoidable goal - switched off from a short corner and let McCourt run at us though the deflection certainly beat Randolph - he may or may not have saved otherwise. And for whatever reason Celtic switched off after that point and we had as much as the game as they did. Though in the first half I think they were actually pretty good rather than us being completely rank rotten. What was clear tonight was that we had a plan. Fitzpatrick was given the pig ugly roll of winning the ball back when they attacked. If he then happened to give the ball away that was OK because he had slowed them down enough that the back four had a shape and could cope well. And every ball Fitzpatrick went for Fitzpatrick won. Granted his passing was poor but he did the stifling job superbly which gave Hammell and Saunders licence to venture forward. Celtic defended well on the most part by doubling up on the wing and closing down in the middle and against a lesser team and I mean anyone from Hearts southwards we would have got more than one opportunity and I think we would have scored. Gow I don't think quite has the pace for the one up roll - I would have been tempted to play him and Murphy the other way round but he did show flashes of being a top notch SPL player tonight and when he came on there was a wonderful bit of skill by Blackman to hold the ball up. Celtic were a bit streetwise for us in the end and tried to turn the atmosphere a bit ugly which we don't seem to cope well with. But as the tackles flew in I thought we did stand up for ourselves better - picked a couple of yellows which were justified along the way and did the ugly roll well. I thought that referee did well. Good application of advantage, booked when he had to - Mastorovic and Craigan perhaps a bit unlucky, let it run and wasn't intimidated by Celtic at all. Would take him again.

18 months ago we were looking at appointing Boothroyd, Sanchez and someone else incredibly credible when we appointed Gannon and today we seem to be scraping the bottom of the barrel to find someone remotely interested. You have to wonder what has changed at Motherwell in these 18 months that we are now no longer appealing at all. I know Boyle likes to surprise us with appointments and think to the left field but there is a time coming when certainty is required and a willing and competent but not too special manager is required because at the moment we are bumbling from defeat to defeat.

Jennings is still suspended I'm afraid. Think we should move Gow out left, bring Fitzpatrick in for Hateley and then we need to pick from Sutton, Murphy and Blackman for the front two. Really worried what they might do to us if we defend like we did yesterday but should we defend like we can then we have not too much to fear from them.

Once Hateley went off we needed another midfielder capable of winning the ball. That would probably be Fizzy if he was on the bench. Its hard for me to criticise Gow because he is no more a central midfielder than I am. I think Rangers realised that Jennings missing meant that we were really limited in chances to break down their attacks and their midfield got closer and closer to their forward line and therefore our defence got overran.

I think the club deserve credit for getting the game on today. All that said I share the opinion of those who feel it shouldn't have been. The lack of a functional toilet and water coming into the East Stand was one a hazard and two disgusting. Not necessarily convinced that the age of the stadium is the sole factor in the pipes issue but it certainly didn't help with the leaking roof. The pipes could easily happen in a modern stadium, the roof wouldn't. And there was no red sauce to have with my pie.....

A defence that looked invincible for long parts last season that now looks like they have never seen each other before. Reynolds was a bopmbscare today, Craigan not much better. Thats the first problem. The midfield had too many players out of position. The moment Hateley went off Forbes or Fitzpatrick (if on the bench) should have been on. Young is tactically naive and would probably admit that himself but we need someone in to sort them out. We are a club with no leaders at all, on or off the pitch. I'm sure they are all trying hard but there is no direction. There is not one player on that pitch for us that is a captain. Craigan leads by example but he isn't a troop rallier. I never leave early but at 70 minutes today I was off. Partly because I have a cold and felt rotten in the cold but also partly because I was bored and even someone who while watching is always optimistic saw no hope at all today. I'm sure a new manager will instill some life into us and we will secure a top six place. But I'll be concerned if Gordon Young is in the dugout come Saturday.

WHen they callled off the Rangers game the first time they said the pitch failed a pitch inspection but could be made playable if the police had agreed the surrounding area was safe but they didn't. I don't know if things have changed since then.

I do have a bit of sympathy for both clubs. Dundee had four inches of snow on Sunday so to compare the situation between Saturday and Tuesday is ludicrous. And as the police made the decision United have no case to answer in my view. The Accies is a more interesting case. They have been unable to use their heating because of a burst pipe beside the boiler. Sure they are genuine and sure it has cost them more money but had that been Motherwell with our previous would we get away with it? Don't know is the answer. But had the Accies game gone ahead last night nobody would have gone. It was -10 and even I would wonder about going to watch a game in that temperature.

To be fair nobody other than speculating journalists have implicated anyone specific.

Suppose for me the thing here is that whatever the outcome of this is it paints 1) Steve Jennings and 2) by association Motherwell FC and 3) by further association the SPL in an extremely bad light irrespective of who is innocent/guilty of what and if there is any case to answer. I was angry last night about the way the game was refereed as I felt Hearts got everything going but in the cold light of morning the only decision that looked an absolute shocker was the red card. The penalty could have been given, the second one maybe should have been given, the tackle on Gow was fine and the free kick that led to Blackman getting booked came from the referee not watching. Incompetent maybe but corrupt certainly not. So I had calmed down and written it off as one of those nights. Now we have a niggling possibility that a player in the SPL which I pay to watch each week (and I don't give a shit if its a MOtherwell player, a Celtic player or a St Mirren player or whatever) is corrupt or the referee was corrupt. It just makes the whole thing stink. And it makes you wonder. I don't know Steve Jennings or Stevie O'Reilly or their characteristics as human beings but I have heard nothing before to suggest either are nothing other than honest and it makes you wonder how deep this potentially is. I suspect proving anything on a one off incident will prove to be nigh on an impossibility and nothing much will happen and if that is the case they just don't do it again. Which leaves the seeds of doubt. Just as a matter of interest I've had a look at Jennings' red cards on Soccerbase. One in the last minute of the first half (Tranmere v Bristol R), three in the last few minutes of 2nd halves (Motherwell v Hearts, Odense v Motherwell and Southend v Tranmere). Proves nothing but interesting.

Generous

Not for a second saying he was right but we took the free kick - it hit the Hearts player, fannybaws isnae watching and I have to assume neither of his linesmen were either so he doesn't see it. Blackman then balls at him with the game in progress so he has to stop the game to shut him up and gave them a free kick because of dissent. Which after the first cock up was the right thing to do technically but if he'd kept his eye on the ball none of it would have happened. Got to say every other time we've had him I thought he was a pernickity wee gobshite but perfectly consistent and even handed. Tonight he was consistent that every decision he gave seemed to be a soft free kick to Hearts. And the red card, unless Jennings was actually being verbally offensive to him which only two people know if he was or not was an absolute joke. But we did totally lose our discipline, more so in shape than clattering people in the last 25 and even when things are going against you we need to man up and beef up to it more than that. Good news is we were due to have him for the postponed Killie game as well and they usually keep the refs for rearranged ones. So to look forward to that. And to Dougie McDonald, Craig Thomson, Charlie Richmond, Calum Murray, and the rest - I'm sorry. You lot are immense compared to that pillock tonight. Come back and we'll be nicer to you every week I promise.

Its a bit like the student protest really. Whatever the rights and wrongs are of their argument is the story is now about the violence and disruption. What the fans that are going on Saturday need to do is cheer the team on, let him know our dispeasure but not to cross the line of decency. That way we keep the morality on our side and Brown knows he is a wanker.

Tempting fate!

Yes and no. From a driving perspective no doubt people could have got from Kilmarnock to Motherwell no bother. However with trains running an extremely limited service still (and I have no idea how the Kilmarnock lines have been affected!) this could have put people off. And certainly there are just about no trains north of Glasgow so having the games at Aberdeen, Perth and Inverness off makes perfect sense. But it does prove that the earlier you make decisions the more of a gamble you are taking because today's forecast changed on Thursday/Friday from the snow that was forecast earlier in the week. And had that come true and the games were called off yesterday the clubs would have been hit with more expenditure so I think its hard to be overly critical.

Makes sense to make an early call so people know what they are doing especially since there is no prospect of the temperature rising. I've got to say having battled to work every day this week having the job of battling to the football doesn't really appeal. Probably the right call.

McGhee had his moments as well. However you have to remember Gannon's dig at Dallas was because of feedback he wanted to give because the referees were constantly below the standards he expected. Though I think Gannon was a banger. To referees, to players and to anyone else in the road and Motherwell did deal with him with his P45. Maybe no record of it amongst reason for dismissal but I'm sure it played a part. McDonald going will see a further pendulum swing in favour of the refs in this debate. I feel a bit sorry for him - clearly he shouldn't have lied but its a worry that there is a culture which has people so scared of making a mistake which is sure to be a breeding ground of more mistakes. Was never my favourite referee but to me he was never scared to make a big call. Against us he sent Bougherra off for two yellows for dissent - not many would have had the bottle. And while he could be a little bit card happy and was prone to the odd strange one he was far from the worst in the SPL. And I know its semantics but thats a resignation statement not a retiral one!

Absolutely the correct decision at the time taken. Can understand folk's frustrations - mine included as I missed last week's game as I wasn't well and was dying for a game today - but the way conditions were at 11am nobody should have been out unless they were doing an emergency job. Remember police advice is not to travel - if they are policing a game they are encouraging folk to come along. If it had been us v Hamilton we could maybe have hung fire a bit longer before making a call but with the distance from Edinburgh and the travel issues on the M8 an early decision was needed and was undoubtedly the correct one.

Could just be to remove covers. Not necessarily bad news. Its going to be a cold hole this afternoon.