Jay

The other thread is for chat about not going because we're going to lose. This is the thread of those of us going to be given that extra buzz of anticipation!

The mention of videos and stuff on the "Semi-Final" thread has lead to me posting a new thread! The "Let's get up for Sunday by watching videos and shit" thread. So get those inspiration YouTube videos and mp3s battered up and let's get in about this h*n shite! I'll start with 2005's Jay & Al Pacino featuring Creed - "My Sacrifice"

I didn't do any of the videos after the Hearts game, I remember one kicking about though so that could have been SCDave's handy work! I was, however, responsible for the Al Pacino version of "My Sacrifice" by Creed. Cannae actually believe it was about six years ago! But aye, here it's here!

He might not be quite as good as Tartan Copper makes out, but he's still a decent player and it can't be under-estimated just how good an asset his pace is to the team. In fact, on Hampden's large pitch, the Humph's pace could be the most important thing if we actually have any aspirations of winning the game. Anyway, glad to see he's signed an extension and great to see a bit of loyalty.

Absolutely mate! Wednesday evening was actually the turning point I think! My two Spanish mates (who were at the Inverness away game) are coming to the game to support the 'Well, so I was supplying them with videos of the 'Well and 'Well fans on YouTube to get them educated! Got me right in the mood watching the 'Well fans in Nancy, Jutkiewicz's injury time equaliser etc. Andy Murray & Motherwell double on Sunday. Up the 'Well!

To be fair, I did try and make it quite clear (and thought I'd succeeded!) that I was referring to the Motherwell supporters purposely giving the semi-final a miss because it's highly likely we'll lose. I am extremely disenchanted with Scottish football at the moment, like yourself. I've missed games, both home and away, this season due to different factors from keeping my pennies, or going on subcrawls for mate's birthdays - because football isn't a priority for me, and continues to drop slowly but surely down the list of things I can do with my time. But I cannot fathom Motherwell supporters avoiding the semi-final of a domestic final because we're probably going to lose. No one can possibly deny that that is complete and utter Old Firm "gloryhunting mentality"? And to be honest, you're quite clearly supporting the wrong team if you can't be bothered going along to one of the very few times we're at Hampden, simply because you're expecting us to lose.

I don't actually mind the defeatist attitude on here, I fully expect us to lose on Sunday to be honest. But nothing in football is guaranteed and I'll be going to Hampden to support the team with the belief we can win. I also don't think anyone could grumble if people aren't going because they can't afford it or they have other important commitments etc. Football isn't a priority for most people. But not going because you blatantly can't be bothered as we're most likely going to lose?! What an absolute pile of shite. No better than the Rangers and Celtic fans up and down the country who support the Old Firm because "they're the best". In fact, they're right. We're gonnae lose, what's the point, I'll just bin my brief. And in fact, we're pretty unlikely to make Europe this year so it'll either be mid-table or relegation - not much glory in that, so might as well just chuck it for the season. And money's tight, so we could be looking at mediocrity for the foreseeable future so fuck it, why don't we all just chuck being 'Well fans? I'm sure one of us (DEWELL perhaps?) could start up a Steelmen Online Rangers Supporters Club. Then we can all feel motivated enough to go see our team in a semi-final because we'll probably win. Arsepieces. Never thought I'd see the day that there would be actual blatant gloryhunters in the Motherwell support, because I never thought the chance of gloryhunting would actually present itself. But there you go. The worst part is, if we actually pull this off on Sunday, then these ghouls will be lauding it over their h*n mates, and giving it big licks at work on Monday about how their team managed to beat Rangers in a semi-final. As I said, no better than the Old Firm gloryhunters. Fuck them. Mon the 4,000 'Well fans going to Hampden. In about this shite, Motherwell!

We're gonnae fuckin' beat this shite, and those 'Well fans who "could be bothered" actually going to support their team in a national cup semi-final at Hampden will be delighted they did. Some of the posts on here are absolutely embarrassing. Catch the rest of the you gloryhunting bastards at the final. Mon the 'Well.

I can't be so sure. That's why I quite clearly stated that it's a difficult question, none of us have seen the application, none of us witnessed the interview, and the "better" candidates all seemed to turn up their noses at the lack of finance (based on what we've all heard and read). No, I'm not joking. We're a very young team and it'll do the players good to have a bit of stability. When you compare that to the fears of football fans who, collectively, are stupid - then I can completely understand why Boyle has plumped for a full-time contracted manager. Good. I'd enjoy a couple of seasons in the First Division to get away from the absolute shite that is the SPL. And anyway, what if all those fears don't come to fruition and after the summer we're back up challenging for top six football? We're Motherwell, it doesn't matter who we appoint - there are always going to be fears and worries and concerns. We're not a big enough club to appoint managers without a risk factor. I really fail to see how him being out of work for almost a year is relevant. A few years, I'd agree, but we're talking in months here. Football management is a difficult area to get into with so many applicants for every job to come up. Sorry if I'm not devastated that we've appointed a gaffer who hasn't worked for less than a year. I'm not actually very easily pleased. I'm just not a complete panic-merchant who's hitting the emergency button a few weeks after McCall's been appointed.

"Game live on BBC/Sky. Ticket price = £25ish probably. Hassle getting in and out of Hampden. Too close to the Plastic Paddy neanderthals. Likely to get pumped. Stay home, have a few brews in comfort, watch on TV." I assume you'll be sticking to that patter if we actually make the final?!

Obviously it's a difficult question to answer given none of us have seen McCall's application and been at the interview. However, based on what we know - yes, I would have given the job to McCall, and it remains to be seen whether that was an incorrect decision. I wouldn't have went with an interim manager. Let's be honest, with neither Gannon or Brown having contracts, we've basically been doing that for about 18 months. A stable, full-time, contracted gaffer was urgently needed IMO, and I'm delighted we've got that. As for trying to appoint someone else, who exactly is on this fantastic list of "other people" available to be appointed? The guys who actually generated a flicker of interest like Sbragia didn't want it because of transfer budgets (if the press are to believed) and the other names in the hat were guys like Chris Sutton and John Hartson. Or, for the sake of argument, are we living in the fantasy land that some folk on here seem to be permanent residents of? In which case, I'll plump for Davie Moyes. Seriously though, I have no doubts that Stuart McCall was the best candidate from what was available as Boyle has shown he has the ability to pick the best candidates and has the club's best interests at heart. so it would be merely a question of McCall or an interim manager. As I've said, I reckon the benefits of having a contracted manager in place massively outweigh any wee worries or fears folk have about having Stuart McCall in charge and, therefore, I don't have any doubts that I'd have done the same thing if I was Boyle.

Haven't we been over that enough by now? If Brown and Knox don't want contracts you can't force them to sign.

4,000-5,000 'Well fans to sit in silence for 90 minutes generating absolutely no atmosphere, Rangers to bombard Motherwell for the entire game scoring 3 or 4 before they decide to take their foot off the gas. 2,000-3,000 'Well fans to then leave, waking up the rest and leaving them ironically singing "we're gonnae win 5-4" etc. That's what my expectations are for Sunday! However, when I'm sitting in Joe's flat at 9am-ish on Sunday with a roll and sausage in one hand and a can of Tennents in the other, I will undoubtedly believe I'm heading to Hampden to be a part of an electrifying atmosphere from the 8,000 Motherwell fans who have turned up to cheer the 'Well onto a 2-1 victory and a place in the final.

I didnae even know we were playing in Perth this week.

Dunno about that, I'd hope those actually making the effort to go would be making sure there was an atmosphere given it's still a semi-final against the Attilas. People will only be spread out if they want to be. I couldn't give a toss if there's only 3,000 'Well fans there, that's 3,000 'Well fans perfectly able to get behind the team.

Out-fucking-standing.

Aye, that's the song I was meaning! It's an absolute stick on for Saturday if he comes on. Thankfully I'll be in the middle of a subcrawl in town.

Tenner's bet on a new song on Saturday featuring something along the lines of: "We've got Michael Grella, ella, ella - hey, hey, hey... etc".

That was my thinking as well. I just assumed McCall's not got a huge number of targets for this month but knows he needs to flesh out the squad a bit and knows that the guy can do a job til the end of the season. I really fail to see the big deal to be honest - the idea that we wanted to sign him permanently but couldn't afford him didn't even cross my mind.

I can't agree that it's an excuse to walk away from football. I think we need to differentiate here between looking for an excuse to chuck football, and something being the final straw. For a start, I don't understand why anyone would need an excuse to walk away from football. It's a game, it's supposed to be entertainment - and it's a bloody expensive interest. If someone feels they're not enjoying it, or they're not getting value for money, or they've got other things they could do on a Saturday, that's all the "excuses" they need - I don't for a second believe anyone is actually looking to the 10 team SPL as a good excuse to pack it in. The majority of human beings have plenty of interests, hobbies, and stuff they can use a Saturday for. I don't believe there are really that many folk who "live and breathe" football and, if there are, they really need to get out more. That's why stepping away from it isn't quite as big a wrench for a lot of us. When I post and say I'll be chucking it if this goes ahead, I don't do it as a threat with some sort of deluded belief it might have an effect, nor do I do out of some bizarre feeling of self-importance as though my decision to attend or not really interests anyone, not do I do it simply for the sake of moaning. Football's an interest, a hobby, some would say a passion - but there has to be a line somewhere. For different people the line will be at a different place - it appears for many that a feeling of being completely ignored, unappreciated and totally shafted by our own club is where that line comes into view. I have been a regular at Fir Park and away games since I was 5 and in that time I have put in a lot of time, energy and lots of money. I don't ask a lot in return - I don't expect silverware, or cup runs, I don't even expect SPL football if I'm honest and, in fact, a wee adventure in the First Division (as it is) would excite me a fair bit. But I still see being a football supporter as a bond, a contract if you will. If Motherwell Football Club pander to the other clubs (and I stress the IF, there's been no vote yet) then I will feel betrayed as a supporter and that contract will be null and void on the part of the club. I can't then turn up at games in a 10 team SPL pretending to be all happy and passionate when the club I love will have completely ruined it for me. It's pretty obvious from your posts that you can't quite comprehend people chucking (and that's not a dig, that's your position) but I think you have respect that people just don't want to be a part of it, rather than trying to claim it's some sort of agenda to find excuses to chuck it. Let's be honest here, without any doubt whatsoever there will be folk (maybe just a few, but they'll be there) reading this thread, thinking they're better than some posters - and that's on both sides of the divide. There will be fans who will be unable to comprehend not going to games in a 10 team SPL and will view those that have said they are chucking it with disappointment, they will view them as not being "true fans" (whatever that means) and will believe themselves to be "real" supporters. On the other side, there will be fans who will not stand for this shite, will not simply shrug their shoulders and plod along regardless, and will view those who will as being the very fans who's blind loyalty gives the clubs the freedom to shite all over us without response. There's no right or wrong, it's all opinion - but the fact that this has become the situation we now find ourselves in (both in terms of the Motherwell support, and Scottish football fans in general) sums up just how utterly ridiculous a situation this is. It'll be cup games and the odd league game for me, along with Scotland games. Going to see the 'Well playing in a league I was, along with 95% or so of football fans, staunchly against just doesn't appeal to me. Don't get me wrong, I'd love the vote to go tits up and for us to either remain with the 12 and look at the 14 more seriously (as it is a viable option, confirmed by Doncaster himself). But if it's to be 10 then so be it, I'll be gaining the gift of time.

Why do we need to opt for anything then? The 10 team SPL will drive away far more fans than some people seem to think, I have absolutely no doubt about that. But putting that aside, the vast majority of football fans do not want a 10 team SPL. I didn't think I would ever witness something so unanimous and something so wide-spread, including every Scottish club (including the Old Firm). If this goes ahead, the clubs might get a wee financial boost short-term, but long-term this will spell the end of Scottish football IMO. If our group of 7 or 8 stop going - which we've already decided we will (in fact, 2 or 3 already have started stopping going regularly) - and goes to watch junior football on a regular basis, where does that leave the generations of possible football fans resulting from our group years from now? Going with a 10 team league is going to completely alienate most Scottish football fans and drive a huge wedge between the majority of supporters and their clubs, a large number of whom will find something better to do on a Saturday (and there are many, many things that fall into that category. As I said earlier, if Motherwell vote for this then they should ditch the whole "community club" patter and pretending like the supporters matter. If a 16 team league is going to cost clubs too much money, and a 10 team league is going to cost clubs lifetime supporters - then I can't fathom why the status quo isn't preferred (perhaps with a few modifications) regardless of how poor it is at the moment. There are far, far more problems with Scottish football in general than the number of teams in the league anyway.

A 44 game "Championship" is a ridiculous suggestion. Can you imagine the chaos if we have another winter like we've just had?! Not to mention how fans of Queen of the South, Ross County, Partick Thistle etc are now going to have to fork out for more matches if they want to see their team play (I don't for a second believe prices will drop, if anything they'll increase - especially season tickets given there's more home games to be had). And, as has already been pointed out, the whole "Championship" (and "Premiership") chat is fucking cringe-worthy. It's actually laughable when you step back and look at the whole thing.

Why am I to blame?

And even then, I think you need to be extremely optimistic to think 3,000 will always come to Fir Park if this 10 team SPL comes into play. This is unlike anything else. The strength of feeling amongst Scottish football fans is huge and is spread right across every club. It's actually quite mental just how many folk have made it clear they won't be back at their respective clubs if these changes happen. Now, some of them will be full of shit. But I have no reason to believe that the majority are - especially 'Well fans. We actually spent a large chunk of the Inverness game on Saturday discussing which junior teams each of us will be supporting if the 10 team league comes into play. Nah, claiming that everything will be fine attendance-wise in a 10 team SPL is incredibly naive and anyone thinking along those lines is in for a nasty shock.