milo

Straight doon we go then. I don't see any other provincial team punting their best players asap though do you? What are we doing behind the scenes that means we have to sell every player we have but the others don't? Surely every team must be feeling the pinch?

Absolutely gutted. I still think it's suicide to sell Clarky. The only thing that would be even madder from our point of view is if none of the money received wasn't invested in new replacement players. To which Boyle makes no mention of in his statement.

Perhaps we'll see a u-turn from McLean if Quinn is leaving?

That's a shame to hear actually. I think the new strip is great in design, but having seen it up close I thought it looked a bit "cheap". Will need to see it again though. Last seasons socks fell apart after one wash. The shop exchanged them and the next pair fell part too. After that I gave up.

I take your points but after the sale of Porter, the 3rd place finish, the Cooper to the Old Firm, the profit from Paterson/Hammell deal, apparently we had a sell on clause for McCulloch when he went to Rangers(?), the removal of Boab from the wage bill, compensation for McGhee (depending on Gannons salary) surely we should be in a reasonable financial footing?! Obviously I know nothing about the finer details of all these things, but the starting line up from the other day there should really drive home the point we are in no position to sell anyone before others are brought in? I know that Quinn, Clarky and Reynolds are entering the last year of their contract and the other players contracts had ran out, but there I blame Boyle and McGhee for having no long term plan beyond last season for the club, for which questions should be asked. Clarky, Quinn, Reynolds could all have been asked to sign improved new deals, but on the strength that if someone came in they could go, ensuring the club got a decent fee but didn't deny the player his move. Even Scott McDonald after scoring those 2 (wonderful) goals that day and started to attract attention signed a 2 and a half year deal on the eve of that 4-4 draw with Celtic. All the Hibs prospects Brown, Thompson, Fletcher did that. hence why the first 2 did, and Fletcher almost certainly will go for silly money.

First off. Never heard of Jim Gannon, but if he beat the likes of Sanchez, Staunton, Boothroyd, McAllister and Nijholt (the last two never really being in the running apparently though) then he must have something special to offer and I await the official press conference with baited breath. This excitement is neutralized in the extreme however.... ......the sale of Clarkson AND Quinn, coupled with the loss of McLean, Klimpl, Hughes, Buzz, Boab and possibly Reynolds is utter suicide, and I think we deserve an explanation from Boyle regarding the selling of these players considering the circumstances. The money brought in from the sale of these players however absolutely HAS to be re-invested in replacements!!! Who knows if this will happen? But it absolutely has for the sake of the clubs SPL status. Nae excuses. Just look at that starting line up from the bounce game. Jesus Christ!!! How long before that team starting every week has us marrooned at the bottom! We knew we had a threadbare squad before Clarky and Quinn were sold, so to sell them, with no replacements available is utter folly. Gannon will need to be a miracle worker to bring in the players needed in time for the season starting. Why the fuck should we buy a season ticket now? The Setanta money falling through being a justifiable reason doesn't cut it for me. Where's the money from Porter? Accies still have their prize assets McCarty, McArthur and Easton. St Mirren still have Andy "I single handedly ket them in the SPL" Dorman, so why are we flogging our best players asap after already seeing the squad stripped to the bare bones? It's fucking bullshit. A least try and induce some sort of bidding war to get the over the odds money that teams are paying these days for players! We don't need Jim Gannon, we need Jesus if we're to stay up barring the major influx of players needed.

So that's Reynolds, Quinn, and McLean away then? Fuck me. A week ago the defence was the one area we didn't have to worry about!

Pleased for the guys that are planning to go. Take your boots, the way things are going you might get a game.

I was the same. Until the imminent, likely, and according to some, concluded deals of Clarky and Quinn, on paper at least, our starting 11 wasn't too bad. That has all changed now, and I'm now getting pretty panicy about the apparent lack of progress on the manager front. I think we've been kept in the dark quite a bit. An appointment has to be made by the end of the week surely?

As Melvin Bragg said, the money brought in from selling Clarkson has to measured against what we would lose if we were to be relegated. Which is what will happen. Had Hughes, Buzz, Klimpl, possibly and worryingly increasingly looking like McLean NOT been leaving then you would maybe be able to hold your hands up and say "Fair enough". But not like this. It's absolute suicide! Someone, once again, has been asleep at the wheel at Motherwell in terms of forward planning. McGhee must shoulder a huge ammount of this blame, but Boyle also will be involved in the dealing of contracts surely? To whose benefit is this current situation? If the fans can see it coming then surely the powers that be can? Anyone who thinks they new manager will be given a substantial chunk of money to replace these players should put down their crack pipe! None of Porters money was invested in the squad. Even St Mirren have managed to sign Higdon and Mair. Two players that would walk into Motherwells team. Gutted if Clarkson leaves. Can't deny him his move and has been a fantastic servant to us. The timing is worse than abysmal though.

Every other team has a manager, hasn't lost 4 or 5 first team regulars and had the remainder of their thread bare first team squad rushed back early for what ammounts to glorified friendlies.

If it turns out Clarky is away, we might aswell abandon all hope before a ball is even kicked in anger and look forward to the first division!

Are you sure?

When McGhee left, we should've withdrew from Europe. It is just a massive inconvenience of the highest order in which we are more than likely going to be prepared for in the most amatuerish way possible. We won't attract any players, let alone a higher calibre, on the back of it, it forces the players back from last season far too early risking burnout later on in the year, and serves no purpose other than the opportunity for fans to travel to and get pissed in a different place. Which as much as it's good fun, it has no importance in the grand scheme of things whatsoever. And just like Nancy last year, there appears to be ticket problems again.

I lay the blame for this threadbare squad and others being allowed to enter the final year of their contracts in this way squarely at the door of Mark McGhee. It is absolutely disgusting the state he has left the first team squad in and for this he deserves a huge ammount of criticism, which he won't get of course.

Aye, and the money we got for Porter was re-invested in the squad eh? Who did we get in January when Porter moved? A loan-ee from the mhankies as McGhee tried to suck up to them and a boy from Birmingham who never so much as kicked a ball in anger!!! Money well spent? Any money we get for Clarky/Quinn?etc WON'T be used to buy able replacements. We have just received £200k in compensation, shifted Klimpl, Hughes, Buzz, Boab and I pray not, but it's looks likely McLeans wages off the wage bill, and still I fear we will have apparently no money to replace them.

That's a good point actually. Nijholt and McAllisters names seem to be getting mentioned less and less in the papers now though. Except perhaps only to say they are no longer in the running.

Is that 100%? Fuck sake if it is! That said Dargo has done hee haw for them and we lamented missiing out on him. I'd say a striker is a priority for us, unless we plan on Clarkson and Sutton never getting injured, suspended or god forbid, ....sold! If St Mirren can hold on to Dorman they may have the makings of a half decent team there. That said, 3 years back in the SPL and 3 relegation battles. 4th time lucky hopefully then.....

I'm glad you've been scouring "The fox and hound" etc for information, as it's more than we've been given to go on up here! Nijholt, or McAllister were/are my preferred choices. Sanchez surely can't be sniffed at, and that article seems to rate the man Gannon pretty highly. I don't know. If we got any of them, we surely couldn't moan that much? Could we? All woul have their pros and cons. Staunton would be the one I would receive least favourably. What I will moan about though is if this drags on any longer than the 2 week "official leaving date" anniversary of lying shovelface mcsheepymehs departure......

Hopefully this seasons socks won't fall apart after one wash aswell.

I'm glad I can't go to the away leg now. Takes all this worrying over tickets we had for Nancy away from me. Also has the added bonus of not being attempted to be intimidated by all the hard men you never see at games anymore trying to fight everyone in sight for no reason.

What will we do with all the Slovakian flags we bought to show support now? Fuck 'im! I'm gonna burn mine now!

Any mention anywhere of Klimpl being happy to stay on at 'Well? Or is that a non starter to even begin with?

We should never take anything for granted. This is Motherwell remember for fucks sake!!! I think it's extremely disrespectful to call smaller teams "shit", our squad is so threadbare we can barely field a starting 11(Thanks Mutley), our best players contacts are running down, (Thanks Mutley) and we have no manager!!! How anyone can think this is in the bag is beyond me!!

So what's the script with McLean then? Is he off?