TheLip69

You have, inadvertently, hit the nail on the head. Jersey sponsorship does not auitomatically end with the contract, many supporters still wear their old shirts long afterwards. That's why the name on the jersey is so lucrative, not because of TV and the press, but because of the walking billboards. Sharp carried out a survey the season after they ended their sponsorship of Man Utd and found that at the beginning of the new season as many as 20% of the jersey's going through the gate still had Sharp on them, that took a big drop after Christmas but was still just under 10% at the end of the season. Manchester United actually use that survey as a negotiating tool. Granted we are not Man Utd but the results would probably be similar although on a smaller scale.

We were led to believe, on this very board by Ms Dempster, that a sponsorship deal was in place and an announcement would be made shortly that would be the envy of other clubs fans. Ms Dempster may have been a bit premature with her announcement but the fact that she felt safe to make the annopuncement suggests to me that the negotiations fell through at a particularly late stage. One of the main points of sponsorship is the name on the jerseys, if you release strips without a sponsor it means fewer strips on the street advertising the sponsors product and thereby affects the fee involved. I'm well aware that we dont get monies upfront when a sponsorship deal is agreed, some clubs do request a percentaghe though, but banks will be more than happy to fund purchases on the strength of a signed contract which is gauranteed income.

You can add Mike Galloway, Joe Craig, Simon Donnelly, Ronnie Glavin, Kirk Broadfoot, Stewart Kennedy, and Brian O'Neill to the list of Old Firm players who were capped purely through playing for the Old Firm. Stewart Kennedy is the worst 'keeper I have ever seen in a Scotland jersey, the rest are mainly one cap wonders, but Donnelly and Broadfoot one wonders how they got capped.

Possibly but a match against man City or Liverpool would probably have doubled that with the extra interest and TV revenue. I think retrospectively we were in a win win situation, splash a few bob on some experience and we get it back with a draw against a bigger club, or make it through to the group stages and get £1m straight into the bank. I also believe we had a cash flow problem due to the sponsorship deal falling through thus we were unable to bring in what was needed.

What was really scandalous was the fact that our best right back at the time won most of his caps at left-back. Danny McGrain was played at left back to accommodate Sandy Jardine on the right, and any time Jardine couldn't play, McGrain was at right back and in came Willie Donnachie, it was this set up that kept Joe Wark out of the Scotland side. Scandalous is exactly right.

It's hardly fair quoting that statistic, in the three years when McFadyen was at the top of his game, 1932-33-34, we only played 11 internationals and we had a settled side at the time with Jimmy McGrory and Bob McPhail the main strikers. The paucity of internationals is shown by the fact that McGrory only ever won 7 caps and McPhail 17, although his cap career lasted from 1927 to 1938. We didn't have any European Championships and qualification for World Cup qualifying didn't really start until the late 1940's so basically we had the Home internationals and the occasional friendly. Today if you're a half decent player you can have 50 caps by the time you are in your mid twenties, Darren Fletcher for instance. The likes of Willie Henderson, Jimmy Johnstone, Billy McNeill, Dave MacKay, Peter Lorimer, and Ian St John only ever got around the 20 mark. Not because they were any worse than Fletcher but because there were fewer matches and more competition for places.

I dont think I can ever foresee a time where I would desert the club I've supported for nigh on 50 years. However,there is nothing worse than getting yourself all built up for a big match and then finding that the team doesn't turn up on the night While the Nancy game was a case in point, there is no doubt they were a far better side than us so that outcome was never assured, but the Odense result is one I will find hard to get over. We had the beating of them over there, and were by far the better team. To compound that with an ineffectual display against one of the worst Celtic sides in living memory was an added kick in the teeth. I'm fed up seeing us go down with a whimper, it's soul destroying. When I saw the group that Odense got drawn into, I swear I heard the voice of Jim Bowen chortling "Look at what you could have won"

Dead right, I get more than a little pissed off at the stick Lasley gets. He works his socks off and shows consistently how anyone can accuse of him of hiding I'll never understand.

Can'rt disagree with that, I'm left wondering how much the fuck up on the sponsorship front led to us being unable to bring anyone else in. Selling the jerseys sponsor free shows either a disbelief in our ability to get someone on board, or a desperation for cash. Not good whichever way you look at it.

Hit the post, how the fuck. Don't they want to win it???????

Kick off 10 minutes away and I'm a complete bag of nerves. Come on Motherwell get into this mob, do us proud.

Into the pub for two o'clock have a few with some of the regulars, sort out the satellite for the City v Timisoara game and leave them to it, back home and on computer to seek out a stream somewhere, then back to pub to celebrate/drown sorrows (delete as appropriate). I was fairly calm until I read some of the posts on here, now I'm absolutely crapping myself with excitement. Come on Motherwell!!!!!

I've got quite a few decent tops and wear them fairly regularly especially the black Xara Polo shirt and quite a few people compliment me on the tops. I met a young guy in Gran Canaria a few years back and he was from London but he was wearing an old fashioned Partick Thistle top. He said he wasn't interested in Football but where he lived everybody wore footy tops and most of them were Chelsea, Spurs, and Man Utd (well it was North London) and he just wanted to be different. He had a Dunfermline top as well and wasn't too sure about how the claret and amber would look, that's why he bought the Thistle top, but after seeing mine he was going home to order a couple online. I like the colours and I like the fact that here in South Manchester I can guarantee I wont walk into someone else wearing one.

Maybe not but he should have cut the fucking ball out. Fukinell

You are correct she didn't have to explain anything and more importantly shouldn't have. The rest of your post is nonsense.

My current job involves brokering deals with many large financial institutions. I know how the game works.

Personally, I would like to hear an explanation. Leeanne was quick enough to come on here talking about a partnership with a company that would be inspirational and the envy of other clubs supporters. With the greatest of respect to Commsworld, they hardly fit the picture painted by Ms Dempster. I'm all for open and direct communication between the board and the fans, but, in her position, she should know better than to open her mouth and spout the kind of nonsense she did before the deal was finalised. It was totally unprofessional.

Celtic Dundee United Hearts Rangers Motherwell Aberdeen ICT Hibs St Johnstone Hamilton Kilmarnock St Mirren

What about the semi in 1969?

Not quite, but I get by on most things, and the drop in salary would upset my wife so I wont be applying for the position.

No surprise there then, as I am totally underwhelmed by the uninspiring Ms Dempster.

No, he should kick ass in the shop then come on here and tell us about it!

The picture advertising the sale of the shirts does not have a sponsor on it, so just ask for the shirt as advertised.

We look like a team that knows how to play European football though, 4 ties so far, 3 wins and a draw, 6 goals for and 1 against, and we've yet to concede from open play. Granted, Odense is a step up in class from what we've played so far, but then again we're a class above what we've played so far. Odense will not want to slip up at this stage so will probably play it a wee bit cagey, whereas we have nothing to lose we've got as far as we should and anything from here on in is a bonus. We've got a chance, and we're capable of taking it, that'll do me. Qualifying for the group stages will be up there with 1991 for me, I'm nervous already. Even if we don't a decent performance will set us up and give us a bit of confidence in the league.

No argument here.