TheLip69

I have to say, I'm more excited about this appointment than I thought i'd be, he said all the right things in that interview and it didn't come over, like most do, as if it had been prepared. He took the questions in his stride answered them calmly and thoughtfully. I like the cut of his jib and didn't the pitch look a treat. I no longer care about Europe, I'm desperate to see how he cuts it in the league.

When I first moved down to Manchester it was to work in a place in Stockport called Heaton Mersey and a few of the guys who worked there were Stockport fans and at the time they had a cracking side. Anyway I was staying in a hotel during the week and travelling back to Cleland at weekends. As I wasn't around on a Saturday they took me to a midweek match against Plymouth, I remember it because Bruce Grobelaar was in goals for Plymouth and he was taking a bit of stick about the match fixing allegations at the time. However Stockport took an early lead and eventually won 3-1, they had a cracking side then a wee bald midfield man called Chris Marsden who could run all day, Brett Angell and Alun Armstrong in attack, guys like Tony Dinning, Mike Flynn, and Jim Gannon, and they had a terrific 'keeper in Paul Jones. Gannon scored twice that night and Armstrong got the third and Stockport went on to have a bloody great season. They had a great run in the League Cup all the way to the semi-final where they lost 2-0 at home to Middlesboro and beat them 1-0 away, putting out Sheffield Utd, Blackburn, West Ham, and Southampton on the way. I remember it vividly because the whole office was going mental at the time and I had never seen that kind of thing before.

Business keeps me in Manchester over the next couple of weeks, so I cant get up for the home leg or down to the away leg. I'm boiling mad but it cant be helped, all the staff holidays were booked before we found out we'd made it into the Europa Cup.

I'm more than a wee bit upset at this, I had hoped Clarky would stick around a wee bit longer but realised that now was probably the best time for him to make the break. Still doesn't make me feel any better that we've lost probably our most influential player. I can honestly say that I've very rarely felt this way when a player, in fact I can only remember three times. When Dixie Deans and Uncle Phil left for Celtic were the two other occasions.

Yes but did you see the amount he took off the wage bill yesterday.

I get the point but who's to say that the sale of these players was not part of the long-term plan. Normally when players reach the final stages of their contract they are sounded out about whether they want to stay or would look to move on. I wouldn't be surprised if Clarky felt that now was the time to move on and maybe get a little cash in for the club at the same time. Quinn, I believe, needs to get away from the goldfish bowl around here it doesn't surprise me he is moving on. To be perfectly honest I think our first team squad needs freshening up, McGhee was wont to say that he wouldn't bring in any players who weren't better than what we already had, admirable sentiment, but pathetically naive. We dont operate at that end of the market and the squad didn't need improving it needed refreshing.

Bloody idiot I always got those two mixed uo, it was August 2006 that Hamilton went to Dunfermline.

I'm pretty sure the Irish guys all came in the January transfer window in 2007 and didn't Paterson sign for Plymouth on the last day of the January 2008 transfer window.

Behave yourself for god's sake, for my money Boyle's doing a terrific job. It's a time of change at our club and I think it was needed, a few of our players looked quite jaded last year, and with no TV money on the horizon for next season we really need to cash in on our assets. Rather than being disappointed at players leaving the club, Clarkson apart, I am quite excited by the new regime coming in and making some much needed changes. As for the pitch, it's standard procedure to photograph the separate stages of major work like this, for insurance purposes mainly, and the fact that the club are putting them up on the website and keeping us up to date with every move is admirable. It may not be to everyone's taste but some of us are enjoying the updates and regular info, let's face it, after the players there is nothing more important at a Football Club than the pitch.

Best of luck to him, to be honest I would have been happy with him Sanchez or Boothroyd. In truth my feelings about the appointment was really along the lines of "anyone but Nijholt", I still can't fathom why so many people wanted him.

Was Nijholt interviewed? If he was I can't see it being anything other than a courtesy interview. I've never understood this clamour for Nijholt as boss. His experience at managerial level is negligible to say the least yet everyone seems to point to his experience with kids as if if were proof the guy was capable of managing a top flight side. Had Nijholt got the job I would have had serious doubts about JB's sanity. Boothroyd or Sanchez would do me, although I wouldn't be too upset at Jim Gannon. Steve Staunton leaves me cold however.

How would it be a risk, Ricky Sbragia is one of the best coaches in Britain if not Europe. That, however, is where his talent begins and ends, he's not a motivator, he's not a man manager, and that's why he's no longer a manager. Employing Sbragia as a coach would be a coup, not a risk. Nijholt, now there's a risk.

Fabulous effort Angie, really excellent it all bodes well for the future. Make sure the lassies know how much it's appreciated. All the best.

Excellent, throughly enjoyed the wee scout through the site. Will have alonger stay next time. I see you're on Bebo any chance of it going on facebook.

I'm not so sure there was a wee smirk on Gary's face as he spoke, there's more going on there than what was said.

I can't believe some of you are putting any faith in an articler in the Sunday Post, for heavens sake about the most realistic thing in that paper is Oor Wullie. It's never quite had it's finger on the pulse of football, even when one of our top refs, Bob Valentine, worked for them. Is the Hon Man still on the go? Has Francis Gay still got his wee column? The Sunday post is a pile of shite, I knew a man who used to make up the stories for the middle pages. The guy's full time job was as a scriptwriter and these stories were commissioned every week.

Virgin TV were complaining about the charges from Sky and decided not to pay the extortionate amounts Sky were asking for their Premium Channels. Thus Virgin customers did not get Sky Sports News or Sky Sports One for several months. This also led to Sky putting some Champions league matches on both those channels purely to stick two fingers up to Virgin and their customers. At the same time pestering Virgin customers to switch to Sky. This encouraged setanta to bring forward their plans for a Sportsd News channel and Virgin promoted it for weeks leading up to it's first broadcast, and believe me when you haven't had a news channel for months it was more than welcome. However, Sky were quick to settle their problems with Virgin and we quickly got Sky Sports news back, people quickly returned to what they were used to signalling the beginning of the end for Setanta. Call me a cynic but I believe Sky baited the hook and reeled them in.

I know there is a tendency to do ourselves down, but in Scottish Football we are a kind of sleeping giant. In recent times the big teams have always been the Old Firm, the New Firm, and the Edinburgh twosome, with orselves and Kilmarnock bubbling under. The fact is although we finished in the bottom six we were so far ahead of the other 5 it was ridiculous. We do have a fair smattering of talent, and we have the bare bones of a half decent team, any manager worth his salt would be able to see that. Add in the prospect of European football and a Chairman who lets you get on with the job, and you can see why it is an exciting prospect for anyone. In truth we only have to be the best of the rest for success, and most of the lads still at Fir Park have already acheived that and know what it takes to do it again.

I understood the point he was making as well, but he couldn't have got it more wrong if he'd tried. His use of language, his timing, and his lack of sympathy, all at a time that was very emotional for most Motherwell fans, did him no favours. As I said, I can understand the point he was making, but I can also understand why Motherwell fans see him as a pariah. To be honest I'm with them on this one, thoughtlessness is one thing, stupidity quite another.

Maybe because the two clubs who were looking at him, Colchester and Motherwell both had managers quote for the Celtic post and inevitably this delayed his move.

I'm a Motherwell fan I'd cheer them on if they were wearing bin sacks. I'm entitled to an opinion on the strips and the manager the fact that I might not like either of them still wont stop me from backing the team 100%.

Good luck to the lassies and well done Angie. All the best for today.

Phil O'Donnell was a man and a player for whom no-one had a bad word, it showed in the the general out pouring of grief at his passing the tributes and eulogies all attested to his warmth, kindness, and humility. The generosity of eberyone throughout teh footballing world was heartwarming at such a sombre time, I cant be the only Motherwell fan who found a tear slipping down his cheek as he watched James McFadden score for Evertyon and run towards the crowd pointing to his black armband. The one dissenting voice in all of this was Calderwood, that's probably the reason he is being so vilified. No-one is denying that Calderwood deserves an opinion, but surely, if only for decency's sake, he should have kept that opinion until after it was all over and then made it public. By voicing his opinion at the time and in the way he did " the fact it was a boy from Scotland" was condescending to say the least, and was seen as a personal attack on Phil O'Donnell. In retrospect who can blame them. The only really ridiculous thing is that Colin Calderwood had the gall to apply for the position in the first place.

Every year I look forward to the new season with a mixture of joyful anticipation and absolute terror. Will this be our year in the cups? Can we sustain a challenge in the league? Can we avoid a relegation battle? Can we avoid going out of the Cup to the likes of Alloa or Queen's Park? That's the thing about being a Motherwell fan we're never quite sure how we'll perform from one season to the next. It's no coincidence that muy stomach starts playing up around about this time of year. The truth is I love it and wouldn't have it any other way.