Andy_P

Just the same poster, posting the same thing twice is it not?

Your thoughts and votes please...

Your thoughts and votes please...

It was sadly done by the time those last two games came around. We followed up the win over Rangers by just about securing a UEFA Cup place at home to Kilmarnock but then lost to Dundee Utd and that was pretty much it in terms of the title. In my minds eye, having been so important all season Sieb didn't cover himself in glory for at least one of Utd's goals that night. I seem to remember the UEFA place being confirmed following a game between Celtic and Hibs, perhaps a night or two later, and the last couple of games were then academic. Mathematically we might still have had a chance going into the final two games but the difference in goal difference was such it was never going to happen and I think that was reflected in the scorelines. The Raith game was shooty-in for both sides (with a mini pitch invasion following it) but St Johnstone came still with a chance of avoiding the drop and were much more up for it than us. But that night against Rangers was pretty special.

Some of that I agree with. Some less so. I can't say I loathe him. Even though things didn't work as well as they might I always thought McLeish was a really good bloke. Any dealings I had with him he was friendly, happy to give of his time and pretty open and honest. You're absolutely right though in that I can barely recall a Motherwell manager getting the same "protection" in the media. The further down the table we went the more he seemed to be talked up as this terrific promising young manager. I remember him being linked with a move away around the time we to Parkhead and got smashed 5-0. You might have thought some questions might have been asked but no the line was that Motherwell fans should be doing everything they could to encourage this great young manager in the making to stay. He was sensible enough to continue to let McLean's team do its stuff but when that twenty odd game domestic run came to a halt the slide was never really halted. We did enough to finish second of course but the second half of that saw saw a 6-1 loss to Dundee Utd who were relegated and 3-0 to Falkirk who were fighting relegation and that was as good as it would ever be. The most curious thing of his reign was the amount of money he had to spend. And to this day it remains baffling that Tommy McLean moved on supposedly because Motherwell wouldn't match his ambitions yet the club were seemingly happy gave a managerial novice free reign to spend something like £1m - £1.5m. There's no question in my mind though that clubs knew we had the Phil O'Donnell money and we literally paid the price. I tend to think when set in the context of the time most of his signings made some sense even if many were overpriced and plenty didn't work out. Scott Howie for example was a former Scotland U21 goalkeeper tipped for big things but he never fulfilled his potential. Hendry had scored goals in the English top flight and was reasonably highly related. McSkimming and May were both arguably performing at the peak of their careers when he signed them. It wasn't all bad. He brought Valakari to the club, spotted something in Craigan and brought him over from NI, the likes of Coyle and Falconer were decent signings and gave us something when needed and he played a fair part in the development of the likes of McCulloch and McMillan who would latterly earn the club a fair bit. I think the likes of Hibs and Rangers certainly benefited from him cutting his teeth at Motherwell and you're right when his time at Fir Park was up he went away better for the experience whilst we were some way back from where we'd been when he first walked in the door.

We've certainly played in Mexico but not sure if it was against the Mexican national team. Around the mid-seventies. I can't remember where I saw it (might have been when Scotland played there in a summer) but there's a Motherwell pennant on a wall somewhere in the Azteca Stadium because we've played there.

It remains to be seen but it kind of felt like St Johnstone's cloak of invincibility had been torn to pieces when we finally managed to beat them in Perth in December. That and the fact Steven "fucking" MacLean is no longer with them to routinely to score half of the goals they managed to put past us.

Well since two of the 'Well Society Board are also on the Club Board then I'd like to think they'll have an idea of the processes involved yes. Do I think they would discuss the specifics of an individual's contract offer? Absolutely not. Do I think they would give you a general insight into the process of who from the youths is offered a contract and what entails thereafter, yes I do.

Just a thought. The 'Well Society do a (monthly?) 'Set the Agenda' session where you can ask all sorts. Now I don't for a second think anyone is going to divulge specifics but given the discussion maybe there's a question or two that could be asked about the strategy behind the contract offers and what factors then come into play before the offer is either signed or declined.

Your thoughts and votes please...

Me agreeing or disagreeing with what he says doesn't come into it - although I'm sure you'll have seen me respond to his posts plenty of times. But you're going to the bother of name-checking him every few posts trying to get a reaction from him. What might have originally been "banter" has become boring. In feeding the troll you're on the way to becoming one yourself.

Smiddy - Yodo. Your daily wee exchanges are becoming a right pain in the arse for everyone. Gonnae rap it please.

It's been difficult for Grimshaw to show any consistency for much of his time at Motherwell simply because he's rarely had the run of games needed to be able to show consistency. It's perhaps no coincidence that his two best spells at the club, towards the end of his original loan and now, have come after he's been selected regularly for a good 7,8,9 or however many games in succession. I can't disagree that Tait is the best right-back at the club currently and that left-back remains a position to be filled, but right now it's Grimshaw's position to lose and the more he plays there the more comfortable and accomplished he looks in the role.

And a new contract for George Newell especially for you.....

Nice to keep the push for a top half finish alive and to put Accies in their place once more. Enjoyable debate about the formation as it is and what we do moving forward. I agree that Main appears the most suitable candidate to play the lone striker role as it stands, and whilst the goals aren't exactly flowing, he more often than not makes a contribution and has played his part in the recent good run. There's a debate to be had about when to best introduce James Scott more regularly into the side from the start. Perhaps when the battle for the top six is concluded one way or another that may be the point he starts more regularly. That said I also agree with the view that we should already be looking to how we improve the personnel, not just Main, and look to tweak, adapt or have an alternative formation when teams find ways of countering what our players do individually and collectively. We can't sit back and think we've hit upon a successful formation and style of play and we can toddle along merrily forever. Robinson made the point himself last week about how the formation and tactics he used last season became increasingly more redundant as more of the personnel that made it work moved on and other sides became more adept at countering it, so I'm pleased there is that awareness.

Your thoughts and votes please...

I've heard lots of talk about an apparent new style of play adopted by Hamilton since their new manager took over where they seem more keen to take the game to the opposition. If they do actually come over and try to attack us rather than sitting back and choking the game hoping to sneak it then with the pace and trickery we have I can't help thinking that will play into our hands. He said hopefully...

https://spfl.co.uk/news/malpas-named-manager-of-month-2007-03-05

Your thoughts and votes please...

He's a Killie fan Dave. He's referring to them.

Look back on the club's Twitter feed but I'm pretty sure they said you could do all remaining games, or all remaining away games or something. So I'm sure it will be.

You do realise the claim about saying nothing can be disproved after about 40 seconds checking online? He might have put it more tactfully than you may have liked (or maybe not - I'm sure you would have used any hot headed or aggressive answer as an example of his character when you were happy to chuck him under a bus for the apparent bullying of an Oldham player) but Robinson makes the point clearly it wasn't a penalty and the sending off was wrong. And Burrows is on the SPFL board not the SFA.

Do you remember how we raised the issues after the League Cup Final....and three days later they get a questionable penalty against us to save them with two minutes to go? Do you remember Burrows voicing his frustration and Rogers and the media roundly mocking him and his laptop footage in the days after? Do you remember the red card Kipre got for nothing in the following game at Fir Park? Highlight it, scream blue murder all you want it'll get turned right back on you by the media who are quite happy to keep an issue on the boil to sell papers or get clicks or a referee pissed because you've had the temerity to highlight their colleagues ineptitude and ultimately it'll most likely make fuck all difference. Or you do the smart thing. Make them all believe you are full of contrition and it's been a terrible mistake and a big learning curve and there is little more they can add. Some of the immediate heat is taken off Scott and time is bought to formulate a response where Robinson can prepare more fully for the inevitable questions that will come in the Kilmarnock pressures.

Your thoughts and votes please...

Of course though more than ever at that juncture since we were heavily in debt, there reports in newspapers about us seriously considering having to go part-time with even some concerns about the viability of the club, our hands were forced. McClair and Walker were other more notable examples , Dornan and Forbes possibly a little less so, but all went without us not perhaps getting what we perhaps might have. There is a debate to be had about whether we are getting it right with the younger players in the squad, and history will tell whether Kipre went at the right price, but certainly encouraging in recent times how the likes of Heneghan, Moult and Johnson went on terms we were happy with (if not all perhaps at times we were happy with).