Andy_P

When you consider how much we got and continue to get from players who have returned to the fold in the last decade from the likes of O'Donnell, Lasley, Hammell, Craigan and McFadden to name but five you are cutting your nose off to spite your face if your standards dictate you cannot countenance the return of someone like Sutton. I'm personally pretty happy our managers past and present haven't shared that thinking. That aside a fair bit to ponder about his mooted return. He was a streaky player in terms of goals in his first spell but as has already been stated there were periods where he was out of favour and times where was almost playing on the left wing so all things considered I think he had a very healthy time with us. Doubts? The Hearts spell hasn't been an isolated occurrence. There have been a few moves that haven't worked out for him. Could it be we were something of the right club at the right time for him and that time has now moved on? All things considered I'd go for it. Players capable of getting double figures in the SPL on a free aren't to be sniffed at. McCall was clearly able to get the best from him in the few months they worked together and much will still remain familiar to him from his time beforehand meaning a speedier settling period. So as a potential replacement for Higgy if he goes, why not? I also think because of signings a few years ago we are in danger of pinning too much hope on the perception there is a wealth of talent in England that we can tap into whenever we fancy. Seems to be becoming a bit of a staple response for some every time a 'known' player is linked to us not to ones liking. The budget we are operating with will reduce the pool of players in the English leagues within our means more and more each year.

A thought. How do the European fixtures slot in alongside the SPL? Are we due to be playing on the Thursdays before the first and second games? Some twisted logic perhaps but given that Celtic have already got the second weekend off to fuck off to Dublin on a jolly would it suit us to be their opponents that weekend to allow some recovery time after what could be a return from the other side of Europe? It has irritated me the way the SPL allowed this friendly thing to belittle the League programme - effectively all it is is to allow the Old Firm to make more money - but if there is a possibility of one of the diddy teams getting advantage from it then perhaps this is it. Ofcourse it could be argued that the extra games might help us hit our peak more quickly so we wouldn't want a break. As I say just a thought.

No doubt merely a further reminder for Ally as he eats his Sunday morning coco pops that Tom is out of contract and his old man would be quite partial for him to follow in his footsteps.

Whilst I believe it's an email that should have been sent as soon as the issue was identified I'm pleased to see the latest communication from the 'Well Society Board. It gives a bit of the clarity I had been looking for since the article was published in the Ross County programme. I would fully expect the changes to be approved so the original intention of loaning funds to MFC rather than having to purchase shares becomes possible. But the fact that the board did not seem to have been aware of the legalities of carrying out one of its key functions in the manner anticipated and that only some months later are they being addressed, or at least communicated does not instil great confidence I'm afraid.

Think Andy Gray also calls Rowan Alexander - Rowan Atkinson as well during that very commentary.

First thought there is that it's just a shame it wasn't on a Saturday. Everton's visits have illustrated there can be could away supports to be tapped into from English top flight teams within close travelling distance of Fir Park.

Honest to fuck. Let's actually sign these players before we are kicking them out the door for failing to meet our own personal high standards.

The more I learn the more unclear about things I become, either that or I have well off the mark in my understanding of how the Well Society would operate in conjuction with the club. My interpretation was the shares were benefacted by John Boyle to Motherwell FC to be used to move the club towards fan ownership and never again would one single person have overall control etc. I got the clear impression that these shares would be transferred to the Well Society when it reached a particular stage in its development. For example we had to achieve the £250,000 to demonstrate enough interest to actually have the Society constituted. Thereafter Well Society board members would become part of the Motherwell FC board and further control would gradually be passed in stages as sufficient finance was accrued to demonstrate the Society had the financial capabilities until full control would eventually be passed to the Society. I don't ever recall hearing that to receive those shares the Well Society actually had to buy them from the club. The discussion around financial support seemed to suggest that the Well Society would act as a form of interest free overdraft for Motherwell FC, the period between January and the end of the season being specifically mentioned. And when the club received monies due from the SPL and others generally towards the summer months, those funds that had been supplied by the Well Society to support the club in that difficult time would be returned. This would not seem to be the case going by recent events and leaves me somewhat confused as to what target we are working towards to take full control, and how the actual workings of any financial support provided by the Well Society is conducted. I get the impression I'm not alone in that regard. For me it would do no harm at all for the a bit of clearing up on these matters by the Well Society board here so confidence built up in the Society is not lost.

Another handful of posts will see you right to use the PM facility but I know Brazilian has been in contact with a few folk about the Player Sponsorship via email so I'm sure he'll be happy to hear from you via that if you prefer.

Bung me down for a tenner initially please. I'll fire it over once when I'm back my hols in a couple of weeks.

I think it's also helped Stevie's favour that he's been doing his coaching badges this week at Largs so won't have hit the beer/beach/burgers as some other candidates might already have. I'd say there have been times in his career where he has been fully deserving of a further cap or two but for whatever reason hasn't happened. So whilst a few things might have fallen neatly into place to get him in with a shout this time over the piece he's been due more than those 15 minutes or whatever it was against Sweden. Good luck Stevie!!

You'll be able to get one fine at the start of August. Remember that the season doesn't kick off this year until 3rd August anyway so it might even be the 11th August before we have a home game. There's no way the club will knock back your £xxx.

I get the same on my phone (Galaxy S3). And this is also my resolution to the problem.

I can't believe some people are actually taking this thread with any credence and reacting as if it were a genuine question. If you haven't picked up on it from the thread the original claim about Motherwell fans havng Rangers or Celtic leanings was posted in, or clicked having read the topic title which states "ludicrous" in it as a clue, or even got a sense it wasn't genuine from the explanation that has been given at least twice during the thread..... IT WAS TO ILLUSTRATE A POINT - IT WAS NEVER A SERIOUS QUESTION! But aye, point has been well made, or should have been at least. We all agree, well amost all agree, that the notion that Motherwell fans have leaning towards Rangers or Celtic has been thoroughly disproved.

A thought. The original package was put together by MFC before the Well Society was even constituted, now ofcourse we have a fully functioning Society completed with its own board. Obviously any changes would need to be done in conjunction with the club but perhaps the suggestion to look again at the package for exiles should now be raised directly with one of the Well Society board?

Off topic... McStay missed the penalty! McStay missed the penalty! McStay missed the penalty! McStay missed the penalty! McStay missed the penalty..... etc. etc, Return to topic

I actually think Tom Hateley will turn out to be a Rab Shannon type player where you won't really appreciate what you've had until its gone. Not startling by any manner of means but I think he's a very competent SPL level full-back with the added bonus of chipping in with a few assists. I'd say he enjoys a level of press, through association, that other players of a similar standard miss out on but I think he'll be a bigger loss when he goes than some might imagine.

Great suggestion underboyleheating! Lots of us have large Motherwell memorabilia collections, others have just one or two special souvenirs that they keep. Either way share your favourites in this thread and lets see what wee bits of Motherwell history you have hidden away....

That's a slightly different crest from the one I was expecting. I can only guess the one I was thinking of must have been in match programmes from the 1970's. That was more in line with the badge that I think SD is describing. Loving the images of the scarves though. A nice shap shot of Motherwell history. Again though I was actually expecting you to post a slightly different scarf that I remember being passed down to me by the old man. The one I thought you were going to post had two sides, the back of it was completely claret. It was almost like an insert sewn on to the back of the scarf which itself was a rather horrible shade of amber with thin claret pinstripes. The scarf had some kind of print on it, albeit pretty faded by the time it was passed on to me. On a slightly similar theme as regards the badge/shield again when I was young I was given this quite odd Motherwell badge as a gift. It was an A4 sized board with claret felt covering it with loads of pins/nails on it in the shape of a shield with claret and and amber thread woven all around these nails/pains. Very tricky to accurately describe actually. Sadly another piece of memorabilia that was placed in the hands someone not fully able to appreciate it until it was too late.

Clearly you are imagining the likes of Manchester Utd turning up at a packed Fir Park with live coverage across the nation. You remember that Matt Busby thing a couple of years ago where Fergie sent a youth team and one or two reserves. There's your UK Super Cup for you. Give me the pishy Scottish League Cup every time.

I don' think a UK Super Cup would be very super at all.

Sure. Jim Jefferies who was managing Berwick Rangers about as late on as 1990 I think and by the turn of the next decade had won the cup with Hearts and was managing Bradford in the English top flight. Owen Coyle started his managerial career as co-manager with Falkirk and has gone on to manage two sides in the English top flight. There's the trio from Cowdenbeath. The aforementioned bawbag Levein who started at Cowdenbeath and went on to manage in the Scottish top flight and took charge of the Scottish national team. Danny Lennon won two successive promotions with Cowdenbeath, went to St Mirren where he has lead them to a national trophy for the first time since 1987. Mixu Paatelainen started at the Blue Brazil and has gone on to manage two Scottish sides in the SPL and is, or was, manager of the Finnish national team. I certainly don't disagree with your assertion that the jump from managing an Alloa or Cowdenbeath is a huge leap to move to where we currently are as runners-up and Europe bound. But there are examples of managers who have gone on to have pretty decent careers from rather modest beginnings so I wouldn't automatically dismiss anyone without a closer look at what they have to offer.

My hope is that McCall being on the shortlist at Brammall Lane is not exclusively because of his success at Fir Park but that clubs know that considering a relatively popular former player often goes down well with a support. I'm hoping that ultimately they share the arrogance of some of their supporters and deem his success in the SPL to be too wee and insignificant to warrant a shot at their "big" club. As for McCall I did have some reservations that he would extend his contract. With the exception of winning a trophy he is pretty much at the ceiling of what most managers would hope to achieve at a non-Old Firm club. And with a budget cut to come, several of his players looking to move on for greater rewards or a fresh challenge, really, if he was going to go out with his reputation at its peak then this close season is surely going to be that optimum time. But he signed the new contract, he says he's happy so fingers crossed that between the new package he has signed up to allied to the environment he clearly enjoys working in, that will be enough to persuade him to hang around a while longer. If it comes to it I wouldn't dismiss the likes of Johnston at QOtS, Hartley or even perhaps Colin Cameron. Clearly managers have to start somewhere and there is plenty evidence of guys who have cut their teeth in the Scottish lower divisions who have gone on to make a decent fist of it in management. Our own Tommy McLean for example had a season at Morton before taking over at Fir Park, albeit we were in the First Division ourselves at that point. There is a concern that neither of Johnston or Hartley have as yet had their managerial skills tested in any period of adversity but then I suppose neither had McLean at the point he came to Motherwell. But that's perhaps a debate for another day. Just now I'm hoping that Sheffield Utd make an appointment, that isn't McCall, as quickly as possible so that we can get on with our preparations for next season without fretting about who is going to be in charge.

Hello MelvinBragg....someone's talking to you....

Kevin Christie! Fuck me!! Could ping an inch perfect 45 cross field pass like it was the easiest thing in the world and the next time he had possession fail to find his man three feet away. What a magnificently howling lumbering ogre like defender he was. And how apt he turned up at Airdrie pretty quickly afterwards!