bigshinyhead

I was told yesterday tickets would be on sale right up to kick-off and there were 6000 left. Also told that the ticket office was open on Saturday from 10am - 2pm. Not too worried about getting a ticket.

No, you're right enough. He's just not 'Motherwell minded' (spoken with nasal twang). Fuck whether anybody can do the job, the first question at any interview should be 'and who do you support then?'

Haven't read all comments so may repeat other views. The problem with fitba' is that as a business model it's unviable. Too many clubs run at a massive loss and survive due to a super-rich owner pouring cash in. This happens less in Scotland now (if at all) but is prevalent in England due to the massive profile of the Premiership. In fact, the amount of money in the Premiership is a massive part of the problem we're facing as the cash filters down the English leagues meaning that most teams in the SPL can't match the wages in League 1 or even League 2. This means that it's difficult to hold on to players and almost impossible to attract them in the first place unless it's on loan. How many supporters scream at club owners to make more funds available? What they’re really saying is ‘make my club run at an even bigger loss and use your cash to plug the gap.’ The same supporters can also be heard moaning about ticket prices when the reality is that it’s impossible to run a top-flight football team on the income of 4000 supporters per home game alone so the teams look for more income and TV is the most obvious source. Good TV coverage can also increase sponsor revenues. Now, like it or not, the TV companies are only interested in showing 2 teams in Scotland. They want to maximise the number of games these teams play each other and that means maximising the number of games every team plays each other, hence a 10-team structure. Smaller clubs also want the revenue from the home games against these teams which can easily be 2 – 3 times a normal home gate. Because of this Rangers and Celtic are able to call the shots and the other teams have to bend over or face financial ruin so we end up with a product which none of us wants, the Old Firm retain their stranglehold on the game and the fitba’s utterly rank. The only benefit for the rest of us is that our clubs stay in business but with absolutely zero chance of ever winning fuck all. The only prize is 3rd place and a Europa league slot which will end in September when we eventually face proper opposition. Neil Doncaster was specifically asked last night on the radio if Sky had an input into this reconstruction and he totally evaded the question which was all the admission that was required. It’s possible that a more attractive bigger league will gradually increases attendances and, subsequently, income but in the grip of a recession, nobody’s going to take that risk and it’s probably unlikely to fully substitute whatever TV deal is undoubtedly on the table. I’d advocate a 2-team top tier as a solution.

Maybe we could hold him down and tickle his feet until he gives in.

Don't know about fitba' which seems to have it's own set of rules, but in any other industry it would be highly unethical for an agent/headhunter/professional arsehole* to approach a prospective employer on somebody's behalf without the applicant's prior permission. *Delete as applicable.

You're thinking of the S'lapperres.

What a load of old wank that was. Totally anti-Motherwell. We get turned over but it's our fault for not preventing it? He's exactly the sort of twat who would say a rape victim was to blame for wearing a short skirt. I was actually starting to calm down before I read that spunkstain of an article.

I'm just bitterly disappointed, that's all. We're a small club who have been punching above our weight for a few years now and because of this managers will inevitably use us as a stepping stone to something 'bigger'. I thought that, for once, we didn't have that with Jack and Victor and that's why I'm even more disappointed in them than I was in McGhee. I sincerely hope they go down now but sadly I don't think they will.

That's just reporting the Pish & Jurinal article.

Despite the uncertainty (not to mention raging paranoia) on here I'd be very surprised if he went anywhere. Even on a personal basis, why would someone at his time of life want to up sticks all the way to Aberdeen? Like I said before, the expectation at that club way outstrips anything they're even remotely capable of. If he has any ambition left at his time of life then surely it would amount to no more than another wee European adventure. Smaller club or not, he has a much greater chance of that at Fir Park. I personally think he's just trying to force a reaction out of JB but we can only wait and see.

I doubt money even came into it. Any manager taking that job will be expected to try to emulate SAF's achievements. It'll never happen. Broon had nothing to gain and his reputation to lose. I can't understand why he even spoke to them.

I don't buy this 'common courtesy' bollocks. I get agents phoning me up all the time with job offers and I hunt them all because I'm quite happy where I am. I wouldn't consider talking to another prospective employer if there wasn't a chance they could tempt me away. Maybe it's different in fitba'. What do I know?

I too used to laugh at young Mark O'Velly's dim-witted posts but then I remembered an incident last year at a game at New Douglas Park. A young lad was trackside with his back to us. Me and littleshinyhead were having a private laugh at his expense, calling him a pie-licker and stuff due to the fact he was licking his pie. I believe it was a maccaroni pie as that was all they had left. Then he turned round and he was all down syndrome and that. I felt like a proper Charlie and no mistake. Down syndrome. That's all I'm saying. You never know the minute.

Still canny find it although Bernie Ecclestone has been mugged and Bernard Matthews has croaked.

Is it though? Is it really any worse than anywhere else? At the end of the day, it's only a gemme of fitba'. If you want to retain the human element of refereeing then you have to accept mistakes will be made. Far too many punters think it's OK in a football stadium to deliver the sort of abuse that would rightly get you the jail in the street. Old firm fans, for whom every season represents a war between King Billy and the Pope, take this a step further by abusing refs and their families in the street and issuing death threats. Death threats for fuck sake! Without the Old Firm we wouldn't have this situation but if it's not nipped in the bud we'll end up with no referees and no fitba'.

Celtic and their ned of a manager have created this whole situation. I don't think the feelings would have been any different had it been Rangers. Personally, I hope they get an Israeli ref...

Anybody noticed how you've never seen Hugh Dallas and Rupert Murdoch in the same room together? Coincidence? Don't believe in them myself.

Comrade Kinky Get if you don't mind.

I'm fully supporting the strike. I've already dug out my old donkey jaicket and fired up the brazier. Where do we drop off the food parcels?

My mistake...

While I agree with this, I can't help but think he would never have apologised if he didn't face a trip to Fir Park.

While this is undoubtedly true, is it anywhere near as important as the declining standards in education in this country? Standards that are so brilliantly depicted in the original post. I know we're here to discuss football, and Motherwell in particular, but how can you possibly criticise anyone for jumping on such a poor attempt at communication in any medium? We should find out what school the guy goes/went to and pop round to give his English teacher a fucking good shoeing for this mess.

I'd be up for this. Why are the times seemingly selected to suit the unemployed?

Under a bit of pressure now.

Fair enough SD. In that respect you're quite right. These are two mutually exclusive events that don't really stand comparison but it's inevitable that they will be compared and I suppose we need to deal with that. Do these people still have a valid point after 8 years? I don't know. I'm still owed a packet of Quavers and a can of Vimto from a playground trade agreement reached in 1979 (that I was stupid enough not to get in writing) but I stopped banging on about it a good couple of years ago. I appreciate that people are still sore about losing out but it was 8 years ago and was an entirely different situation. It can't keep coming back to bite us on the arse every time somebody tries to turn us over.