Joeboy

I'd say assuming no-one resigns before the start of the season we need: A goalkeeper A versatile defender A central midfielder A left winger A striker I reckon if we got those five in we would be able to compete, five signings would do me. We could put a bit of faith in the youth coming through.

I will thoroughly consider it if I can't find a up and back in the same day option, and just head to T on the Friday!

If the club run a charter train and it's cost effective, I might just head up to T on the Friday! I'll see what happens. Anybody any idea their capacity?

Fuck! I never thought of the second leg clashing with TinthePark. We better qualify for the second!

Right now, I think it's debatable to say whether we are noticeably better off or not. When McGhee came in he initially did a great job, getting rid of the dead wood, particularly the three irish wonder-signings, got us playing fantastic football, the best I've seen in my time at Fir Park (bear in mind I'm only 19). He seemed to get the best out of guys like McGarry, Clarkson and Paterson where others couldn't before. He had us playing an attacking formation with the front six barely having a defensive bone among them and getting results at the same time. It was very admirable the way he dealt with the Phil O'Donnell tragedy, and as of now it's the only aspect of him time at Motherwell I hold in very high regard. After that things began to take a lapse a bit, and although we finished 3rd, everything about the second half of the season was slightly lesser than the first. Getting us into Europe was a great achievement for everyone at the club, there's no denying that, but you have to ask yourself would we have got there was it not for Hughes dominating our midfield and Porter's 18 goals? I think not. Those two's Motherwell careers were funded by the personal pocket of Mr. Boyle, and although I am in no shape or form suggesting Maurice Malpas would have even nearly matched McGhee, it was a luxury he didn't have. The furthest John Boyle went for him was to sign that dud Elliot on loan. I think it's facts like that that show McGhee was a good manager for Motherwell, but definitely not a great manager. As for his second season, you could almost sense it was downhill from the start. He seemed even more active to get out of the place, and you almost felt like he wanted us to be guilty that he never took the Hearts job. And the fact that by day one, he had only signed Bob Malcolm on another deal, didn't fill us with joy. The signing of Malcolm both times was a farse if you ask me. All he did in his first season was get sent off against Celtic, bizzarely gaining him hero status among some of our fans and in his second he did score a couple of important goals, granted, but decided that was his work done in November. A player signed on high wages when you could pick out three or four existing players who could do the same, if not a better, job. Furthermore, the signing of Klimpl at the time seemed injustifiable and although Klimpl finally came really good for us, part of me still thinks it was a puzzler. Especially when in November we were losing games, leaking goals and playing two midfielders in our back four, who at times looked far from comfortable, while our player signed for defensive cover spent the first four months of his Fir Park career on a treatment table. I think Sutton was signed with a view that we'd lose Porter, and although he scored 12 goals, I can't remember one piece of work he did outside the 18 yard box, and McGhee trying to play him and Porter together when Clarkson was out was painful to watch. He also lost McCormack and never replaced him. I also find it hard to say he was a great manager, when during the bad spell in November/December, he found his team missing Craigan and for the most part Clarkson, in the absence of these two, he fielded a team week after week which just seemed totally devoid of character, heart, desire and fight. No one is saying they expected him to win every game, but a team showing desire is the least you can expect. Another big cock up for me was the St. Mirren game. We were chasing top six, needed a victory, yet he decided to fill our team with defenders, with two of his midfield four even having been signed as defenders. He hasn't terribly successfully brought through a single youngster in his tenure. Has burnt Jamie Murphy out at times, then under used him at others, has been unable to find a balance. I'd say Darren Smith is more or less the exact same player he was when McGhee took over. And as for others such as Saunders and Hutchinson, he has only given them a game here and there and made them disappear afterwards. So, all in all, I would say he has left us in a slightly better position, but nothing significant. He has left us with a threadbare squad, albeit some of them in much better nick than previously (i.e Clarkson and Quinn), but he has left us with a squad that will need to do a lot of growing up to compete next year.

I can't see Reynolds going just anyway. I don't think he had a good enough season for anyone to be highly pursuing him. As for Quinn, he had a good season, but I can't see anyone jumping in for him, and McGhee will not be making money signings. I would be devastated if Clarky left but the rest I could come to terms with.

Fair enough, McGhee isn't very high on my Christmas card list, granted, but I can't really justify bringing myself to "hate" Scott Leitch. Contrary to popular belief I don't think he had a "job for life" at Motherwell, and with a young family, being offered a stable job, rather than hanging on in hope that the new manager will want you as his assistant, would be the choice to any of you if you were in his shoes. I do think we could see at least two out of three of Smith, Klimpl and Hughes may end up at Pittodrie! Especially the last two, Langfield may be harder to displace.

Perhaps Mixu's departure means there is less chance of Smith going to Easter Road!

Can't really see past Clarkson myself. Lasley had a terrific start to the season, Smith was brilliant all year round, O'Brien and McLean were good once they got a run in the team, Klimpl and Craigan were also good.

I didn't find out too much about the Foran thing. It could just be chinese whispers. Apparently there was just no love lost between them first time around!

I reckon if Smith goes this Fraser boy could do the business, but we would need a backup keeper also I think which I hope isn't Krysiak. He was awful on Saturday I thought, was badly placed for both goals (although the defence didn't cover him in glory). As for defence, if we get an offer of anywhere near what Rangers bid us last summer, I'd take it for Reynolds. He has been fantastic for us, but I think the money could be used elsewhere and I'd be more than happy with Craigan and McLean at centre half. We would need a bit of cover though but that Beevers lad would sort that if he signed. In midfield, if we were able to keep Klimpl but lost Hughes, I'd be more than happy to pair Lasley and Klimpl in the centre, using the money previously used on Hughes to get a quality left-sided midfielder who can whip in a few crosses! Simon Lappin? I think Jim O'Brien will do a great job on the right hand side next year. That said we could do with even one more squad player for backup! I would also really like a new striker aswell, good riddance to Sheridan, he has been nothing short of pityful in all but two or three games since he's signed, and his return has been nowhere near as good as it should be for someone of his calibre! Also, for me Sutton has been our less prolific version of Kris Boyd! You can't get a daily record under him anytime he jumps, and never effectively gets anywhere near the ball in the air and he doesn't contribute to play enough. I believe Murphy could come good, should he be given longer stints instead of four minute cameos now and then.

Apparently Richie was all set to come back in January, before Leitch told McGhee he had to choose between him or Foran!

I think it would be madness not to sign McLean. November/December time tells me it would be madness to through away a player of McLean's ability. As well as being a good defender, he is also composed, and the most likely of all our defence to nick a goal! I'd put him infront of Reynolds on current form.

At this time, the club could possibly tell us why our concession price is the dearest in the SPL?

I can imagine Paul Quinn didn't not do too much lawnmowing after the photograph was taken.

Was always Tommy Coyne for me. Got a "Tommy Coyne 9" tammy at my first Motherwell game and there was no looking back from there, and a hero worship began!

Although I agree with you and wouldn't retire it- West Ham retired their number 6 jersey in honour of Bobby Moore just this season, hooking it from Upson!

Hughes would probably be the player I would want to tie up most. But our recent return to form has shown that just about every standout player in the team needs a specific partner to perform. We've seen it with Reynolds upon Craigan's return (albeit Reynolds hasn't been a stand out by any stretch this season), Hughes with Klimp, and Porter with Clarkson.

When have you ever heard a player linked with other clubs saying "I may sign an extension" actually do it? It's a rarity!

I'm went for O'Brien, I was his biggest critic in the past but I like eating my words. Having Craigan back made us look like a much more capable unit at the back!

R.I.P Phil, your missed by us all in so many ways!

Smith Quinn Craigan Malcolm Hammell Smith Lasley Hughes Reynolds Clarkson Porter Subs: Sutton, Murphy, Fitzpatrick, McGary, Klimpl, Saunders, Nielsen.

To be honest, we do not have the players to play 4-4-2, or maybe even 4-3-3. We have very few players who could be described as wide midfielders. I would be comfortable with Darren Smith playing on the right hand side of midfield, but other than that I'm lost for them. Fitzpatrick isn't a wide midfielder, as much as I've thought he's improved. McGarry is not a wide midfielder, as much as he has been played there constantly for us. Lasley can't be argued with in the heart of midfield, but again he is not a wide midfielder. Jim O'Brien hasn't done it for me at all yet. And I also think Jamie Murphy is very much at a loss when playing wide in midfield.

I had a season ticket for the ten years prior to this season, you may think it was a funny year to give it up, but I started a job which requires me to work on Saturdays sometimes, which I then thought didn't justify me paying so much for a season ticket, and my dad can't go every game so I use his whenever I can. Albeit I've only missed three home games so far this season. However, due to working Saturdays, games like Monday were a must-go for me, and I turned up expecting my student ticket to set me back £10 or under, considering it was £10 when we played Rangers at Fir Park, but I got there to find it was raised a skydiver, on a cold Monday night, televised game, ten days before Christmas. My dad phoned Motherwell on Tuesday, saying that one week he gets a letter from John Boyle saying he can't get people into games and then the next week he sees me being charged more than usual, for a shite game against Kilmarnock!

I think our team needs a really big sorting out to be honest. In goals I have no complaints, the only player I would say who has shown any great direction this year has been Smith. He has been miles better. At the back we could do with some real sorting out. Quinn hasn't looked capable of reproducing his early form of last season at all. Hammell has looked good in bursts, but I would have to say that I'd much rather have Jim Paterson plodding up and down the left flank. Reynolds hasn't been great at all this season. Fair play to the lad he has played pretty much every game since he came in, but he is not the build of a centre half, and that shows with the percentage of aerial challenges he wins! I think we've missed Craigan's simplicity, more than we may have imagined. Bob Malcolm looks a far better bet at centre half, doesn't do it in midfield for me, but at the back he seems assured and can read the game well. Hughes hasn't been anything like last year, the odd flash here and there, but nowhere near the form that controlled games this time last year. Lasley has been his usual busy, workmanlike self, but has had little or no support from those around him. McGarry has just looked sub-standard, despite knocking his pan in, he doesn't half the quality. Fitzpatrick seems to do enough to be a stop gap player, but not a permanent fixture. Jim O'Brien looks like one of the worst players I've ever seen play with Motherwell. All he seems to be able to do is run with the ball, the way he is facing, until a challenge comes in. I've yet to see him come even close to winning a tackle. Both Porter and Clarkson have had interrupted seasons, but both haven't been as dangerous as last season. Sutton started well but has seemed to peter out. I don't think Sutton and Porter can play together, and they don't operate as a three with Clarkson. I think trying to accomodate Sutton has made Porter and Clarkson have to modify their roles from last season, which were so successful. We miss McCormack more than we'd ever imagined. Also, too much seems to be getting pinned on Jamie Murphy. Even though he's been on the bench most of the time, when we are losing, it seems everyone seems to think he has the instant ability to reverse that. In contrast to that, I think we could be seeing more of Darren Smith to be honest. 10 minutes at the end of the game isn't enough, I think giving him a run in the team could be beneficial.