Welldaft Mk1

And the key question that as far as I can see has not been mentioned.............. What is our wage bill this season compared to last season?? McGhee did do us a turn but it must not be forgotten that it also led to a significant hike in the wage bill. I would guess that we have shaved approx £5-10k per week off the wage bill with this squad and I would argue that apart from attack we seem to have more options and cover than the last two seasons. Top 6 may just be beyond us, but having said that Aberdeen and Hearts this season look a lot weaker and only Hibs and DDee UTd look potentially stronger. So maybe not. Sure as hell wont be boring whatever the outcome.

I should have added that I expected that any lack of info on the Man Utd team would have been down to them and not MFC. Which is actually what I believed.

It depends what crowd they want. Send up a team of total unknowns and get 2000 if you are lucky. Send up Giggs, Scholes and Neville and get a crowd of 5000+. If those 3 are playing I would go along even with a hangover from the Scotland game.............they best be announcing it soon....you know it is called marketing!!!

So basically a right sided Stevie Hammell.

You mean the Ross County that just beat ICT 3-1 in Inverness................ Let's face it with our home record against lower league oppo - no tie would be easy just easier.

That is not a bad draw - crowd wise it is. Any 1st div side at home is a good draw apart as I said earlier Dundee. Would rather an away leg - but hey ho that will do if true.

Where the hell is the draw then.....................in full????

I would take any of the 1st division sides home or away apart from perhaps Dundee as they look an SPL side in all but name.

Just as well as no-one seems to know if he is off or not. We have had several hours since Bop pretty much confirmed he is offski but as yet nothing confirmed........... I think some people have a kinda reverse psychology going on here. When a player is rumoured to leave it is usually - och well he is no the player he used to be............... Nah I would be happy if Stevie stayed. Other players such as McGarry and Fitzy look more surplus to requirements IMHO.

I will be disappointed if that is indeed true. We all know that he can be a little suspect at defending at times, which I guess as a defender is a bit of an issue! That said Gannon wants to play an attacking line up and IMHO Hammell fits the role as well as anyone we could hope to get in as a replacement. I guess Reynolds could slot in but I am not sure his crossing skills are comparable with Hammell.

Who cares - it is the mickey mouse cup. Unless of course Motherwell get to the final, in which case we reserve the right to say it is a prestigious tournament and we are honoured

It has always been a let down the home support. In terms of numbers that is. That is the way it is and I am afraid that is the way it is always likely to be. Assuming Killie had circa 6-700 fans today that meant we had 4300 approx in what was our first game back at Fir park 4 ages. Under new management and a decent young team playing fairly exciting football. What is frustrating is THE POTENTIAL. 11,000+ for the Nancy game. 6000+ for important home games and cup ties etc. But then it has been that way for the 30+ years I have supported the Well and bar a couple of seasons it is likely to stay that way

Interesting to see Gannons comments with regards to the Motherwell support. He certainly seems to appreciate us. Wait till we play St johnstone on a cold wet Tuesday night at Fir Park................. So far he has seen a noisy and large following at Llanelli and at St Johnstone. He probably thinks this is the norm. I sincerely hope that we get a decent home crowd tomorrow for many reasons. Firstly it is the 1st home game in what seems like ages, but also he has got such a passion and although we are bound to have some hiccups along the way - I do think that we will see some entertaining football at Fir Park this season. Just a shame that we cannot add 1-2000 on the home gate throughout the season.

This appears to be a long and protracted affair and one that may well have gone t#ts up It wont make much difference but would have been nice to have had the next John Hendry in b4 Saturday.

At first I was quite excited, but then like most on here I thought watching Man U reserves will not be up to much, expecially as it is the International week and most players even those in the Utd second string will be away on International duty. Add that to the fact that it is the day after the Scotland v Macedonia which I along with many Well fans will go along to. The flip side however is it is still Man Utd. I would never miss an opportunity to see Motherwell play a team with the likes of Scholes and possibly Giggs in the side. So to that end I will probably decide to go along.

Would snap your hand off for Stokes. If he could relive his form whilst at Falkirk that would be the dogs b#llox. That would make my day and week.

B4 I get slaughtered I know there are many many fans that cannot afford a season ticket. So on that basis £20 may seem a little steep for each game. But the fact is that if you bought your season ticket for the East stand before 31st May you would have got it for £243. Which if you divide by 19 league games + 1 CIS cup game? Then the average cost works out at £12.15 per game. That is right just over £12 to watch an SPL game. How is that overpricing football?? The other truth is that if we reduced entry to say £15 for the whole season - you would be lucky to see an extra 1000 fans through the gate week in week out.

Gannon is after all the Manager and should be in charge of all the football making decisions. There are a few too many rumours of rifts etc for them to be categorically untrue. If he is not treating his players with respect then his man management skills must be called into question. For sure there is a diplomatic way of letting people down or explaining your views. That said I find it somewhat refreshing that he is so confident in his own mind. Clearly at half time had things stayed the same we would have quite possibly lost that match. By making those bold changes we won the second half 2-1 and in the end came away with an away point having been behind twice. I am firmly in the camp that players are not immune from criticism regardless their experience and seniority and that is just life. Gannon's job is to turn Motherwell into a top 6 SPL team and if he ruffles a few feathers along the way - then so be it! Last week he made comments about needing leaders on the park and that as a fan I can most definitely connect with. If we are not playing well or the players are under par - we need someone on the park that will give them a rollicking or a kick up the backside. That is why Gannon is frustrated. McGhee hardly ever made substitutions even when things were patently not working. Gannon is quite obviously going to change the starting 11 and squad as he sees fit and no-one is assured of a first team place week in week out. The players might not like that - but it hopefully will reap rewards during the season.

Have to agree with everyone - that is a peach of a top and a definite purchase for me!

So far Gannon has looked like a man who knows what he wants and how to go about getting it. I much prefer to hear that we have signed a player than we will be signing a player like the old regime. So I very much hope that Jim is on the case for a couple of strikers. The fact is that we have lost two first choice strikers and along with Sheridan - 3 of the first team strikers from last season. Whilst I believe Forbes and possibly Slane will chip in with more goals than last seasons midfield this is causing me a little concern. Sutton has come on in leaps (quite literally) and bounds since the first game v Llanelli and was my MOM for Flumartari at home and even possibly Steaua at home. If he gets the chance he will stick them away. The problem is he seems more likely to set up chances with his flick ons. Murphy is a decent player but I still think he is too lightweight to take on most SPL central defenders. We NEED a striker who will create as well as score goals. Someone who will slot in beside Sutton and another for back up in case of injury and to provide competition for the striker role. Otherwise we may play plenty of attractive football but struggle to score goals - very much like Steaua the other night.

There is of course the small issue that it appears he is on an U19 contract which only has one year left to run or so I/we are led to believe. So unless he signs a pro contract than he will be off to Parkhead in little under a year

Proud of the young lads tonight. A defeat was hard too stomach after putting in an excellent shift for 60 mins. The referee and (main) standside linesman were a total joke. Steaua were poor tonight yet still won as we left ourselves open at the back trying to chase the game. Still think we need a right back and 1 if not two more strikers for the full season. FWIW even had we gone 2 or 3-0 up I still think Steaua would probably have nicked the away goal they needed. BB - No need to call Steaua cheating bast*rds. Not their fault the referee was fecking hopeless!

Rams ace Porter needs surgery Derby have suffered another injury blow with the news striker Chris Porter requires a hip operation that could keep him out until Christmas. Porter: Needs hip operation The problem plagued the 25-year-old for much of last season following his January move from Motherwell. It has failed to improve over the summer and Rams boss Nigel Clough confirmed: "We're still in limbo with him. It's looking like he's probably going to need an operation. "It's very frustrating because he has been in the hands of specialists and if they had said this last March or something he could have had it done and been fit by now. "As it is he's going to be out for the next few months as well."

Truth is that since everything is at least 3rd hand it is difficult to know how true it is! But I don't have to as it has also been stated on the 'other' well fans website apparently by someone else also in the know. You can tell though that he was always going to ruffle some feathers. If he is like a Mourinho then he can probably make amends with some tactful man management. But I am not sure that is his approach. I think it is a case of it's my way or the highway. But if it gets results then I am sure the Well fans will be quite happy.

There are many rumours doing the rounds that JG is not well liked by some of the current squad - probably those who are not getting a game? It appears as if he takes no bullsh#t and reputations count for nothing. That there is some disharmony is hardly surprising given the reputation he came up the road with. Having fallen out with and frozen out players down at Stockport. I hope it does not come to this at Motherwell, but it would be nigh impossible for him to keep everyone happy. After all Brian Clough was not that well liked either but if we get a modicum of that kind of success then go Jimbo. It is a fine line however and I hope we get through the season without any major disruptions. A few of the current squad will move on McGarry, Fitzy, DLS? But I hope Hammell and Craigan stay put. It sure wont be boring this season.