Kmcalpin

My late father was the game. In those days Billy Steele was Dundee's top gun and was reckoned to be the potential match winner. Dad was a member of the Flemington branch who ran several buses to the match. His abiding memory of the journey to Hampden was a banner that someone had made up. It read "We're not afraid of Steel - we've handled it all our lives". The rest is history.

As it happens, Kenny Black said on the Official Site that Steven Saunders may restrat training today. That suggest that his injury is not as bad as we feared. Good news indeed.

Couldn't understand all the vitriol directed at him before he even kicked a ball for us. Anytime I've seen him he's looked sharp and intelligent. He's also unpredictable as United found out once or twice. The problem is that he's often 2 or 3 steps ahead of his colleagues. That might come with time though as they learn to play with him.

The stadium will be more than half emtpy anyway. However, with the exception of those who can't afford the ticket prices and those who simply can't go for whatever reason, I'd expect most fans will want to be there in person. Scottish Cup Semi Finals, especially against non OF opposition, don't come every year or even every second year. The lowest priced tickets at £18 are by no means cheap but you won't find many SPL games priced at that for away fans. Probably First Division prices? My preference would be for say £7 with £3 concessions but thats not going to happen.

Gee thanks guys! Seriously though - glad you enjoyed it. Our fans deserved it.

Well done folks. Banners/shirts were a great and original idea.

A great win tonight and all credit to the management and players. Well done! Justice was done after Goodwillie's fortunate equaliser at Tannadice. Onwads and upwards and another trip to Hampden beckons. Unfortunately I missed the game due to a gastric bug but hey we won and in style!

Going down to the toilet during extra time and finding the bowels of Hampden Park crammed with Well fans who couldn't bear to watch.

Leeann Just some further thoughts. Does the club keep any statistics on the gender of our fans? I know that few years ago it was concluded that women were under-represented amongst our support. Surprisingly Hearts had the highest percentage of female fans. Would it be possible to sell "mini season tickets" that would be applicable to a set number of games irrespective of when they feel during the season? For example instead of a half season ticket what about a 12 game package? This would give those who couldn't make every home game some incentive to buy one if only for a few games. I take the point that MFC is too quiet or low profile. Plastering the town from wall to wall with posters/pamphlets won't achieve much by itself but if undertaken as a modest part of a far wider package, might have some impact. One of the greatest threats to the club and one which I know you are well aware of is the trend for young men to sit in pubs and watch English football on TV. Although they may not view it that way it can still be an expensive pursuit taking into account the increasing cost of drink. We have to devise some way of luring them out of the pubs and clubs. making Fir Park a more pleasurable, atmoshperic place to visit may help. In that respect stewarding can be a big influence. By no means all of the criticism levelled at the stewards on this Board is justified but some lessons need to be taken on board.

It was the announcement at the AGM, Jim. John Boyle giving his shares to the club and an announcement about more community/fan ownership/involvement. It was all very vague but we were told that we'd learn more in a few weeks, and that was a few weeks ago. It strikes me that this would be the ideal time to link season tickets and the announcement, whatever that may be.

Yes, some truth in that. We're also missing a box to box central midfelder in the Giles Coke / Phil O'Donnell mould who can motor up and down the park to support his strikers. Too often this season the striker(s) have been left isolated.

Fair enough. Well done for amending the poll. The club definitely needs to embark on some kind of marketing initiative to coincide with the sales of new season tickets. What about the big announcment we were promised a few weeks ago for example. That would seem to be a good launchpad for renewals.

We also need to add a category to the poll for those purchasing a new ticket (as opposed to renewing). Probably bad timing for this poll - immediately after a horrendous defeat.

Not much difference to last Sunday at Tannadice then? Good first 15 minutes, horrendous 60 minutes and good last 15 minutes). Sadly we're beginning to find some consistency now, but of the wrong kind.

Bokanovsky twins on the bench Dave? Jamie Murphy looks burnt out and needs rest. Lasley is supended and Hammell may be injured if not on the bench?

Same here. I've now stopped watching footie on the TV out of principle. I did contact Virgin to ask if they would consider removing ESPN from my package. I explained I had absolutely no interest in the OF or EPL games. I had no qualms about continuing to pay for it providing they contacted ESPN to let them know about my loss of business but they wouldn't do this. I was told quite a few customers were trying to do away with their sports packages either through Virgin or Sky out of principle. Maybe worth a campaign. If sufficient numbers of fans stopped subscribing to these packages it might put pressure on the TV companies. Its one thing moaning about TV's companies influence on footie but its time to do something about in my book. Football should be live only. You only need to read to read the posts on this thread to find out what effect televised footie is having on live games. All that said, Killie could easily have reduced their prices, but have chosen not to.

I would imagine that the game will be moved. If not the SFA could rightly be accused of handing United a major advantage and that woul devalue the competition. Lets not forget that our 2 players have not been suspended. Neither they nor the club have done anything wrong. Quite the reverse in fact.

In central midfield we're woefully short of an attacking player and it shows. Jones would have been a more offensive alternative to Hammell and Jamie Murphy shold have been taken off, arguably before HT, in favour of Chris Humphrey. Whilst Humphrey's finishing tends to let him down he ties up 2 players. Maybe time to try out Jon Page in central midfield?

Very much so. Jennings and Lasley are too similar in style. Midfield had a strange game today. They started well and finished well but in between sat too deep, came off second best physically and didn't support our two strikers. It had an unbalanced look to it with 3 defensive players and one offensive player who was having an off day. If Stuart McCall made any errors today it was that he didn't get the midfield right. Oh for a box to box central midfielder! Saunders had a poor game as did Murphy but in the latter's defence, defending was never his strong point.

Only two who were in contention, for me, were Jeffers and Sutton. Sutton shades it because of his two goals, but Jeffers looks a very intelligent player - can't understand why some folk want shot of him. .

Over the piece a draw was about right. The "third" Well turned up today - a weird mixture of the very good and downright awful. We started every brightly scoring early on and for the first 10 / 15 minutes looked very good. Then for the next 60 minutes we defended far too deeply, surrendered midield and looked very shaky defensively. In the closing stages we once again looked good after United tired. In the first half, Hammell and Gunning looked all over the place defensively and gave United a lifeline. They did improve a bit in the second half. In general the midfield seemed unwilling or unable to support the 2 strikers for most of the game and Jamie Murphy looked totally out of sorts once again. He proved once again he's no defender. Humphrey should have been introduced before HT. The ref had a huge influence on the game ad United quickly and cynically took advantage of his leniency. First off their RB should have been cautioned for a shocking late challenge on one of our lads. Had the ref done that, that would have spiked United's guns early on. Next up Barry Douglas was extremely fortunate to escape a red card for lashing out at a prostrate Fran Jeffers - not even a word from the ref. Quite a bit of diving too from Swanson and Goodwillie. I thought that United's first should have been ruled out as Swanson impeded Gunning near the corner flag. David Goodwillie's sportsmanship - don't get me started. The game had a nasty edge to it and United are beginning to remind me of Alex MacDonald's Hearts side. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth. On a positive note I thought that Jeffers and Sutton played very well. We'll need to up our game in the replay though - United will have daly and Kenneth back, although Jennings will be back for us. Must learn not be be bullied and intimidated by physical sides though.

United know that too. They'll be in no rush to clear snow if it arrives.

Until about an hour or so ago no snow in Dundee or the East of Fife. Heavy snow in Mid Fife and stll snowing. If in doubt check the NADICS website

You've earned your money Jay so you can spend most of it exactly how you wish. Unless the cost of drink is horrendously more expensive at FP than in JDs, why would anyone pass up a chance to support the club financially? If our club is providing the entertainment (hopefully) then I think it only right that we should support it financially rather than filling the coffers of pubs and global drinks giants. But its a free world and folk can do what they wish.

One chance thats all. He's never played for us before, this is his first time. Like most new players he'll take time to settle in. He might make it he might not, be we need to give him a chance. He's been no worse nor no better than most other players in recent weeks, so why are some folk singling him for special attention. If he's in a C & A shirt he's got my support.