MelvinBragg

The mention of Hateley's free kick does make me think "Best set piece goal?" and I think of Brannan scoring against Hearts in the Scottish Cup. Outswinging corner drilled home first time from outside the box. Best goal I've seen us score at Fir Park? Ask me every day for a week and you'll get seven different answers. Jutkiewicz vs Hibs, O'Donnell volley against Hearts, McFadden against Dundee, Clarkson vs Dundee Utd and Higdon vs Hibs are just some of my favourites. And personally, first league goal I saw as a season ticket holder was Bobby Russell against Celtic opening day of 90/91 season. I know Russell himself scored better but that one is one that sticks with me for obvious reasons..

The fire in the South Stand. Had that not happened, the season could have been very different..

£1m should be the minimum we're asking for Randolph. My only concern with the Bristol City rumour is that I don't know if they'd pay that much..

Quinn is a far better RB than Hateley. And Saunders is a converted CB. But it's a pointless conversation as his wages will be too high for us..

With Quinn wages would be an issue. But it does open up the possibility of selling Hateley or Saunders in order to bring in cash..

If Dundee United are offering to double Lasley's wages, then we'll need a new centre midfielder. At this stage in his career, it'd be madness for him to turn a deal like that down. From their point of view, I thught they were cutting back like the rest of the SPL? Bit strange to be offering bumper deals to bring in guys the wrong side of 30...

Spoke to a few people last night and heard some rumours. Hearts are after one of our players but it's Lasley not Hammell. They see him as a cheaper replacement for Black. I understand Keith isn't keen after Sutton's problems but the money there is better than here. Also hear that the club want to keep Hutchison til next summer as they figure he'll grow in value. But in order to be able to afford to keep him, we need to move Randolph on. Could be nonsense but that's what I've heard...

Sorry, Dazzer. For me, Higdon is crucial to our system. His physical presence is one of our two weapons for relieving pressure on our defence when we're under the cosh. If you can get the ball to him at chest height, generally it sticks. Problem has been too often there's not been a teammate within 40 yards of him. Yer man, Humphrey is our other means of getting up the park. Only player we have who can pick the ball up at our 18 yard line and it's at the opposition box before you know it. He even seems to have learned that if the rest of the team can't keep up, to try and win a corner or throw in...

Only if he was suspended from a rope...;-)

I'll happily buy a season ticket no matter our attitude to the Rangers situation but if we sign Riordan, I'll not be back...

When I think of the Jim Gannon era at the club, I think of the 2-2 draw opening day of the season at McDiarmid when Forbes scored one of the best goals I've seen us score. For that (and the belter against Steaua), he goes with my best wishes. Strange that Forbes and Craigan are both leaving at the same time. Both defined the Gannon era in a way...

I remember him being interviewed at Ravenscraig during one of our managerless spells and he was asked about stepping in. His response was along the lines of anything the club needed him to do, he'd gladly do. Sums the man up for me...

As someone who won't be going to the away leg, selfishly not too bothered about getting a team that's easy to get to. For me, if this is our one shot at Europe's top tournament then we want a team with a real history in Europe; a name that echoes down the years like Borussia Dortmund or Steaua Bucharest. For me, it's Dinamo Kiev please..

How many is that for Higdon this season?

Sell Ojaama for £50k and get Clarkson for nothing. We the people say yes to that..

The Hump. By a mile. Not to say that there weren't other good performances but he simply was that good today..

I love Chris Humphrey..

I remember this too but to my recollection it was against Hearts at Tynecastle..

Aye, serious competition for worst performance today. Hateley, Daley or Ojaama probably vying for that.

Thing is, I know you're joking but many's a true word spoken in jest..

Humphrey, Jennings and Higdon pass marks. Rest of them, forget it..

Personally on Sunday, I'd go with Randolph Hateley Hutchinson Clancy Hammell Humphrey Carswell Jennings Law Higdon McHugh Ojamma's form has shaded and perhaps he could make an impact coming off the bench. The reason I'd go for McHugh ahead of Murphy is simply that McHugh will be more inclined to play closer to Higdon. That and the fact that McHugh has been scoring goals in bounce games so should be confident...

Not saying Ruday was a bad keeper but I can remember a few howlers when he was here. He has developed well since then. Ruddy was good at the spectacular. The triple save at Tannadice springs to mind. But then I remember (also at Tannadice) him losing the ball to the oppostion striker. Kind of, the sublime to the ridiculous.. Randolph doesn't pull off as many spectacular saves but he is consistent and doesn't concede many howlers. Basically with Randolph, you get 7 or 8 out of 10 most weeks, rarely has a stinker. With Ruddy most weeks, you got a 8 or a 9 out of 10 but he could occasionally throw in a 5. Not much in it, but Randolph shades it for me simply because I ike my keepers to be pretty consistent..

No mention of our most sellable asset in all this talk? Randolph, for me, is the player that would command the biggest fee and would have more clubs sniffing around. If John Ruddy can develop into a Premiership goalkeeper in a season away from us, no reason Randolph can't. In my opinion, Randolph is a better keeper than Ruddy was when he was here.

No Halsman listed suggests that Clancy will play at left back. That list illustrates what we all know, that if you take two or three players out (in this case Hammell, Jennings and Craigan) and it starts to look like a very thin squad. I think we can bin any talk of "anything less than a win is unacceptable" on that basis. Any provincial club is going to struggle if they're missing three of their most experienced players. Looking at that squad, I'd rip your arm off for a draw on Sunday...