ScottW1886

Squad depth - we have only just acquired a second wide player for the squad. If Humphrey or Jones are unavailble we are playing people out of position, or untried youths.

Well, new owners IN, Boyle OUT I suppose....

I suspect that Humphrey was simply following the tactical plan, which seemed to be to contain Rangers. Yes, it was frustrating that he only started running at his man towards the end of the game, but I don't think it was necessarily his choice.

And missing out the record of a manager between McGhee and Brown altogether?!

To be fair, he did play for Scotland and play up here for a good number of years..... Whatever your viewpoint on Rangers and his allegiances there, he has covered a lot of their games for TV as well so isn't a stranger to Scottish football. Also, the criteria for the job was unlikely to give us any manager who knew Scottish football inside out.

Aye, very good....

You have to remember that Boyle (according to media reports at the time) did interview supposed bigger names who didn't fancy the task with the funds available. It's all very well saying we wanted a bigger name, but the reality would seem to be that bigger names didn't want us. Stuart McCall obviously indicated a desire to work on our terms, so let's get behind him.

Yip, Saunders is a decent centre half - a bit raw mind but has performed well every time he has played there recently. Agree that we can't really afford to drop Craigan just now though, under Gannon the partnership of Saunders and Hutchinson was good, but ultimately they both suffered from having an inexperienced partner in the end.

Aye, typical........

So, in short, Gow playing in losing teams (along with another 10 or so players I assume?) prior to his spell at Motherwell - which was not a failure based on your stats and summary - make him a disruptive influence at Motherwell? Gotcha.

Gow and Blackman were/are very similar players, not a good partnership, and Blackman was better than Gow. Sutton or Murphy should have partnered either of them. The performances against Hearts, Rangers and Accies? Was Gow the only one on the park then? The entire team was poor in those 3 games, 2 of those games followed long lay offs and the entire team looked rusty. As for Accies, well Blackman was just as bad as Gow that day but was applauded off the park. One player had the the backing of the fans from day one, while the other was jeered every time he made a mistake. Do you think that's unconnected? You try something different, it doesn't come off and you are met with derision... great for the confidence eh? Anyway, I was irked at the inference that just because you didn't like both players they automatically became a bad influence in the dressing room. Had the pleasure of meeting Bob Malcolm off the park, and a nugget he certainly is not by the way - and stick thin into the bargain.

So Malcolm was a dig just for the sake of it then? As for Gow, the guy could have cured cancer and you'd still have moaned that it took him too long or that he denied someone else the chance to do it...... anyway, no evidence that Gow himself was a detrimental influence on the dressing room spirit. Was Lukas Jutkiewicz a bad influence because Sutton was shunted to left midfield to accomodate him? Or is that ok, because folk liked him and weren't straight on his back before he'd kicked a ball for us?

Evidence that either Malcolm or Gow ruined any spirit or had any negative influence? Or too good an opportunity to have yet another go at them?

STV English teams have fielded players who have had more than 2 clubs.

Michael Stewart surely?! Good player on his game, but complete nut job.

On loan from who?

He played for Motherwell briefly under Billy Davies. Bob Malcolm stamped on his head, wasn't punished and then scored the winning goal in injury time during the game referred to.

I've just finished Ian St John's book, and he talks about this. Biggest win of the season I'm sure, in a match they were "supposed" to lose.

Wheesht you!!

Final game of last season, he gave a marginal offside against The Duke at Ibrox - could easily have went either way. Usual decision process will apply - if in doubt, favour the Old Firm. Edit: To chop off a goal.

If the new manager comes in and wins the majority of games - does it really matter who it is? Opinions would quickly change!

Sky Foul and abusive language he claims. Blatant cover up. He never moved a muscle until Jennings tapped him on the arm.

Firstly, I don't think that Blackman will go up there, but Archie Knox worked with him at Blackburn and Blackman has been quoted as saying Knox was one of the reasons he came here. That might take him further north....

Definitely Malpas and Hegarty I reckon..... I heard directly from a member of the backroom team himself that he had walked out due to the treatment of the younger players, and as a consequence of him leaving a number of senior players were also unhappy. He was persuaded to return after some changes were implemented.

They have left Motherwell, Boyle wants them to start with Aberdeen after that game. They wouldn't be in charge of anyone for that game.