Steve Diggle

It's Keevins with his knitting needles again. It's the story on the pitch that we already know. Plus the comments from match reports and live TV coverage which we already know Plus Jim Duffy's comments on Setanta The new bit for me is the Blair SPL and Lee-Ann Dempster comments. But overall nothing new - and if the SPL are sending in 'an expert' during the close season I'm glad. It's also good to see the club responding to 'somebody' on it. It's just a pity that we've let a complete year pass and allowed ourselves to be dragged through the mud (or sand) - and given guys like Hugh Keevins an extremely easy job. We handed it to him on a plate - and there's no way a scrrilous wee rodent like that is gonna miss an opportunity at having a go at Motherwell.

fatcalf also went on about bridges. Without going round in circles about the OF fans in the Cooper debate again. It needs to be noticed that the whole scenario has changed over recent months - in that basically we can't pay the swines to come in the numbers we want even if we grovel and we've had a change at general Manager level. The Celtic game on Sunday was an opportunity to build bridges - even if it was to say we're considering changing our approach next season. Wrt the pitch - I'd personally consider contributing to a pitch improvement - over and above what JB had promised - on that I think he still needs to deliver. And like many on here probably - I'd even come doon on my days off and help the jailbirds if it was required. Bottom line here is - bold statements were made. We held on to managers and players and we were gonna have a bash at Europe / requalifying on "The best surface on the SPL" and season ticket sales were brisk & healthy. The witholding of a 'meaningful' and 'truthful' statement on the pitch is something that I've lost a lot of faith in my club on.

I don't think Nevin's lying - however I think what Matt's saying is that in Andy Russell's day - although the pitch got heavy at times / for spells - it was way way better than what we have now - and barring extreme conditions it was almost always playable and always covered in grass. (and there would NEVER be a training session on it). There have been some reall disasters with the park in recent years - including the undiluted fertilizer incident that would have the wee man spinning - God rest his soul.

I see The Record and The Sunday mail are consolidating their editorial team into one team for both papers. Here

Absolute belter of a post Matt

Sounds like the Judean Peoples Front / Peoples Front of Judea devbate from Life of Brian!

Only problem with that is. . .we need to go way below the surface to fix the problems. Like has been said many man times - this is more than just rolling out a new layer of turf. We need to fix the damaged pipes and permanently address the problems with the drainage.

Did somebody no mention (artificial sunlight) lights twice means we're no paying for what the club had promised they would do - i.e a decent surface. but are providing something to make the new super duper johnboylespecial pitch (when it eventually does come) tip top for the entire season! - i.e a light rig

Jim Duffy advocating that we'd be fair game for a law suit if someone gets injured. Don't know how successful that would be - given that grass and muck and sand aren't really that scientific / predictable. But that on top of all the papers and the BBC Radio - have completely lambasted the pitch. I haven't seen a more united front against us (albeit - justified, to an extent) in the media for a long time.

I don't think there's any argument against that point of view fatcalf. Some folk still appear to want to help out wrt to the pitch - from what's been said. My own opinion is like yourself - the pitch should be made good as was promised. if the fans are gonna contribute something then it should be to improve on what the club has already promised - and that may be something like lights (although I've no idea on cost tho).

I thought he was murder overall - but I think they benefitted way more than we did. i think there's a full re-run on Tuesday on Sultana at 6.00!

Nah! I think that's two things that need to be kept completely separate. The club is responsible for the state of the park and if people support this request,that's their choice - but many rightly have reservations - it's a contentious issue that Phil's memory should be kept out of. With all due respect the club have a duty to our players, supporters and the rest of the league to have a decent playing surface. they are charging us week in week and through our season tickets out to watch a football match after all. they are duty bound to supply an adequate surface. Many folk contributing to a statue of Phil will be unghappy at funds being used for what is our board / management's responsibilty. I imagine also any statue will be bronze or something like that - something that doesn't rust

I think the original idea is good - but there have been some good other points that I agree with as well. I think as supporters we are embarassed at the state of the park - we shouldn't be but our club has made us feel that way. I think the majority would want to help in any way they could. I think the club should do the decent thing and put right what they said they would last year. If the supporters are contributing to something - it could maybe be for something over and above what the club have commited to do. Like an artificial sunlight / lighting rig. Ok we may not be able to afford what they have at the big stadiums - but I'm sure a smaller scale rig could be used to our advantage.. My thinking is that no matter how good a surface we lay. We will always have problems with the shadow of the south stand wrt sunlight - which hampers growth and prevents thawing. When we repair the pitch and the USH we wont necesarrily need the covers - so the pitch wont fall apart as easily as it would this year. Lights are probably something that all fans could get behind (as some including myself feel that there will be a bit of resistance to funding pitch repairs given the behaviour of our board) Lights would also be transferable from Fir Park to any new stadium. If we all chip in - we could maybe let the club live up to John Boyle's promises.

Don't think we've got much argument. I offer every thread on this forum as evidence m'lud.

Yep agree with that ON40Y. We won't realise what we have until he's gone. We might strike luck again - but by my reckoning for every good manager we get we've to suffer 4 or 5 numpties.

GFY!

Naw, that was guid

That's just shite to be mocking a guy like that. Get a grip and get off his case. For us to be concentarting on one player who was by no means the worst last night is a fucking diabolical disgrace. There's no reason other than victimisation that this thread has turned this way.

See to be fair I agree with the point that we can be over elaborate and less direct than we were last season. But last night - Sheridan, Hughes, O'Brien, Clarkson and others all shaped up for shots but were closed down really quickly by St Mirren's defence.

A man who knows his way aroon a keyboard. Not to be sniffed at!

Super Marosh Super Mario

I bet the new cult her loves all the additional vocal support he gets. But I bet he wishes they'd finally get his name right. (well it's better than getting suicidal on the other threads)

Lasley to be fair hasn't being doing to well lately when he has been picked. McGhee just cant pick him because you all fancy him!

Marc Fitzpatrick didn't 'cost us' anything last night. He played a hell of a lot better than Klimpl last night. In a very bad all round team performance he was definitely not the worst. He would slot in to most of the SPL teams and probably play better - because he wouldn't have 2000 would be soccer managers on his humph there. He's played better than Lasley Its the same old story - when things don't go our way we revert to the usual targets. GET OFF THE GUY'S BACK

Absolutely dreadful result tonight - we just never got going. Had to endure the full 90 mins in front of some guy who did some screaming running commentary as if he was actually on the park playing. and he was in amongst another bunch of complete moaning faced tossers who were shouting 'shite' almost before the game had kicked off. Fucking torture all round particularly in the away end