Well Up For It!

Lot of burst pipes throughout the stadium during the cold snap that would have cost a few bob to get fixed. We also have a new website that would have cost a few bob.

I can confirm this story, but all should be sorted for tomorrow. Not just the South Stand either, but all is hand.

Totally gobsmacked, bewildered and deflated by all this! Im truly gutted! Worst part of it is Brown has completely tarnished his reputation in my eyes and with all the comments yesterday and in today's papers I'm truly stunned this has happened! Surely there is more to it than what's came out, fall out with Boyle, etc! He has really let down all of Motherwells fans, players and anyone assosiated with the club! All the best Craig, hope u have same luck as the last Motherwell asset to head to the sheep shagging mongrels!

Think you're source has been winding you up! If the money was on the table, Boyle would have bit their hand off! A few years back before the credit crunch, the land Fir Park was on was easily worth £12m +. A new stadium would cost half that! That was the thing that put a spanner in the works of the Coaxley proposed buyout, as Boyle wanted to keep ownership of Fir Park as he knows its potential worth. But like I said, credit crunch halted that idea for now. As for the new stadium, it has always been on the cards with Boyle. Only thing that has changed is the scale of the stadium and who will be playing at it (mind his big plans for a Lanarkshire United!) From what I've been led to believ that their are plans afoot for a move to Ravenscraig, including initial stadium designs, etc and its just a matter of when now.

Aye but would he not have spent 5years (at least) in schools in Scotland while his old boy was elbowing Brian Martin's face? Thought that was the new rule!

Just out of interest....players who have been called up to Scotland after sealing Old Firm move in the last 15/20 years (that I can think of) and probably derved it IMO... K. Thomson, Brown, Riordan, Miller, Whittaker, Naismith, Boyd, Webster, Gary Caldwell, Uncle Phil, John Collins, Lambert, Tom Boyd, Tosh McKinlay, Pressley, Hartley ....as for those who don't.... Broadfoot, Danny Fox, Steven Thompson, Mark Wilson, Neil McCann, Jonathon Gould, Pearson, Darren Jackson, Paul Telfer, Gordon Marshall, Dave MacPherson, Ian Murray, Gavin Rae, Paul Ritchie, ...and those who got in the team because they were at the Old Firm but were nowhere near good enough... Crainey, Maurice Ross, Mark Burchill, Jamie Smith, Brian O'Neil, Chris Burke, Donnelly, Beattie No doubt we will see Ricky Foster and Mulgrew sniffing about the team now as well. Plus all of the Old Firm "wonderkids" like Jamie Forrest and John Fleck will be touted every time they play a good pass.

Is he no injured?? ...and that's just a bit too far! Mind he started at Smellic. Maybe that's a exception to the rule!

I agree with this. Although its a big ask, I think Hutch has the potential to be the most successful player ever to come through our ranks. Or he could get a bad run of injuries and fade away. A lot to do with luck, but he certainly has a chance. Bit harsh on Reynolds, Mitch, but I do kinda agree with you. Reynolds will be a Scotland regular in a few years time, have no doubts about that. He has pace which is a huge bonus for any centre half. Right now he is no better than the current regular Scoltand defense - maybe excluding Broadfoot amd definately Kenneth! But he is diffrent to them all, as he is Usain Bolt compared to our regualr back four! His weakness is decision making, positioning and height. The first two will naturally improve with experience. As for the rest of the squad, think Murphy and Saunders will have international experience in the future. If Humphrey qualifies for Jamica then he will be a regualr with them, and maybe Blackman has a outside chance. Hard to say as we ain't seen much from him. As for Hateley, does he not qualify for Scotland? If so, then he has the potential to maybe be an International. That said, if ANY of our Scottish players sign for the Old Squirm they will be in the very next squad after there move!

Meant future as in this qualifying campaign. He ain't been playing, so can't pick him. Think he has a good Scotland career ahead of him.

A lot of crap in the first post if you ask me. Like has been said Reynolds isn't as good as Berra or McManus, yet. However, he does offer something diffrent in his pace. I would have him in the squad maybe, definately for the next friendly, but nowhere near starting 11 at present. McCormack will have his chance in the future, of no doubt I'm sure. Good player and offers a spark similar to McFadden, Maloney, etc. He's still young, so predict he will be key in a few years. Clarkson is not good enough to play for Scotland. Simple as. He's behind about 10 guys in my eyes, although I'd take him before Kyle. Hammell's chances of a call-up have been an gone. He is a consistent SPL full back. In his day Calum Davidson was a good player, and Naismith was one of the best full-backs I've ever seen for Scotland. Now we have Wallace and Dixon coming through, and Naismith is still in the picture, along with Whittaker who can play there. As for Lasley, no chance! Our midfield is our strongest asset and he is way behind many of the players in the squad. Robson is far better than Lasley, as is Brown, Hartley, McCulloch, Fletcher, Ferguson (if he ever comes back), Dorrans, Adam, etc, ect. I like Lasley, he plays with heart of his sleave, but he is no more than an average SPL player. As a Scotland fan, I'd be angry if Levein called up Lasley.

Love how this thread has veered off on a wild tangent! Anyway, it's impossible to compare players from a bygone era with players of today as its a completely diffrent game. Back in the 70's players had skill and ability sure, but a fast majority smoked, drank regularly and ate and unhealthy diet. They were gifted players, thats all. Today, players are athletes. Their diets are controlled, their fitness levels are maximum, the avergae player is more agily with better technical ability, they have better equipment (boots, etc) and the game tactics have changed dramatically. They may not have the same "natural ability" but they have advantage on everything else. Even Pele said it a few years ago that while its impossible to compare the natural ability of players from 60's/70's and even 80's with players of today, modern day players are much better. If our current squad played the great Motherwell sides of bygone years, let say 80's and earlier, they would walk it no question. The Wullie McFayden team of the 30's played 2-3-5, as did the Ancell babes, and they'd get slaughtered against a fit, well organised modern side. That all said, I firmly believe that games from the past were much more exciting, more goals, etc. I put that down to modern tactics.

Think this is a great signing and hope that it's the Gow from his Falkirk days that turns up. I've always seen him as an advanced midfielder with a bit of creativity. Sure he played that position for Falkirk and Hibs last season. Just the type of player we needed. Sure he could cope on the left side as well, but would still love a left sided player to come. As for the 6months, I think we shouldn't read too much into that. Maybe the club are protecting themselves a bit as well, he has had a few injury problems the last few years has he not? I'm sure he will stay on for the whole season at least.

Can only echo whats already been said on here, really dissppointed we haven't brought anyone in, but obviously we don't have the funds or just haven't found the right player. In an ideal world we would have seen a Left Winger, Attacking Mid and Right Back arrive - but I'd have settled for two out of three, heck, even one! As for the doom and gloom comments, I don't think it's that bad! Yeah our rivals have strengthed, but we have a very solid team, slightly weaker than last years no doubt, having only really replaced two of the four players we lost, but don't forget we are also a young team with a years more experience behind us and I think we will be challenging for a position between 4th and 7th. Maybe with the lack of players in we will see a few of the younger boys cement their place in the team or break into it. Really exited about Pollock! Where our problems really lie is with injuries, and should we be unlucky in that front, we have virtually no cover. I'm concerned that we let too many of our young guys go out on loan and I hope we can call them back if required. Yeah, it's great for them to get experience and all, but with 5 (or is it 6) it's maybe too much! All that said, any players we were to sign would likely be free transfers and loan signings and there is no deadlines for free transfers. Maybe over the international break we will see one or two faces arrive - we can only hope!

Was it you sitting behind me?! Like I said, I expect it at football every now and then....but ripping the team for the sake of it for 90mins?! Why go to the game in the first place?!

This is the first chance I've had to post this, but I was sat in the East Stand on Sunday, further along toward the South than normal. Behind me was too guys probably in their 50's and for virtually the whole 90mins I had to listen to their absolute drivel and complete lack of support for the team and it made my blood boil that I felt the need to come on hear and have a rant! No-one was safe and all afternoon we got things like: "The sooner Reynolds goes the better, he's fucking so slow to react!" "Craig Brown is fucking past it, we need a new younger manager who has up-to date tactics" "Craigan is the worst centre half I've ever seen in a 'Well shirt!" "That boy Murphy is so over-rated, we should try punt him on the media hype he's getting" "Sutton is useless, never wins a header!" "Hateley can't pass for shit" "Humphrey is just a runner who couldn't hack it in athletics!" ...you get the drift! All this coupled with them screaming out "you're shite ! At around 70mins, just before the penalty, my Uncle who I was with turned round and told them to shut up as their negative chat was not only a million miles off but no way to support a team. Without response, they quitened down until the penalty when young Saunders got it for "no footballing brain" and, believe it or not, Randolph because "Ruddy would have saved that!" Why is it we have the most negative supporters? I know it's only a minority, but these idiots shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the team. Yeah I get on the back of players from time to time, never been a fan of Fitzpatrick, same way I never rated Adam, Pearson, Townsley, etc - but I still gave them my support. I'll shout at a player who plays a stupid pass, etc...but two seconds later I'll clap and egg them on, get the heads up and all. Yeah we were poor yesterday, and it was boring to watch. I said to my uncle that Hateley was off the boil and should be subbed, never went into a rant about "he's shite" or booed anytime he touched the ball! It happens all too often with our fans if you ask me, and even on these boards we see it all the time. Despite their endevours with us a long of ex players and managers get it unjustly tight from the fans instead of being appreciative of what they acheived. For example it's fair enough to have it in for McGhee for leaving us for an SPL rival, but didn't you enjoy his time in charge? 3rd in the league and playing some of the best football I've ever seen at Fir Park? Even on our European game last Thursday there were section of fans around me in the South who were dishing it out really harshly to players. "You don't have a fucking clue Broon" was my personal favourite from that match! Anyway, the whole point is that a percentage of our fans seem far to quick to shoot down anyone who doesn't perform miracles and it has such a negative effect on fellow supporters who have to endure it. To coin a phrase, those two old dicks from Sunday make me a little bit ashamed to be a Motherwell fan - and that's not how I want to feel. I know people pay good money (far too much if you ask me, but thats another debate) to watch the team and are very much entitled to their opinion. Just wish some fans would realise that we aren't Real Madrid or Man Utd. We are a small, provincial, mid-table Scottish club with a great tradition of blooding young players and it's beyond unrealistic to expect miracles. The pollution of some people is doing no one any favours and I hate to see/hear it. If I have to sit an listen to the pish I did on Sunday again, I think I'll have to take a time out from going to games. Anyway, rant over....well done if you made it to here!

What he said

Can pick a fault in everyone last night, but can also give huge credit to them all... Went for Blackman, showed great touches and full of running, marred only by his miss.

Since when did the opposite wing become the danger area?! At least 10 times he put the ball way over the heads of EVERYONE and Murphy or Hammell would have to head out and pick up the ball. And I think only twice did he manage one across the face of the goal. He biggest problem is he is clearly very inconsistent when crossing and the strikers in the box don't know what to expect from him, making it hard for them to get on the end of things! The majority spoke last night, as the game went on you had more and more groans everytime he fluffed a cross. And no not 25 goals per game, more chances and more work for defenders. Why can't he stop and put his head up everytime. David Beckham has made a very good career of it and all his great crosses aren't converted?! I like him as a player, has good potential. Just needs to work on his delivery and then he will be, maybe not quite the best player ever seen, but a major player for Motherwell.

And that's where the debate ends I'm afraid. Uefa or Fifa will never disadvantage the big guns as they need them more than they need them. If Uefa cracked went with the fairer draw you'd get the big teams forming a money spinning Franchise like American football. I beleive that will happen one daw and the Uefa big wigs are shitting themselves at the prospect as it means they become effectively redundant. Its sad, but unfortunately money rules football now and I believe it's one of the things destroying it. All it takes is one small team to go to court with Uefa over equality laws, ect and you're opening up a whole can of worms...! How it about it Mr. Boyle??!

Actually fear a hiding after Smellics disaster last night they will be hell bent to bounce back convincingly to appease the great unwashed. Would bite your hand off for a draw, but think it could be a 2 or 3 goal deficite. Hope I'm proved wrong though....Moan the 'Well!

For me, it would be a recless gamble. For a club that has been down that path before, it was a wise move. With the European competitons you don't know how its gonna work out with the draw, etc and upsets can happen if we draw a weaker team, etc. Smellic are the perfect example of a gamble backfiring, they have spent crazy money for the Scottish game this year and are now out of both Euro cups - wait til you see their finacial figures next year! The only way we were going to improve the squad greatly was with Reynolds being sold, which didn't happen unfortunately. We can't spend what we don't have, and I agree we badly needed a creative spark last night, but I'd rather get beat 1-0 agaisnt a very average bunch of dirty cheating bastard Scandanavians than see us fall into dark times again!

Finally gonna get me two cence in on last night... Basically I think we beat ourselves last night. By far the better team, especially in the first hald, and we were at times unlucky. They had once real chance, one goal. And that goal destroyed the buzz in the ground and effected the team. In all honesty, if we had played for 5hours last night I don't think we would have scored. We badly missed a creative spark to open up play and create a clear cut chance. Anyway, my grievancies about last night... 1/ Humphrey - he is my worst nightmare! Tones of pace, skips by men for fun, always looking for the ball, always getting into to space....BUT his end product is shocking! I read hear that it's the strikers fault for not being in position, what a load of utter balls! He needs to work on it and if he can get to a point where 1 in 2 crosses are decent instead of his 1 in 7 or something then we have a real player. He did put a few half decent ones in tonight, but at least 10 went far to long. I'm not ready to crucify him just yet as it's all he is missing from being a top drawer player, just getting working on it on training! 2/ Craigan/Long Ball game - at the start of the 2nd half, and a large section of the 1st we punted the ball up the park straight to the opposition. Craigan is murder for it, but the whole back four were at it. It was so obvious it wasn't working but we only changed to playing up the wings when they went down to 10men - basically having just wasted 30mins of play with a game of piggie in the middle! 3/ No subs, no "All Out Attack!" - the most dissapointing thing was when they went down to 10 men we kept the same 4-5-1 shape. When they then went down to 9men, we kept the same 4-5-1 shape. When we are needing to score two, as soon as they went down to ten we should have hooked Saunders for McHugh and played with at least two up front, maybe even three. Leaving three at the back. When they went to nine, we should have went all out attack - push Sutton, Murphy, Blackman, McHugh and Humphrey up the park and then switch to a long ball game. Most tactically inept I've seen from Brown and Knox. 4/ No urgency - even in the last 10mins when they were down to nine, we played at a slow tempo, switching the balls from wing, to wing, using backpassing, etc. Get it fucking up and in the box rapid! We actually played at times last night like we were the team 1-0 up! That all said, I don't want to be too harsh as I put a lot of it down to bad luck and stupid mistakes. Had we had a referee that was retarted or blind in the first leg we would have had two penalities and Jennings in the team last night. Had Murphy just put is kick a centimetre to the left we would have scored last night. If Blackman had only managed to position himself better for the his two chances surely he'd score one. If Murphy put a fraction less power on his dink it would have been the net. But the truth is I've not felt this gutted since we blew up in the CIS Cup Final. That team were there for the taking, we were arguably the better side over both legs, we had chance after chance last night, we lost 3 goals over the two legs that were schoolboy defensive errors, but most of all...we will NEVER have an easier chance to reach the group stages of a European competiton and see the cream of European talent at Fir Park! Oh well...there's always the Champions League campaign next year!

Complete and utter balls!! I have no idea where you got that from...Brown is statistically Scotland's greatest manager! Away and take your mouth for a shit! The reason Scottish football is so poor is due to a lot of reasons, the Old Firm, lack of facilities, shitey weather, XBox's and Playstations, etc, etc....but Craig Brown is not!

+1 Yeah we badly missed a creative spark last night and I would have loved us to sign a ready replacment for O'Brien. But truth is players like that are outwith our budget, hence why we loose so many of them over the years. We have to make do and except it...few folk on here are really getting carried away. We are a small club, yet we have been in Europe three years in a row getting to the final knockout stage twice....be proud of that!!

Reynolds for me easy!! Runners up prizes to everyone else! Mon the 'Well!