Well Up For It!

I think in reality any new stadium will be like the newer ones up here - i.e St Mirrens - with the four box stands round the park. If the stadium rights can be sold then there is a possibility to add to the stadium, but doubt that will happen. However, I think there will be a huge emphasis on facilities - especially corporate. I've heard rumours that the plan is to copy Killie's set-up, with an adjacent top end hotel and bars/function halls within the stadium itself, leased out to indepent parties. The Sports Bar at Rugby park is excellent, as is the Park Hotel. This is definately a viable and feesible option for the club. I have also heard that there is a posibility that the new Sports Complex the UWS (formelly Bell College) is building by 2012, with the help of lottery fundung, could be situated at Ravenscraig. Surrely an ideal oportunity for Motherwell to strike up a partnership, just like Hearts have with Herriot Watt and Falkirk have with Stirling Uni. Having played at both these facilities I can confirm they are of the highest quality, particuallary Stirling, and the ambitions of the UWS are to have the best facilities available in Scotland. That all said...a new stadium is at least five years away from being announced.

I completely agree with regards to McCormack - he was excellent for us last season and by far our best player. He brought out the best in Porter and Clarkson - as can be clearly seen from this season with them not hitting the same return, while Cradiff are reaping the benefits of Rosco. Yes they were very good, as was quinn - you would struggle to find a player to critise from last season IMHO. But for me Hughes and Reynolds were the to consistently top perfomers. Shuggies creative drive was the catalyst for last season, and Reynolds built on previous seasons by having a terrific year for us and drawing the attention of Rangers. At the end of last season, which players do you think we could realistically got £1m + for? We know Reynolds for sure with the Rangers interest. The only other one for me was Stepehen Hughes? So therefore I think they were our two top players from an very much on fire squad. But the point I was making is that they are not hitting the same levels as last year, especially Reynolds who has had one to many uncharacterist shakey performances. Still, that said...both are still vitals players for the squad and I hope they take momentum from the teams recent revival to pick up their individual games.

Did we not decide to sign Elphias Shivute instead?!

If we did secure European footie this way, would we not enter at the first qualifier? At least that way surely we'd have a few games against overseas opponents, which wouldn't be a bad thing if they were half as good as the Nancy trip! Is the Intertitty cup still going? Nobody fancy a crack at that - you can sometimes land a few glamour games.

Think any money we did have was put towards doubling MM and Leitch's wages!

One of the boys I went to Uni with is now staying out in LA and he e-mailed me this amazing story today... He recently met Ruud Gullit out in a bar and approached him to shake his hand, the usual nonsense. He was apparantley a top bloke and chatted to my mate for some time. When Gullit discovered he was from Scotland, he said that he always liked the physical appeal of the Scottish game and was once linked with a managers job in Scotland...and I'll give you two guesses which club?!! Apparantley it was after the departure of Billy Davies, big Gullit who had been out of the management game for a year and was having little luck landing another high profile job following his disatorous "sexy football" spell at Newcastle, talked to Pat Nevin about the posibility of taking over at Well. I'm assuming his wage demands were ridiculous, or he was deemed to be at it, and the club went for Eric Black... Now my mate is a diehard blue nose, and he is prone to the odd wind up - but he was rather adament when I sent him a big "AYE RIGHT!" reply. But to be honest I don't really care if it's true or not, I just thought it was a wonderful past rumour! Has anyone else got any other too good to be true rumours from days gone by...?

Having read over all of this is kinda saddens me to see such a rift between Motherwell fans. Can't you vent you frustration at Hamilton or Hearts fans instead?! With no involvement in any of the three groups, I think I see a few possible solutions... 1/ For those not happy with the activities of the MST, why don't you get involved and make your voice heard. I don't understand the politics, but surely every member of the MST has a voice, and this way any problems could be discussed and dealt with in a less public place than these here forums? 2/ The guy in charge who a lot of fans are going out their way to slaughter here is doing the MST stuff in his own time i'm sure, out of his love for the club. I refuse to believe that any loyal Well fan would do over the club for personal gain, so maybe cut him a bit of slack - although I do think answers are needed to some of the points raised. 3/ Can't the FPC and WTFC both receive an equal grant from the Well Trust, and in return the team could do a joint fundraiser or something to raise funds for the trust? Sounds like a solution to me! 4/ And finally...if there is so much rivalry between the FPC and WTFC, why can't they play a game to get it out their systems?! Or do they play each other already?! Maybe the winner can get an extra few bob in their grant... But at the end of the day, arn't we all Well fans? Don't we all want the best for the clubs? Sure we will disagree in methods, etc - but if all warring parties put their heads together, I'm sure a solution can be found!

Just a bitter Falkirk fan still pee'd off at us for them not getting promoted when we finished bottom!! ...that said, he does raise a few very valid points! The tanoy system is utter balls - u can't even hear it in the main stand. The stadium is old and badly needs a facelift that would make it look a little cleaner, and if we got the finger out and fixed our underground heating our park would be much better... However, me finks that the club is holding off on this maintenance work as it's a costly and time consuming experience when there are plans afoot to move to the Craig. And when that happens do you think this greetin' face Bairn punter will send a letter to the SFA explaining just how wonderfully our stadium, park, facilities, weather is?

I know it's been said on here already...but I want to echo my support! Big Maros is exactly what this club has needed for a long time now! He has been a revelations since moving to the middle of the park and I hope the gaffer can pull a rabbit out his hat and capture his permanent signature before one of the many clubs who are bound to be impressed with his form. On this form, surely Motherwell's player of the season?!

Through my experience we tend to be a bunch of moaners! Favourite example of proof is when the tickets for the UEFA away leg went on sale, many fans were up in arms at the fact the club sold 5euro and 10euro tickets at £5 and £10! I mean not happy with the cheapest tickets we have ever had for an away game in my lifetime - never mind one as high profile as this - and that people were paying hundreds to get there in the first place, I couldn't help but laugh at all the complaints. Aparantley the clubs received over 100 official complaints! The thing that makes it even more hillarious is that at the time the exchange rate was working out at like 90cence to a pound! Not only are we moaning bar stewards, but tight one as well!! Still as supporters of the club who pay good money to support the team it's our perogative to have a moan when we feel like it! I for one won't stop, and I'll continue to enjoy the humour of how pissed off we get with our grievances!

As for the other players, I definitely think we are seeing a vast improvement from the majority of players. Klimpl has been a true revelation since moving to midfield, Clarkson is looking hungry again and Porter is starting to hit the net again. However, I think two of our best players from last season – Reynolds and Hughes – are the ones who we need the improvement from if we have any chance of making 3rd. With regards to the other players mentioned... DLS can maybe do a job for us, but I agree with the earlier post to Loan him out so he can gain experience and define what position best suits him. As mentioned before, there is no problem with Sutton - just that he is behind in the pecking order. McGarry - should only be used as an impact player as his energy levels aren't what they were last season. From the bench he could give us a good 20mins or so. Jamie Murphy is a real talent and I expect us to see this next season. There has been a lot of hype over him, and maybe the pressure has got to him. I agree with McGhee using him as a late sub. Big Bad Boab - don't get the hatred many fans have of him. While I accept he is very slow, his passing is excellent, prob the best in the squad, and we all know bout his set pieces. I think he is a good player to have in the squad, although I agree that I'd like to see his wages go to securing Klimpl. Jim O'Brien has come good - and remembering seeing him at Dunfermline, I always thought he could offer us something. I hope he continues to build on his teamwork skills and I'm sure he'll become an important player for us over the next few years. I have been one of his biggest critics, but Craggs has really shown his worth to the team since his return. His presence is invaluable, and while I hate his insistence on humping the ball up the park and out of play every time he's got it, he makes the team tick and is vital to our ambitions this season. One player not mentioned on this thread to often is Keef! IMHO he has been the best player for us this season! Maybe in with a shout of Well player of the year in my eyes! The rest of the squad are doing ok and I hope to see more from them in the second half of the season.

I think people are missing the main point when talking about Hammel - he is a completely different type of player to the one that left us two years ago! For a start he has lost at least a stone, and seems to have a much higher fitness level. The fact is you cannot compare the two comings of Hammel... In his first spell round he was known for his strength and power in the tackle. While he wasn't that quick off the mark, he was like a battering ram once he got up to full speed. He could hit a ball with a real venom, but a varying level of accuracy! He was a solid full back. On his return, he was quicker and more agile. He technique has come on leaps and bounds, and he has sacrificed his ball striking power in favour of accuracy - which IMHO is one of the best deliveries in the League, with maybe only Nakamura and Robson having a better left footed delivery. Having played a few times in midfield for Southend, and the difference in technical demands down south, I would now class Hammell a wing back. Yes he may have less of a positional sense than he did his first time round, but he is much more effective further up the park. I have said this before and will say it again, I think Hammel would be perfect for Left Mid with Reynolds moving out to left back - maybe kick-start his season.