bobbybingo

Not all of us, happily, even after 2 goes.

He just seemed an unremarkable signing for that money. And you're right, Roddie & Hendry were remarkable signings for all the wrong reasons.

I remember thinking, we're paying 300 odd thousand for a player in the same league, and I don't really know who the guy is - that can't be a good sign.

When you think of the way he burned through the Phil O'Donnell transfer fee, bringing so little value to the club in return, it was criminal. Stevie Kirk, Paul McGrillen plus £150,00 to Falkirk to land Eddie May - ludicrous.

Your example of a smaller club than Motherwell is Brighton, which you acknowledge is a bigger club than us? Ok. You can throw as much context at that as you like, but when they can spend 30 million quid on a single player, it's reasonable to assume he'll be half decent. What relation that has to our signing policy, I don't know. Is there a Scottish club you think is going about things the right way?

No idea what grudges you're referring to. I'm simply pointing out that 30 years ago, our then manager was allowed by our then board to spend 100K on an Aberdeen reserve forward who delivered not one single goal in his time here. He also brought in a very average midfielder from Kilmarnock for 350K that season. Neither of them excuses Kettlewell's summer recruitment, but it does give some perspective on how bafflingly shite signings are nothing new.

Try £100,000 on a guy who scored zero goals in 2 seasons.

I don't disagree, but I've seen much more money spent on players who also contributed hee haw, so it's no different in that respect. What is different now is the overall quality of player coming to Scotland. I doubt anyone thinks the Old Firm have better players today than they did 15 or 20 years ago and it's a similar story everywhere else. This is a league full of average players, at best.

Out of curiosity, which clubs are you talking about?

I'm sure they exist, but I don't personally know anyone who thinks dropping down a division would be beneficial in any way. I share your opinion on what we should be aiming for - and that's what's been delivered over the past 20 years or so. If you think we're pissing money up against a wall to fix mistakes now, you should've witnessed the financial incontinence some of our previous boards and managers suffered from. Tommy McLean built a couple of great sides and brought great players to the club, but god knows how many absolute duds he shelled out on at the same time. It's always been a hit or a miss with signings, but a manager can't get the cheque book out to rectify their mistakes whenever they need to anymore. Almost every player they bring in is either a reject from somewhere else or completely untried at our level, and one bad transfer window could see them sacked long before they have a chance to fix it.

I suspect it's an unfortunate fact. They might have been slightly higher during periods when we were doing well, but not that much higher. If success on the field doesn't attract more punters, what would? I'm no looking for an argument either. We all want our club to achieve as much as it can and I don't think we should accept endless mediocrity. But we have the fan base we have had for a long, long time, which does limit clubs, unless they have a rich benefactor (and we've all see what happens when they lose interest). I'll ask the same question I've asked before on this subject: when you look at the entire history of Motherwell FC, do you believe we are underachieving by staying in the top division for nearly 40 years, finishing in the top 6 reasonably regularly, reaching several cup finals and qualifying for Europe? If you think we should be doing more than that, I'd be interested to hear what that would mean for you.

Has anyone any idea who the right people are or where they can be found? A new CEO would be appointed by the folk who are already there, and you obviously don't trust them with that job. Crowds aren't gonnae go up, so if they want to aim higher with managerial appointments and signings they'll need to find money elsewhere, which surely means finding an individual or group with the capability and desire to fund their ambitions. I don't think that's likely, to put it mildly.

By proactive, I take it you mean appoint the right manager and sign the right players at the first time of asking, not when things have gone wrong? If it is, how do they go about doing that?

What we desperately needs is to score first in a game. Continually having to come from behind when they're on a run like this is just piling more pressure on the whole team, back and front.

Because Barnsley got kicked out the FA Cup for signing an ineffectual player, or something.

Yeah, Watt's had more clubs than you know who but, to the best of my knowledge, he's yet to sign for one in the Scottish Championship, including Dundee Utd. Moult probably took the best offer he got, given his injury problems. I just don't see Utd spending more to bring in another striker o good money with those 2 already on the books. Unless something should happen to either of them between now and January.

The Old Firm won't be interested, Aberdeen have a couple of guys who must be on decent money, Hearts obviously have Shankland as their main striker - would the 2 of them be suited to playing together? - and Hibs have a few on their books too. Would Dundee Utd spend the money to get themselves up, given how well they're going? Would Van Veen fancy the Championship? He might find his options in Scotland aren't as great as we'd imagine. And if it's a half season loan to fit in with his baby's birth, why not go where you're loved? If we can come up with the cash.

It may well be, but since when was behaving in an embarrassing manner the criteria for what folk can or can't do?

Form wise, Alexander was doing pretty well here until Boxing Day 2021. After that it went over a cliff. Same thing's happening with Kettlewell, obviously. Assuming we lose to Celtic, he has the Dundee game to find a win and match Alexander's run of 5 points from 33. Probably something we'll see every season or two now, the inevitable end result when limited managers are given limited funds to bring in limited players.

32, hasn't played in over a year and he's still not fully fit. No harm to the guy, but I don't see many managers pushing the boat out to sign him.

You're right, as interesting a discussion as it is, it's not really one for on here and I should probably have left it alone. Getting back to its origin, I don't see any circumstances where Neil Lennon becomes our manager. Leaving aside all the footballing and financial issues, this is an example of the baggage he'd tow behind him wherever he went - I doubt he'll ever manage in Scotland again.

What rights of others are you referring to?

Those people choosing to shout during the silence are exercising their right to do so. Since that right was paid for by millions of lives, the least we can do is respect the concept of freedom of speech/expression, which means putting up with the ramblings of folk who can't show the tiniest bit of respect for 1 or 2 minutes a year.

No, no....no, no, no, no. Sounds like our form guide.

Given his recent record, Alexander will be looking back at his glory days along with us. Kettlewell's managerial record has improved greatly in his time here, so maybe they should sack him while his Motherwell related stats are still the better of the two.