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Dunfermline have a bit of cash to spend from their new investment and a good cup run. We might be able to sell them Ox (or mutal him and let him go for free). Would love to see Welsh back, but have zero expectation that will happen so we'll need to find a similar style replacement - probably 2. An extra left back would be useful. I'm assuming Slatts is gone. If somebody wants to make a big offer for Ward, I think Connelly steps up and we look for a backup. Would not be suprised to receive offers for JT, Watt, Just, Fadinger and Longelo. Just would be the biggest loss, but if he adds a good World Cup to his excellent season, it could be an offer we can't refuse. I"m OK with JT leaving if the price is right, but we can't afford to lose Slatts, Watt, Fadinger and Just at the same time, so I hope we can hold on to two of them. We do need to find a striker that can handle our system. If JT stays, I still think he is more effective out wide, so we need someone who can fill that role. You never can tell, but I feel like a Higdon, Moult or Sutton type of player who have thrived in the current setup. Oh, and I'm assuming AP will be gone too.

Still having flashbacks to the Well Society Board members who wanted to accept Barmack's offer. What was it again? He put in 10p, his wife posted about us on social media, and the Well Society had to put in 1 million quid (although I may be slightly misrepresenting the offer).

Is that number accurate? I'm not saying you're wrong. Only that represents a huge hike from a Deloitte report from 2024 talking about how healthy Norwegian football was. From June 2024, it says the league champions Vålerenga had the highest personnel costs of 20.8 million Norwegian Krone, which is only about £1.68 million.

Gordon will want to be playing regularly, so I can’t see him being here next season.

Absolutely. And we could have the financial strength to ensure any investment made was a minority investment and that the fans still retain control of the club and all our assets......

I kinda agree. I thought yesterday was more of a 3 at the back with Sparrow and RCC as wing backs, albeit it was very fluid with RCC ending up out on the left side at stages in the first half. However, I thought Gordo looked very comfortable in that, although it was clear Hibs were quite happy to let him have it and didnt press him too much. His use of the ball was as good as Ive seen it yesterday. Kept it simple for the most part, but some of his long diagonals were excellent. Certainly wouldnt be opposed to him sticking around. I guess it just depends on what other targets are out there and whether Jens thinks they are better suited to what we do.

If we want the Dunfermline player, Oxborough mibbe part of a deal?

If you can get to the league stage of the European competitions the money starts to flow in. That would be the best way to finance a new stadium and obviously, per your post, give more money to attract better players. having said that, I think JBA has demonstrated that spending lots of Money on players doesn’t guarantee a better team. Having the right coach and the right mix of players can go a long way to achieving success on a smaller budget. Of course, having that plus a lot more money wouldn’t be a bad thing. Would we then start to become a possible investment opportunity or maybe more the case of not requiring outside investors?

I think the outlook of the new board (thanks to the the outlook of the Well Society) is more optomistic and forward looking. Probably just a product of being younger, more hopeful and more forward thinking. They talked about easy gains/wins at the start and we have seen some of that this season with our entertaining brand of football increasing attendances and giving the club a wider media exposure. Hopefully we can take the revenue from that and use it wisely to build on what is surely a stronger foundation than they inherited. Many challenges ahead, not least the stadium. But with a new training base in the pipeline and European football on the horizon we must be a more attractive proposition to new players now.

I agree. However, slow and steady wins the race, and this season is just the start of discovering our new ceiling. I also wonder if more clubs will follow our lead.

He is indeed. A few hours ago I had him marked down as stick on exit. However, on reflection and after reading this, I tend to agree. He's played well in the last 2 games and has the physicality we need. Time will tell. As for the Dunfermline player you refer to, he is highly rated by the East End Park faithful. However there are a few clubs watching him including Aberdeen.

I hope the days of our ambition being to finish 10th are over. Yes, we have to be realistic as to how far we can go, but this season has proved we need to heighten our ceiling a bit.

If anyone still fancies a laugh/seethe about Wednesday night, check out the 'accidental' handball decision for Man United's second goal today, complete with a referee overruling VAR.

Aye good luck to Sam Nicholson. I did wonder if we would offer him something to stay on. If he could stay fit he definitely had something to offer, even if it was just off the bench. However, the injuries would always be in the thought process, so I guess we have decided to "twist" and move on.

They didnt start out that way though. The were in the Norwegian 2nd tier not that long ago. Not saying we will ever get to those numbers. But you have to start somewhere. Reach for the stars, you might just get the moon.....

If anybody deserves a bit of luck on the injury front then it's him,if he gets it then he will be a standout in that league,all the best sam.

Bodo Glimt have a £31 million wage bill and have spent £38 million on their current team. I'm sure if we can match those figures Jens will be happy to stay!

He’s been a really unlucky player with injuries but I think it’s clear he’s a very tidy footballer. Supposedly a top guy to have about too. I hope he does really well for himself. Always part of the 25/26

Sam Nicholson off to Livi. Good move for him, wish it had worked out for him at Fir Park as he's a tidy player and seems a decent guy. All the best!

Yes, good luck to him. Seems a genuine guy. Is Livi, with their plastic pitch, the right club for him though? Announcement made at the right time, after our last game.

Good luck to him, really nice guy and just so unlucky with injuries

Nicholson's signed for Livi.

First of all.....Keith houchen scored one of my all time favourite cup final goals. With squad I think Maswanhise and Just will be off and possibly Watt but I think a lot depends on Askou. If he stays i think players could be persuaded plus I think we are an attractive option for potential signings. I never rated Robinson when he arrived but when you look at transformation of SOD it shows you what a difference a manager makes. Robinson was playing under SK tactics so we maybe didn't see his full potential.

On the way up Leith Walk I was chatting to a couple of Coventry fans who had come up for the game. For the oldies out there, one was the son of Coventry legend Keith Houchen who also played for Hibs. They were impressed by what they saw of Motherwell and thought we were streets ahead of Hibs. They told me Slattery had already agreed terms with Oxford? Having watched him they were convinced he was far better than that and could easily walk into a Championship club. They were also shocked by how poor the referee was. More so when I told them Walsh was FIFA qualified. Gordon is a strange one. He was a certainty to move on as he had become a fringe player at best. But his last few appearances suggest there is a lot more to him and he appears to have suddenly developed skills and patience I doubted he had. Fitted in seamlessly to the style of football we now play. Also came across as heavily committed to the group. That dressing room coverage was quite an insight into how well the players have bonded. Never thought I would want Gordon to stay, but if Welsh is unsignable for next season we could do worse. Chat locally is that along with a good few others we are interested in a Dunfermline centre back who can also play as a left wing back. I think Just is likely to be on his way no matter what. Especially as New Zealand have a World Cup Group in which he should shine. Maswanhise might not bring in the cash we hoped for but I think we will certainly receive offers. Hopefully the sale of those two would enable us to retain others for a wee bit longer. Without doubt some first team starters will move on. That's a fact and the Club have been open about that. Needs must Whether or not it becomes the challenge it could be may depend on whether Askou agrees to stay for one more year. He will have options and will have some serious thinking to do. If we can hold on to him I would not be surprised if some of those players we expect to leave have second thoughts. I'm hoping Slattery is one of those players.... unlikely as it seems. (See above) Two players I have no clue about are Watt and Robinson. For different reasons. I was told by folk not connected in any way to Motherwell that Watt's agent was in discussion with Hearts and Rangers in January and that a deal was imminent with Watt preferring Rangers. Then injury intervened. But now again I am told there is interest. Time will tell. Crazy as it seems I wonder if Robinson is seen as a possible replacement for Maswanhise. Robinson comes across as well regarded by Askou and integrated into the squad. Just a feeling but I suspect Askou thinks Robinson might be a player he can develop to the level he requires. I imagine we will very soon see a list of those released so that will clarify things to a degree. And tell us which youngsters are considered good enough to step up. But for sure it is going to be an interesting, frustrating, exciting summer. What a season that was! Thanks to Jens, staff, players and fans for giving me my Saturday back.