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I was one of the first posters on the AndyP thread, I couldn't take it in at first a we'd been speaking so freely the day before. The African summed up my feelings in a particularly eloquent post. Where my own had none, his echoed where I was in a thread that must can only be a comfort to his family. Today it was announced in that thread that poster Madwullie also passed away. I initially thought a mere "that's sad" not recalling much interaction with him on here. As the thread progressed and it was revealed that Madwullie had a real name beyond his avatar as we all do, and it was one that was familiar, very familiar. Of course you want to check things and make sure you're not jumping the gun, however growing sense of foreboding hit me like a juggernaut as I searched P&B where his posting was more prolific. Graeme was for about 3 or 4 years was my closest childhood friend. I'd have sleepovers at his house, his bedroom a loft conversion that I mimicked in my own place years later. His mum serving pizza's still cold in the middle for week upon week because she didn't notice there were two oven cooking times, defrosted and from frozen. He didn't want to upset her so we ate it grim as it was on beyond the second chomp from the crust. Playing John Madden NFL and I recall hearing the roar from FP through his open velux window that carried further at night in the dark. I recall us both as 14 year olds getting the giggles in the back of a car getting run home when another friends dad lost it with his son. Trying to stifle our laughter made the Dad's behaviour even more erratic, FYI it is possible to get to 60mph along Cameron Street before you have to break at Hamilton Road .... just. We drifted when he went to Braidhurst and I went to Dalziel but were in the BB's together and were part of a group of 4 that went all the way from Bronze to Gold Duke of Edinburgh. At 15 doing the Bronze we got disorientated and lost in the Ochils in 10m visibility and horizontal rain. We followed our training and erected our tent and got in, started blowing a whistle 6 times a minute as protocol. It of course was far too soon, one of our friends broke down and started crying for his mum. Graeme and I again stifled our laughter while cooried in our sleeping bags but the friend must have seen our shoulders bouncing and the whistle blows descend into a series of squeaks as it was impossible to purse lips. I went to Strathclyde and Graeme to Glasgow, he opted for a different social scene to me I'd sometimes see him other than the melee at 16:50 in the streets outside FP and we'd nod and exchange banal small talk. We engaged meaningfully for the first time in about 10 years in the dentist's waiting room about 4 or 5 years ago. We discussed playing golf (with the guy who cried for his mum, I'm still close to him and owe him more for different reasons than I can convey on here). Graeme was incredibly quick witted, playful, mischievous, inventive, well read and coined many a catchphrase. I gravitated towards him because there would always be a laugh. He would roast you if you ever did, wore or said something worthy of it. But he never doubled down, once you got it he ensured the group moved on to someone else to everyone got their fair share. One of the side effects of my coma is I've oddly became more emotional, I've been pretty stoic in life till now having had to deal with a lot of loss myself. I have been "semi" fortunate that my losses have all been from those older which, in life, is expected. This is the first person from my peer group that I know has passed and it is very sobering. This news just hit me for six. I think it emphasises that Carpe Diem is good mantra to adopt but it only has pertinence if you actually engage in it. I wish I arranged that game of golf as much as I am angry I didn't walk across Fir Park Road to recognise the man I was sure was Andy P (but not sure enough) to shake his hand and thank him for the favour he did me. I think it's fitting that this is my last post on here. A culmination of losing two well respected people and being subject to some cowardly behaviour by another individual hiding under the shroud of anonymity. Thanks to Yabba for his endeavours. For those of you who'd like to donate in his memory, Woody now has a Just Giving page started by those on P&B and it's already up over £2,000. Just Giving Page - Woody

Marshall was criminal for the second goal. Five yards from the 5 centre circle when the ball was in the middle of the other half.

RIP Andy, one of those guys who was a gent to the core, his contribution here, to the email lists and message boards over the years cannot be overstated. One of the good guys, gone too soon.

He has contributed in the final third. He has two assists against Austria and Slovakia in the past 12 months. The tactics in general are far too negative.

It was never Hendrys fault, yes he could have passed the ball inside, but David Marshall was 100% to blame, wtf was a keeper doing 10 yards from the centre circle, when the ball was midway in the Czech half? If he had been in goals or at least on the 18 yard line, the Czech player would either not have tried the shot or If he did Marshall would have saved it easily. But fair play to schick it was a brilliant effort.

This is such truly sad news. I just want to add an example of my interactions with Andy_P, because this thread is painting a wonderful picture of what a kind and considerate gentleman he must have been. I'd never had the pleasure of meeting Andy. However, he contacted me, a total insignificant stranger, via PM when he read one of my posts about the League Cup final. When I explained that I couldn't make the final because of my poorly grandparents, he insisted on getting my address so that he would send a program from the final to them. Then, months later, when we reached the Scottish Cup final, he again contacted me via PM to check on their health and to see if we would like him to send a program from this final too. God bless him.

OD wasn't the problem it was down to the fact that there was no central midfield dictating any play or at least willing to grab the game by the scruff of the neck

Oooh, a rumour at last! I bet he's shite :-)

As i mentioned in my previous post myself Andy P have co hosted on the MFC Podcast, last night Andy Ross and I were joined by Allan Burrows to pay tribute to Andy P We also decided to discuss pre season and have a general chat about Motherwell as that's what Andy would have wanted, il post a link if anyone fancies listening.

It is. We've had players like Gary McAllister who we developed in the youth system and captained Scotland in Euro 96 but he wasn't capped until after he left Motherwell.

I cannot fuckin believe McGregor got dropped today. By far and away our best ball playing midfielder, dropped for McTominay to kick people.

Tommy Coyne was the first Motherwell player to play in a World Cup - but that was for Ireland.

I doubt we can afford to pay his gambling debts either.

Reading through the comments a lot of encouraging things here and there against a team that did spank us a few times last season. OK, they've lost a few players, so have we, however we are threadbare with a debutant 3rd choice left back playing 45 minutes for us there. A result like this in their manor is certainly an improvement from recent results and based on their game against Aberdeen, maybe not too bad? I'm never a fan of setting up totally defensive, I think its been proven so far we don't have the personnel to close out games. Playing 2 strikers don't seem lean towards that but when it looks like we will be looking to counter attack, I have to wonder why Ainsworth wasn't started ahead of Sutton to support Erwin unless there were injury concerns. McCall does like his favourites and no doubt felt that Sutton would hold the ball for support to come up. Other posters have said it, unfortunately too many of our experienced players with pedigree aren't performing anywhere near the kids with the hunger are.