Leaderboard

Ive never understood this logic. Surely you are interested in how much money the manager has to spend on new players in the close season. As has been already stated the difference of a couple of places could be £125k. That could be the difference in getting a couple of our 1st choice targets, or having to settle for "projects" again. Every game between now and the end of the season is important to us. We have a big rebuild again in the summer. The more money we have for that the better.

Interesting reading here for sure, and as much as it surprises me to be saying this, SteelBoy is on the money with a lot of what he's saying in my opinion. In my experience, people with the financial clout to invest heavily in a football club aren't the type to accept a situation where they have to run their decisions and plans past a majority holding group made up, for the most part, of people who have nowhere near the same level of business experience as they do. If they're putting a considerable amount of money into any venture, they'll expect to make at least that and more back on the other side. That's simply how it is. They're not coming and giving up time and money for nothing. This suggests to me that they'll want majority control and will not be answerable to the Well Society. No serious investor would accept risking their capital in an industry that is difficult to profit from at the best of times without having majority control over how that entity is run and, more importantly, how their money is spent. The Well Society and any votes in the future would simply be seen as inconveniences and roadblocks to the real professionals doing their jobs. Which is maximising profit for the owner on their investment. The most concerning thing for any football fan is that most owners who do not have an emotional attachment to the club they own often see it as just another business venture. Venture is the key word there. Defined as "an undertaking involving chance or risk" or "a speculative business enterprise," which in most cases means that the investor takes a chance, and has an amount of money they're willing to lose before declaring the venture a loss. At that point, they cut it loose and let it sink. It happens to companies every day. It's just that those companies ordinarily don't have fans. I'll be more than happy to be proven wrong on that count and see a unicorn in the form of someone with a ton of cash and no real emotional attachment to the club happy to throw cash into the pot and basically cede overall control and direction to the Well Society. I don't see it happening, though. As has been mentioned already, fan ownership gives us many things, but the most important is that it gives us our club. If the Well Society loses majority control (if it happens), it will no longer be our club—it will be the new owners' club. At that point, we will be just customers. Most of the noise surrounding this issue seems to be paving the way for a change in majority ownership. Again, this is just my opinion based on what I've experienced in the past. Losing majority control of something like a football is a hard sell to fans. The only way to really accomplish that is to convince said fans via various PR means that there's not really any other option moving forward. Vague mentions of financial issues and a drip-style media campaign that gets fans used to the idea of giving up control. Again, I'm not saying this is what is happening, but it looks a lot like it from the outside. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out.

Get Spittal to f**k! Hasn’t played since he signed for Hearts.

This is it exactly for me. The club has always (since administration etc. anyway) operated under a model where we need to sell a player every other year to keep the books balanced, or sell a Turnbull every three or so. The WS' funds essentially became a way for the club to keep things balanced in leaner times after Les came in, and that's absolutely worked and kept the club afloat. I would argue that's not necessarily true fan ownership, which is why I'm intrigued to see what the new WS board have to offer in terms of growing that to something even more meaningful. However, there's also no reason that the work they're doing can't be done alongside an investor who wants to work with the WS to do that, using their own business experience and skills to supplement what is already there. My line in the sand for all of this has always been 51/49 ownership in favour of the fans. If it goes beyond that (even if it takes years, or is performance based etc.) it's a no from me. Also, there is far, far more to any potential takeover than can be acutely summarised on a forum like this. Like I'm enjoying the debate and discussion but we also need to know a significant amount of what we're reading here and in the press is speculation. e.g. The actual, financial valuation of the club and its assets (rather than the emotional one we as fans put on it) calculated by forensic accountants/finance specialists and then adding in any potential clauses the WS want around ensuring that if they lost majority ownership, there is first refusal on the investor's shares if/when they choose to go or sell up. This is all, of course, dependent on it getting to the stage of there being an actual offer for the club that the Exec Board deems worth considering. Exclusivity of negotiations doesn't guarantee that will happen. One (final, I promise) point; none of the potential investors we have attracted so far are offering to put "transformational" amounts of money into the club. So whatever happens in that regard, I believe the WS will have to continue in some capacity to support the club in leaner times. Like you said @joewarkfanclub we need to be very careful when coming to a decision. Personally, I think there is a model where the WS and any investor(s) could work together (whilst the WS/fans retains majority ownership under whatever structure is negotiated) to build the former and help the latter get a return on their investment, leaving the club in a stronger position than it was. There is nuance to that which will take time to work out, if it is indeed an option, but the devil, as always, will be in the detail.

Do you have an application form in for the Trolls doom and misery club alongside Yodo, MJC and Steelboy, why was yesterday pathetic, we never lost and had a great chance to win with the last kick of the ball? A draw was probably the fair result as Hibs played ok as well. Since December we've been good, playing better picking up results, ending our Rangers hoodoo, to be even in the position of still be able to make the top 6 speaks volumes on how well SK has turned it round from us being 2nd bottom.. so why not give the team some credit for a change, you might enjoy the experience.

The players on their way out should be dropped and the young boys given a chance. Yesterday was pathetic.

I am seriously thinking about turning this topic into some sort of stage show and taking it to the Fringe it’s utterly insane the amount of nonsense that’s getting slung about lol.

This all day long. We need to ditch the weird formation and get our best players playing in their best positions. Vale is great with his back to goal and holding the ball up and playing others in. Bair is better running in behind. Davor runs around and breaks shit up. Miller and Spittal are both best at controlling the tempo and picking a pass. Gent is great at beating his man and driving crosses across the 6 yard box. Just do that. And if the defence could maybe not chuck any in our own net that would be grand!

AHHHHH HAAAAAAAAAAAA

My education was also very much delivered in the 1975 Airdrie cup semi. I still have the scarf I bought for that game in case I ever forget.

You can't distill our lack of points down to one incident in one game. We've given away many goals that have cost us points and missed many chances that would have potentially earned us points over the course of the season. Just like every other team. That's why the league table is a good reflection of form over the season.

That's harsh mate, I accept that Spittal hasn't been as influencial in the last two or three games but to suggest that it's because of his move isn't acceptable. He's still working as hard as ever and who was it that got his head in the way of a certain goal at the back post?

I don't want a manager that says top 6 is punching "well" above our league. We been top 6 loads over past 10 year. Is it such a massive ambition?

Now either O'Donnell has slept with someone close to you or he owes you money. There's been several players this season made mistakes, but they don't seem to get the Steelboy yir shite patter. As for yir kicking into the middle of the park comment, I suppose you would have brought it down in the swirling wind and played an inch perfect pass to a forward, Though not!!!!

The rain is on, maybe postpone this one till Wednesday?

There are some fantastic goals to choose from, but it's got to be Bair's dink against Livi for me. Honourable mention for Spittal's thunder bastard strike, however. The other takeaway from that video is how important Spittal has been for us. Putting Bair's revival and goals aside, Spittal has been our most important player by far this season, and it's not the first time I've posted that on this forum. We're going to miss him a lot.

100% correct why should fans have faith in promises made that could have been delivered over the last 5 or 6 years. I am not convinced by the American interest either but ill wait until I see actual facts rather than what someone down the pub thinks.

The finances are fine. We have made a good profit during a difficult period. To me it looks like the clique that have run the club in various guises for 20 years don't like the fact that the majority of the Well Society board are now supporters from the East Stand and decided they would rather privatise than see working class fans have a real say in how the club is run.

PS. I agree with David, in that if this deal goes through (and I might yet vote for it) and the Society no longer has majority shareholding, I will no longer feel the need to continue my subscription. In my opinion, if you give away majority shareholding the purpose of the Society no longer exists and you may as well wind it up. Not sure if the Board or investors hace considered that.......

In an ideal world neither side of the OF would win the title, but the seethe from the Rangers fans this week will be as funny as it is epic.

Even McGinn knows the team are dog shit. I think they are the worst bunch of players we have had in a long time but there's still zero chance they are getting relegated now.

I might be wrong but I think that Pettigrew lob was in the 2-2 cup quarter final, which was followed up with a replay draw at Easter Road and ended with a 2-1 win at a neutral venue (Ibrox). As you say, that cup run ended with one Masonic ref giving Rangers a penalty when Derek Johnstone stepped on the ball about 2 yards outside the box but managed to land on the penalty spot. The scum went on to win 3-2 and the ref was later found guilty of taking bribes over a European game.

Two games in there which remind me why I hate Rangers so much, 2-0 up in both and cheated, once by their scummy fans and the other by the officials. Plus (although my memory is a bit hazy on this), the Hibs game where we almost got to Europe for the first time, the one where Willie P lobbed the keeper from 20 yards, I think it finished 3-3 and we finished just behind them in the league.

I can only assume you’ve followed me around Fir Park for the past 30+ years with a clicker in each hand noting my boos vs applause. But, if you must know, I never boo my own team or players, and I generally always stay behind to applaud the team, regardless of the result. It may come as a shock to you, but what people choose to critically express on a football forum after a match and how they carry themselves at the match are often not one and the same. Happy Monday to you!

The point I was making was to finish as high as possible in the bottom six where there is also a difference in prize money . Every penny counts.

We'll likely draw our way to safety and finish on 42 points.

Billy Bowie a director of Kilmarnock and his company who are one of Killies main sponsors personally funded Van Veens wages reputed to be 6k pw and their playing budget this season is considerably higher than ours so not a good comparison. And yes they have a good manager who also doesn't come cheap.

Kettlewell. "If we get top six we're punching well above our weight, that's shite! Kilmarnock Dundee and St Mirren made it with similar budgets. DOes anyone think we would be punching well above our weight to get top 6? Mccall did it easily. As did Robinson

People have been talking up O'Donnell. Against Livi he kicked it to no one and they broke and scored. At Ibrox he dived in and gave away a penalty. Versus St Mirren he was supposed to be marking Fraser who scored then today he kicks it to into the middle of the park to no one then 30 seconds later gives away a crazy penalty. He's probably a top earner as well. Get shot.

Actually pretty satisfying after how the hibs fans were acting 😂

The most predictable outcome ever. Still, it would have mattered not one jot with Dundee getting a point. I'm happy just to f**k Hibs over at the death!

📽️ Enjoy Loved this team hated the playing strip

Good post. Irrespective of how its been achieved, ie through development of the Academy, we have always been a selling club. Whatever investment model we adopt in future, that will never change. Thats not to say, of course, that we shouldn't maximise other income streams. Of course we should.

This

See all this "from what you have heard" - that's just more rumours clearly. See unless people know something as fact - maybe it shouldn't be shared.

They can, but I'm not sure how that fits in with the Society's remit to be a fan-owned club, or if the Society can even legally exist in its current form if it becomes impossible for it to ever be the majority stakeholder.

The thing is, you're in the investment thread talking about how the Well Society has been a success. If you think the team as it is is "dog shit" then you're not going to be any happier next season or the season after if we remain as a fan-owned club. Because we simply do not have the money to increase spending on players I don't think.

Only in Scotland. Any other country it would be the showpiece winner takes all finale.

The two points yes, extra cash no, apart from us winning we also needed Aberdeen to beat Dundee which never happened, so it's 7th place prize money at best this season.

Honk honk. 😂 SIWY

Hibs supporter and Aberdeen supporters have every right to be pouring over the post mortem this evening. Two relatively massive clubs in our league who have underperformed yet again. The stand out team for me has been St Mirren. Top six for the second year in a row. They have shown the difference a good manager makes. Robinson did it with us and now St Mirren. Mind-blowing to think that there was Motherwell fans that argued from the time Robinson arrived with us that he was not up to the standard of our league. As for us, Kettlewell has met his target once again. To keep us in the division. The victory at Ibrox apart it has been a very mediocre season but there is still the possibility of finishing best of the rest for the second year in a row which from an objective perspective is about exactly where we do weigh in. I would be lying if I said that I was not slightly underwhelmed by this season but I always remind myself that we remain one of only three teams to stay in the top division spanning over the last five decades. It is an extraordinary achievement and looks like continuing for at least one season more.

No he hasn't. I agree but we got the draw and that's a positive. I didn't think we were going to equalise.

If Robinson hadn't put a hit out on Mika's knee we would have made it. He's a scummy snake but he's good at it.

He's actually been atrocious. All he's done is pass "clever balls" direct to the opposition.

The last three matches at Fir Park have been atrocious and that was the worst one by far. We probably deserved a draw but not by any great play, more each team was as bad as each other. The weather conditions didn't help but still..... Only good thing about it was dead silence from the Hibs end when we scored! When your team is pish, schadenfreude goes a long way! The second half was slightly better than the first, else it might creep into my Top 5 worst games ever.

Dundee drawing made it all redundant anyway. hibs and Aberdeen not making the top 6 is a disgrace with what they have forked out. at least we have avoided relegation. I’m confident of that much.

A win wouldn't have been good enough for top 6. At least we're not Hibs.

Good old VAR keeping the game as enjoyable as ever 👍

Good old VAR keeping the game as enjoyable as ever 👍

Print news has been in a terminal decline for a long time, and the Daily Record died when it published ‘The Vow’.