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CoF

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Posts posted by CoF

  1. We had an 18 team League and it worked well until Jock Stein came along.

    Celtic's 9 in a row was the catalyst for change, only weak leagues in poor countries are dominated by teams in the way Celtic dominated in those years. Change was mooted and we modelled the Premier League or Top Ten on the German Bundesliga,( The Germans swiftly changed back when they realised the cost of relegation to it's biggest clubs) Scotland though plodded blindly on regardless of the cost to our clubs, from being European semi-finalists only a few years earlier, Kilmarnock (Fairs Cup 1967) and Dunfermline (Cup Winners Cup 1969) suddenly found themselves down amongst the also rans.

    From being big clubs with decent supports these clubs almost went under and a lot of their fans deserted them, kids weren't interested in going to see Killie or the Pars against Montrose and Brechin, not when their dads had been used to Rangers and Celtic and Hearts and Hibs. A lot of those kids began to look at one or other of the Old Firm, and I dont think those clubs have a hope in hell of getting them back.

    In the 19 years between the commencement of the league after the second world war and the first title of Celtic's 9 in a row, Hibs (3 times), Hearts (twice), Aberdeen, Kilmarnock, and Dundee had all won the Leagu title. That was a strong and healthy league, the fact that Celtic would dominate for the next 9 years did not weaken the League in any way shape or form. Indeed during Celtic's 9 in a row Rangers reached two European Finals, Dundee reached the semi-finals of the Fairs Cup, now Uefa Cup, Dunfermline a UEFA Cup Quarter Final in 1966 and a Cup Winners Cup semi-final in 1969, Hibs a Quarter Final in 1973, and Kilmarnock a semi-final in 1967. Within 5 years of the onset of The Premier League in 1975 all of those clubs, Rangers apart unfortunately, had suffered relegation from the Top division.

    The Premier League didn't make the football any better, it bloody decimated our clubs. Can we go back to an 18 team League, my heart says yes, but my head says no. We dont have big enough clubs to fill it. We've murdered them.

     

     

     

    That was a very interesting post. Interesting insight into Scottish fitba before my time, something that, to be honest, I'm quite ignorant of.

  2. What's the script with Europe? I know there is a full thread on this but I canny be bothered trawling through it. Does 4th get into Europe only if Aberdeen get to the Scottish Cup final and finish 3rd in the league?

     

     

     

    That's all inconsequential if we finish 3rd of course. :huh:

  3. Pity Hibs won too but you canny have everything can you?!!

     

     

     

    Fuck hibs, we'll finish above them anyway so that result actually puts us in a better position for 3rd. Easy peasy.

  4. Wasn't at the game yesterday but a very very important result for us. Hibs winning made the game a must win and I honestly didn't expect to take more than a point from the game.

     

     

    How did JOB get on yesterday? Read on the bbc news report that he set up both goals? He's turned himself into an integral part of our team these days. No bad considering the pelters he used to get!

  5. Just phoned for tickets....girl said she THINKS I can get them at Hearts ticket office tomorrow and she THINKS it'll be open up until 15 minutes before kick off.

     

    ???????????

     

    If I can't get tickets tomorrow I'll be raging.

     

    Did you book them over the phone or was she telling you to just pay at tynecastle?

  6. Think we'll see the same line up as Saturday? I've only seen the highlights and it appeared to work however from what I've read from those at the game, Clarky didny really fit into midfield. Decisions to be made from McGhee, I can't see Hearts gifting us chances the way ICT did so we'll need to be creating our own chances on Wednesday I think. It will be interesting to see if Sutton keeps his place in the team, good finish on Saturday however when I've seen him it appears he needs clear cut chances to get goals. Not neccessarily a bad thing if an on form midfield can feed him.

     

     

    I'll go for an optimistic 1-0 to us with a goal from Sheridan again. A draw or win will give our longest unbeaten league run since when?

  7. Is this being discussed elsewhere? Todays topic was 'Football Forums' and steelmenonline got plenty of mentions.

     

    Quite a few usernames on here got a chuckle and that soap lass booby avatar was mentioned for being braw.

     

     

     

     

    So there's some mundane information for you.

  8. Anyway I am starting to like our wee 'sand trap' - the more we get used to it then the more chance we have against other teams.

     

    I was thinking that watching the game yesterday. The players are expecing the big mockit bounce and are adjusting their game to suit while the opposition are still greetin about it.

     

    Could the shoddy pitch be making Fir Park even harder to come to? I think so!

  9. If we had went out the cup to St Mirren with our heads held high then I'd say Europe is still on but the manner in which we went out is what is worrying. We were poor last night with a full strength team and on a good pitch.

     

    I sometimes wonder if we simply don't have the personnel anymore. It's hard to judge how well McGhee's tactics worked when the players were struggling to do the absolute basics - passing and controlling the ball. We've got from having a strong forward line to wondering where the goals are going to come from. Clarky can often pull it out the bag but he isn't exactly consistant and I'm unconvinced by Sheridan and Sutton so far.

     

     

    McGhees interview on the official site is a pretty scathing analysis of the night which can only be a good thing. I'd have worried if he'd come out with the 'we worked hard, we were unlucky' statement that he was using at the start of the season.

     

     

    I've still got faith in McGhee and the players to get us into Europe again but let's just say it's being tested just now.

     

     

    I know one player will never solve all our problems but I wonder what Aydilek has to offer? Someone stronger in front of Hammell could make a big difference.

  10. MFC as a club have shown that money is more important to them than their own fans

     

     

     

    To be fair, a club like Motherwell needs it finances run tightly and if I'm not mistaken we are one of the very few clubs in Britain just now who have been running in the black (?). No doubt a result of taking tough decisions like giving the cooper to old firm fans. Without seeing and scrutinizing the club finances we can only assume it's sound a financial decision. Whether it's the right decision or not is entirely subjective.

     

     

    For examples sake, would you be happy with the situation if John Boyle came out and said the extra revenue created from giving the Cooper away allows us to pay Klimpl's wages?

     

    That's a pretty straightforward scenario but who knows, I've got a feeling it is as simple as that sometimes.

  11. Yup, the question will be whether or not we will fill it or not. If Johnny Boyle thinks we will fill it then I do believe we'll get it. I think the natural instict is to say "Celtic in the Scottish cup, Fir Park will be rammed with 'well fans" but as Neil says, we were given it in the League Cup and didny fill it.

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