WishyWell

Very sad news indeed. I only knew him through his posts on here but he, and they, will be missed. RIP.

Probably Carswell or Josh Watt.

He's Academy Director - in charge of the youth system from the wee ones right up to u17s. Under rules intrroduced for the start of this season by the SFA, the Academy Director cannot also be the u20s coach, which is why JJ was brought in. Previously our Head of Youth did both jobs.

I was assuming that - but it just looks as if it goes straight from thumb, to index, to ring, to pinkie, with no space for his middle finger. It's been a long day at work...

Is our manager missing a finger on his left hand???? This pic is messing with my head - can't work out where the other finger is!!

My son had the pleasure of being coached by him last season and the one before. Not only is he great at improving young players, but he's a lovely guy and a gentleman as well. Can't speak highly enough about him.

Paper talk. Have faith, people have faith!

It's bullshit.

He'll sign. Believe!

Or Faddy?

True on all counts. He is willing to take a huge pay cut to play for us and, unless a much better offer comes in very quickly, it looks highly likely that he will sign for six months. He is very family orientated and, with his wife and kids having settled up here since last year, he has considerations other than just money that affect his decisions. Although I would hate to see it, I have to accept that combination of more money and proximity might see him go in January to the only big club left in Glasgow, or even to a club in the north of England, once he has proved his fitness and form with us. However, my claret-and-amber specs make me dream that he will love being back with us so much that he won't be able to tear himself away. Then again, anything can happen in football, so unless an offer comes out of the blue very soon, I'm just going to make the most of every time I see him back in a Motherwell top.

Faddy?

The structure and quality of coaching at the Motherwell set-up is fine. As far as facilities are concerned, we are behind Rangers (as long as they hold onto Murray Park), Celtic and Hibs, who all have their own youth facilites, and Hearts who have their academy at the Heriot Watt grounds at Riccarton. We are on a par with the likes of Dundee Utd (who use astro pitches beside their ground for the younger end and St Andrews Uni playing fields for the older ones) and Aberdeen, who have the use of pitches at Balgownie at the edge of the city, in that we use the astro at Fir Park for the wee ones and the pitches at Dalziel Park from 13s upwards. The 12s used to use the astro at Wishaw Sports Centre but I'm not sure if they still do or not. The structural changes (especially with respect to Youngy) have been vital because ot the new strucure that the SFa are bringing in. If we want to be one of the Elite clubs (which, I think - but am not certain about - brings increased financial investment from the SFC to the club) the Head of Youth (now "Academy Director") cannot also be the u20s coach - there needs to be a completely separate person filling this position. Other criteria, such as physios, gym facilities, schools liaison officer, etc, have been in place for many years so we are ok for that. In my opinion, it can only be good - Youngy has shown over the years, as a coach and then as Head of Youth, that he is great at bringing on young players, and whenever he has stepped in to take a coaching session with one of the teams, the benefits are obvious. The fact that he will be able to devote his time totally to the youth system can only be to the club's, and the boys', benefit.

I'd like to see them in Division 3, not because of penalties, not because I hate them with a passion (although I do) but because of fairness according to what I've always believed the situation to be with clubs going out of business. I've always had the impression, though I may be wrong, that the situation is simple. If a club goes out of business, a place is consequently available in the senior leagues. Everyone from below that team shuffles up to fill that space, and there is therfore a place available in the bottom league. If people choose to start a new club to replace the dead one, they can then apply along with any other interested clubs for that place in Division 3. Letting the resurrected version of that rotting foetid corpse straight back into the SPL for financial reasons would therefore be making a special case for them that wouldn't apply to anyone else (except their green alter ego, if my dreams came true and they also imploded). If I am not being too simplistic and if it is as simple as this, then I'm just wondering if there would be legal challenges from lower down the leagues. Would Dundee have a case for saying that in any other similar situation they would have come up to the SPL to fill the place? Would, for example, some of the bigger junior sides have a case for saying that they are being denied a chance to apply for a place in the senior leagues? It's a mess, and the only way to draw a line under it and move Scottish football on towards next season is to treat a newco as a completely new club and let them join the others in applying to join at the bottom level. Sure, the SPL clubs would suffer financially, but that is the hard situation Murray has left us in, and we have to accept that.

You might well. I wasn't splitting hairs about the year of the top, just referring to the colours. And before you start, no, I don't mean Bradford

I just heard a wee whisper and came on here to see if there was any talk about it. All I can say is, nothing is absolutely definite, but don't be surprised if that isn't the last time you see him in that top.

He was alos at the u14s game midweek, so might even just be up visiting mates at the club.

You've got a tattoo called Jamie???

Goodonya, 'Flow! Well deserved.

Just sent you a message to say I'll take it if it's still available, but not sure if I sent the message right, bloody idiot that I am!

I heard it's going to be blue with a hoop of some claret and amber combination. So UBH's first pic is probably not too far from reality.

I agree - two in the u-18s, one on the radar of the u-17s, five of the eight boys who won the football gold medal at the Children's Games last summer are in our u-17s, and one who had to pull out of the Children's Games squad because of a broken arm has also had Scotland recognition. And these are just examples of the talent sprinkled throughout the age groups. The Well youth system continues to produce good footballers rather than the approach taken by many other clubs of finding big strong boys and trying to teach them to kick a ball.

Thanks for clearing it up.

Where did you hear this? Not doubting you, but the dad of one of those boys knows nothing about it and is keen to know if it's official.

He is currently talking to Celtic, Sunderland and... surprisingly, Everton. If it's purely a financial decision Celtic will be blown out of the water, but his wife is keen to move back to Lanarkshire, so nothing is certain.