Home LegFlew in late on the Wednesday night before the game so not much sleep! Was up early for a brisk walk up to Fir Park to see what the script was with tickets for the away fixture in Iceland. Staff at the Club Office were still in the dark so I took a walk round to the Main Stand where I met the Kit Man, Allan (great guy). Mr. Burrows then arrived and I had a quick chat with him (he is always approachable), he said that no tickets had been brought over so we had to make our own way up to their ground from our arrival at Reykjavik airport to purchase tickets - Alan Burrows was assured that everyone who was travelling would get in and it turns out this was the case, however, only just as when we arrived at the ground we obtained the very last 4 tickets.
The Game:Nice summer evening to start the season (not including friendly's) and we were off to a great start with 2 goals rapid then, BOOM! we have another MyPa on our hands - a sitter missed with a header at the back post. A guy skins Hammel for pace, cutting in from the Main Stand side and results in a great block by Dan. At this point we were blowing out our arses and it was no surprise when they got a stonewaller for 2-1 half time.Second half was a carbon copy of the first with them running all over us and missing another couple of sitters all coming from the left hand side. You can always rely on us for the last minute goal and there should have been a second yellow for Lasley. Also there were some very strange substitutions involved.
Away LegYou just get that feeling when you know it's not going to be a good night/trip. Our second time in Reykjavik and you are wishing you were up against Eindhoven or Torino as the feeling of fear was heavy. Off to a good few pubs meeting friends on the Wednesday night - up early on the Thursday morning and off up to Hekla to see the volcano, which is 4 years overdue for an eruption! Then back in to Reykjavik to pick up my Best Mate then off to Breidablik's ground for a wee look round again (they have an ex Motherwell youth player playing Left Back for them). We then went on to Stjarnan's ground where we met their General Manager who was absolutely superb.
The Game:An early goal again and you are thinking "one more and that's it" - they get another stonewall penalty and they are back in it! A second goal for us at the back post and you're now thinking "going to Poland via Berlin for the next round is on!!". Now I'm not trying to be a Manager of a Football team but why would you do the same substitutions in the second game as the first leg which as we know didn't give us a positive result! Ended up a complete shambles for the equaliser and you just knew we were out.The lack of fitness showed and in my opinion was the key factor in this loss. I am a season ticket holder here in Cyprus for a 3rd Division team and they have been back in training for the past 2 weeks and their season doesn't start here until the 20th of September.
Implications:A place in the next round would have been the tie to put much needed cash in the club's funds. Apparently Lech Poznan had asked for 4000 plus tickets before they had even got through!If any Motherwell supporters were away on their holidays and had put off getting their season tickets until their return after these games they may now think twice about buying a season ticket and therefore the club misses out on these funds also.The huge bonuses paid to the players by the club for finishing second for the last 2 seasons is unrealistic! When I was working in the UK I got a bonus twice a year but when funds were tight in the latter years those bonuses were stopped immediately! Why are these bonuses still being paid out when the club is obviously struggling for money?People I have spoken to since these games are so scunnered with the club that they are now planning to go to other games abroad (Spain, Germany, Holland, Cyprus, etc.) rather than spend the money on a ticket to go and see Motherwell.I can see the club coming out with the begging bowl again this season looking for another interest-free loan from the Well Society?The whole "Motherwell 'til I die" patter is cringeworthy. People say that it was our decision to spend our own money on these trips but the whole experience feels like if you decided to go out for the evening, have some nice pre-dinner drinks with friends and then on to a nice fancy restaurant and when you arrive someone has shat on your seat! That is what it feels like at the fitba!It was the worst result in my 40 odd years of supporting this club and the repercussions will roll over for a good while yet!
I did offer to do a section for the home programme and do the Euro Draw for the club but received no response!
The "Famous" Decorator.
