Ya Bezzer!

I think he's done quite well overall but I do think he can get caught up the field after bombing up the wing. He's done well screening in front of the back four and I think when Ramsden gets back that's where I'd see him fitting in. Overall his adaptability would be a good asset next season so I'd be quite keen to get him into the squad permanently especially since I doubt he would be asking for massive wages. A good squad player.

Vigurs was superb in the first half, virtually every touch he had was pure quality. Second half we were over run in midfield so he didn't shine as brightly. I thought Hollis was really composed today. Came for all the crosses, made a couple of good saves and skilled Stevie May with his footwork! I'll go with Vigurs.

First half we played well in patches. Second half we were hanging on for most of the 45 minutes but although we didn't play well we at least defended better and restricted St. Johnstone to few real chances but it still made for some nervous watching. At this stage though, it's about winning and getting the points. Roll on Wednesday.

The thing about 'if he was the all round player he wouldn't be with us' doesn't chime with me regards Ainsworth because all we're really looking for him is to show a bit more effort off the ball. If it was a technique issue or something fine but there is nothing stopping him from working a bit harder. I think Ainsworth has great potential because he's fast, he strikes a ball beautifully and he knows where the goal is but this one aspect of his game is letting him down and I don't think it would really take much from him to sort it out. All it really is is a wee bit more discipline and effort.

In that case a forum might not be for you because it's where you get a cross section of different views.

I don't really like the sash style strip so I hope we don't get it. I had a wee look and we only wore a sash for 3 years of our existence so it's not like it was anything more than a very minor fad.

Offensively Ainsworth has been great. Defensively he's been terrible. Overall I'd like him here next season and hope we can work on him to try a wee bit harder on the other side of his game. If we can't drill that work ethic into him I think he's the kind of player where you pick and choose what matches he starts according to the opposition. For instance I think McCall got it spot on to leave him out of the Celtic starting line up. But I'll reiterate that overall I think he's done well, he is an attacking player after all and that should be his main focus. He should be looking at Motherwell as a spring board to work on his overall game, hopefully he'll be here next season and do that.

I'm not really bothered who manufactures the strip as I'm not really interested in labels. As long as it is a good design I couldn't care less. I'm a traditionalist right down to the white shorts but I don't think it does any harm to change things around once in a while, as long as most of the elements of the strip are Motherwell elements and we always go back to the traditions on a semi regular basis.

The 'last Saturday match of the season' confused me. Didn't realise the Inverness match was a Wednesday. Must be the first time our (home) season has ended mid week. Of course St. Johnstone have battered us twice this season already and are in a good run of form but we have a pretty good record at Fir Park against St. Johnstone,it's P8 W6 D1 L1 since Jim Gannon got his jotters.

Ramsden is signed until 2015.

We need someone new coming in. No reflection on Ramsden's ability but he's 33 next season and he's injured half the time. We need new blood coming in anyway with this seasons record back there.

I've also noticed that Hammell often has to cover for a midfielder or central defender and has to play centrally, leaving a gap down the wing that isn't filled by a midfielder. The centre backs also fail to hold a line, usually Hutchinson is the culprit rushing out of defence to lunge into a tackle. We've also missed Ramsden who is a good solid defender.

I think there are probably three or four reasons why we have conceded so many goals this season and it shouldn't be reduced to something simplistic. That said considering we have 6'3 goalkeeper and Hutchinson and McManus at centre half we lose a hell of a lot of high balls in the box.

Expectations change throughout the season. Also not having a 'successful' season does not necessarily mean having a 'disasterous' season or even a 'poor' season. Back in August we had no idea what kind of team we'd have or what kind of teams our opponents would have. Generally I think any kind of Top 6 finish shouldn't be sniffed at but with Rangers out the league, Hearts rooted to the bottom and Hibs in disarray that's three of the teams that should outperform us out of the running. We are the 'biggest' of the provincial clubs and therefore I think we should have looking really for a top 4 place this season. However as I said expectations change throughout the season. Normally 4th place would be a strong league placing but to fall out of the top 3 now and potentially miss out on Europe at this stage in the season would, I think, have to be looked upon as something of a failure, especially as 2nd should have been in our grasp, never mind 3rd. Right now 3rd and guarenteed European qualification is my demarcation line of a successful season. If we don't achieve that it doesn't mean we had a terrible season, it just means overall we didn't achieve what I think we should have done going into the top 6 split and therefore I will be a little disappointed.

If we don't tighten up at the back we will finish 4th lose a fortune in prize money and potentially miss out on Europe. 1 clean sheet in 13 matches says we have a problem to address in the coming matches. 14 goals conceded in the last 5 matches is dire anyway you slice it.

I'm all for an attacking, entertaining team and I don't want to see us grinding out results but you can't have a situation where we are conceding over 2 goals a match on average. The number of times we have conceded 3 or more goals in the last couple of months is shocking and it simply cannot continue. I don't think today was, as some have said, about playing Dundee Utd. In recent times we've conceded 3 goals to St. Mirren, Hibs, Partick Thistle, all times scrapping against relegation. This goes much deeper than simply one team having a sign over us this term. This is something that is happening week in and week out. There must be reasons for us conceding so many goals and McCall really need to address these because it should not be happening with the players we have available. As for 2nd, I think we can still do it if we win the final three matches, so we just have to take each game at a time and try and take it to the final day. However we are going to have to defend a lot better than we have been doing to have any chance.

Northern Premier League Division One North. Barely back in football.

ARRGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Teams mentioned above are the teams that played in this seasons competition. I'd assume teams of similar standard will come in at the same stages. The best chance of progressing is if you are either seeded or manage to beat one of the weaker seeds in which case I believe you take their seeded status into the next round (might be wrong about that). This season Of 76 that entered at the 1st Round Qualifying stage 0 teams (0%) made it to the group stages. Of 42 that entered at the 2nd Round Qualifying stage 9 teams (21%) made it to the group stages. Of 18 that entered at the 3rd Round Qualifying stage 6 teams (33%) made it to the group stages. Of 33 that entered at the P.O Round Qualifying stage 15 teams(45%) made it to the group stages. So the odds are certainly staked against anyone coming out of the first two rounds of fixtures, in terms of getting to the group stages. We actually came in at the 3rd Round Qualifying but weren't seeded and got a one of the bigger teams in the draw.

At Q1 you can end up anywhere from Iceland to Kazhakstan. The latter probably being a worst case scenario! Looking at this seasons 1st rnd qualifiers I reckon we would be probably negotiate past most of the teams but there were a sprinkling of decent teams in there - Malmo, Rosenborg, Honved, Videoton, Levski Sofia, Sarajevo etc. 2nd round qualifiers mostly teams of at least our level if not above and most would be tough ties - Sparta Prague, Strum Graz, Anorthosis, Lech Poznan, Hadjuk Split, Gothenburg, Red Star Belgrade, Rubin Kazan etc...

Looks like most of the teams are limping over the line at the moment. We've only won 1 in 4. Dundee Utd have only 1 point from their last 9. Aberdeen have 1 win from their last 5 plus a semi final defeat. At this stage in the season it's about 2 or 3 more performances out of weary legs. Focus, determination, resolve.

I think holding on to kids is a big problem and you've mentioned one of the reasons. Another is that, generally, populations are much more mobile now than they were in the past. It used to be if you were born in Motherwell you lived in Motherwell all your days. Now, for a whole host of reasons, people move around a lot more, especially young people due to employment and education. A lot of the kids going to Fir Park now probably have futures away from the area. However it is good to see a lot more kids at the games. At one time, not so long ago, the support base was becoming virtually middle aged.

Even if no contracts have been offered at this stage I'm sure McCall has talked to the players he wants to keep and intimated that the contract offer will be forthcoming. In the mean time I think it's only right that we concentrate on the football for now. Success on the field will mean a lot more money available for the player budget especially if we can overtake Aberdeen.

McMillan was a favourite of mine and a decent left back but I always felt he had a midfield role in him. He played there a few times, wide and central and always did well. I seem to remember him having a cracking match in central midfield away to Dunfermline. For a while we also played McMillan at centre back to accommodate Hammell at left back and that wasn't as successful.

I thought it was a cracking save at the game but watching the highlights has only confirmed that. Nielsen did well on Saturday but he would have a far higher reputation with our fans if he had that level of performance every week.