Ya Bezzer!

To be honest I think "golden era" is a bit OTT, I don't see how you can really describe a period where we haven't won a thing as a "golden era" but perhaps it's a "silver era" and it's certainly been a better than average period. When I started coming to games regularly it was that very difficult period when we'd just been promoted and we were trying to establish ourselves in the Premier League and it was a bit of a brutal slog season on season until McLean eventually managed to fashion a side that could do better than being perennial relegation strugglers. What the historians will probably say was that the city clubs of Scotland over this period have been absolutely abject.

Will renew. Not happy with the reconstruction proposals but let's face it, this whole scheme, if it does get the go ahead, won't last more than a season or two.

Even when Malpas was here we had Scott McDonald who to my mind is probably the second best striker we've had at the club in my time behind Tommy Coyne. Just as well as he almost single handedly keep us up that season!

We actually had a few good performances tonight. I thought Higdon was superb. I was going to say Kallum Higginbotham looks a decent player until his final touch then he hit THAT final touch. Thought he worked really hard and his lead up play was good. Hateley and Carswell both did well second half and we probably improved when Lasley and Law both went off although I hope both are back soon, preferably after the international break. But there can only be one MoTM tonight. He showed every one why he's one of the greatest Motherwell players, certainly in my life time. Mr James McFadden by miles.

First things first, when Lasley and Law both went off injured I didn't rate our chances very highly but fair play to Hateley and Carswell they had an excellent second half. They are both players I've criticized this season but Carswell has just begun to show signs that he might be ready for this level of football although he is still quite raw. On top of having a good game in midfield Hateley got a goal. Now three goals that will live long in the memory. First a 20th league goal of the season by a Motherwell striker, secondly an excellent come back goal from my all time favourite Motherwell player and what seemed from the far end of the East Stand as a goal of the season contender from Kallum Higginbotham. Absolutely superb goals from all of them. I thought we were unlucky to go behind in the first half. OK, we didn't cause them too many problems but I thought we had most of the ball. Second half - that is why I'm a Motherwell fan. Just...just...brilliant.

There was times Andy Goram came out looking as if he'd just got back from some all night bender. Gordon Marshall was a very good goalkeeper until he wasn't. People say you don't become a bad player overnight but I disagree with that. I think some veteran players do. They reach a point and then it just goes and there is no way back. Marshall was with us 6 month too long but he was certain a step up from the other goalkeepers of that era - Woods, Kaven, Dubourdeau and even Andy Goram. If you exclude his end spell he was the best keeper we had between Scott Howie and John Ruddy.

Like Dundee Utd, Hibs are a team we have a dreadful recent home record against. I predicted a lose for this one when I was doing my Top 6 prediction although I hope we do better than that obviously. I think we have enough points in the bag already to secure a Top Six place and with matches against the two bottom clubs coming up I won't be too concerned about our league placing even if we lose. Fingers crossed we win but history suggests a tough match.

Look at the likely permutations I reckon we should go into the split 2nd top. Motherwell (DLWW 7 points) 53 Inverness (WWLD 7 points) 50 Kilmarnock (WDWW 10 points) 48 Hibs (WWWL 9 points) 48 Dundee Utd (WWDW 10 points) 48 ---------------------------------------------- Ross County (LLDW 4 points) 46 St. Johnstone (WLDD 5 points) 46 Aberdeen (DLWL 4 points) 41

We should be looking for at least a point from this one. Aberdeen's only win in the last 8 matches was a fortunate 1-0 v Dundee. In fact their home form is even worse. Stretching back to October 2012 it looks like this : L-W-D-D-D-L-L-L

Touching wood here but I think we are certs along with Celtic (obviously!), Ross County, Inverness and St. Johnstone. That leaves one place. I think Hibs could drop out. They are in pretty poor form (1 win in the last 12). Aberdeen also seem to be going backwards. Dundee Utd looked very good against us but don't turn it on enough. Kilmarnock could sneak in as they seem to be hitting a decent patch (only 2 defeats in the last 13) and they have a much better goal difference than Dundee Utd. Celtic Motherwell Ross County Inverness St. Johnstone Kilmarnock

Hearts have lost 4 on the bounce, including the last two home matches (0-3 Kilmarnock, 2-3 ICT). They've only won 1 match in the last 9, a 1-0 win at home to Dundee with a late goal. Their starting line ups recently have involved regular starts from Jamie Walker, Jason Holt, Callum Tapping, Kevin McHattie, Fraser Mullen and Billy King. Basically a youth team. Would be very disappointed not to get something out of this.

If we play to our potential we should win this one. Hearts look quite weak to me, missing a lot of experienced players and have a team full of kids. Of course you can't rule out the 'management change bounce' but we just beat Celtic so you'd hope we are going into this one confident.

I won't be outraged if they sign new contracts but for me Humphrey and Hateley are players who are stagnating a bit and it might be good for them to move on and seek a new challenge. Randolph and Law I would love to sign new contracts but anyone can see over the past couple of seasons they are players of a higher calibre than Motherwell. If either or both go, which I'd expect, they would leave big gaps to fill, especially Randolph as a quality goalkeeper can mean the difference between a great and mediocre season. I've said it before but for me he's the best keeper we've had in the nearly 30 years I've been going along to Fir Park. Hutchinson is still young and has a lot to learn and I'd be more hopeful he'd sign on for maybe another 2 years. He's a great lad but there are still raw features to his game that he'd have to iron out if he wanted to play regular football at a higher level. I'd also be hopeful that Higdon will sign on again as well. He's not entirely convinced some of our supporters despite the number of goals scored and I think higher level managers might feel the same way about him. I think he's probably viewed as not mobile enough or a hard enough grafter to play at Championship level or higher down south. Perhaps a richer club in the lower English leagues could come in but he's played in Scotland for a while now and might well be fairly settled here.

Went for Lasley. We won the midfield battle last night and that was mainly down to the sheer combativeness of wee Keith. That allowed other players to play. Probably his best game of the season.

That's what happens when you work hard. Couldn't fail a single player tonight, everyone gave 100% and some showed they are actually pretty good footballers as well. Lasley was back to his tigerish best and was my MotM. Law was excellent, McFadden played like he'd never been away, Ojamaa absolutely ran his socks off, Higdon was tremendous as well and was there at the right time yet again. We defended like demons when we had to and it was bizarre to think a guy like Cummins can play like that when he so often struggles against journey men. A very well deserved victory.

My girlfriend doesn't go to games but I know for a fact that something like this would have a severe effect on her health as she has bad asthma. A nephew of mine who comes along occasionally to Fir Park is in the same position. As said, they do a lot to improve the atmosphere, but if you ask me letting off smoke bombs is bound to end badly, either in terms of people being arrested or banned, the club being fined or worse still, someone needing medical treatment from inhalation of smoke.

If Francis-Angol is out and Hammell isn't fit who plays at left back?

We can't afford to write this one off. I'm hoping our players have looked at the way the league table has developed after three shoddy defeats and are thinking "OK, we really need to get something out of this game". We've lost the three of the last four, we haven't scored in 4 of our last 6 - we simply cannot afford these sort of poor runs at this time of the season. So I say, it doesn't matter who we are playing tomorrow night - we have to nip this in the bud right now.

Wullie did "The Higdon" when he scored his first.

If we have an indian sign over Inverness then Dundee Utd have one over us at Fir Park. Can't even remember the last time we scored against them at Fir Park, never mind won! That Randolph was our man of the man by a mile kinda tells the story, especially since his opposite number didn't have a serious save to make in the match. I thought Dundee Utd were pretty good tonight, they defended well, won the midfield tussle and Johnny Russell in particular was almost unplayable at times in the first half. Faddy came on and had a few good touches but didn't have much chance to influence the game. Still looked like he's still got legs and you could see his movement was a class above the rest.

I'd approach this from a different angle. I'd say we are jumping fairly low hurdles most weeks. When we run up to the high hurdles (cup matches, OF, Europe) we, under McCall, have mostly crashed into them and fallen on our arses. I don't really have a problem with McCall, except in one or two aspects, what I object to is his more ardent supporters making claims of him that for me ignore some crucial facts. If we finish 2nd this season that is an excellent achievement. However it will have been done in a league which is of a lower general standard than it was when, say Terry Butcher got us a Top 6 finish and one where most of the traditionally powerful city clubs have been in crisis - Rangers, Hibs, Hearts, Aberdeen etc. McCall isn't responsible for any of the above, he can only compete against the sides we come up against but at the same time I don't think you can reasonable say McCall is a better manager than McLean because he could finish a place higher than wee Tam ever did when McLean got his 3rd place in a far superior quality league and was much closer to the eventual champions. In summary then, you don't judge a manager on league position unless you put the league as a whole into some context.

Went for Shaun Hutchinson. It took us a while for the midfield to get going yesterday but Hutchinson was great for the 90 minutes.

An enjoyable match were we played well in patches. Thought we scored against the run of play but our excellent start to the 2nd half killed them off. After that we were always in control. It was good to see Hateley have a good game against because he's been off form recently in my view. The spine of the team was excellent today Hutchinson - Law - Higdon.

We are playing the 2nd top team in the league with the chance to go 2nd but to be honest I'm not feeling much buzz for this one which is odd as the games between the teams have been high scoring affairs and we have a pretty good record against them. Seems to me the season is just about over already with Celtic running away with the title, no 2nd place Champions League spot and Dundee 100% guaranteed to be relegated. I tend to be cautious in my expectations but even I would be amazed if we didn't get a Europa Cup place. Where is the excitement coming from? I go to every match I can and I enjoy the matches once in the stadium but in terms of build up and getting the non die hards along to matches I think it could be bleak for the rest of the season.

I'm old fashioned and reckon you judge a striker on his goals tally at the end of the season (or loan period) BUT if you take away the St. Johnstone match and someone else took the penalty against Hibernian his record goes from 18/10 to 17/6. I think the later figures better reflected his actual quality. He was an average player who had one extraordinary match. I can't see him being good enough to play at Premiership level but of course he could have matured and added to his game since we saw him.