El Grew

Teams going into the draw on Monday: - Aberdeen or East Fife Airdrie or Dunfermline Celtic Falkirk Forfar or Rangers Hamilton Inverness Motherwell or St Mirren How about this: Celtic V Rangers Falkirk V Aberdeen Hamilton V Inverness Motherwell V Dunfermline If we can only get the bigot brothers drawn against each other then it could be a interesting Cup this season. Knowing Motherwell of old however, even if we do get past St Mirren we'll find a way to f*ck things up.

Aye but what kind of work? JCB racing? Its still a disgrace. Three of the most northerly pitches in the SPL are in the coldest and arguably wettest part of the country yet they are not in the state our pitch is in. When Stephen Hughes says there are better amateur pitches than ours, he's not wrong - I've seen some of them. We are already awaiting to see what the size of the fine will be for the postponement of the Hearts match. The pitch has cost us money and may well do so again. Its also beginning to cost us valuable points in the SPL, which ultimately will mean costing us more money. Jeez it was obvious in pre-season friendlies the pitch was crap - it looked as though there had been an oil slick in the penalty box at the South Stand end and there were bare patches all over the place. I commented on here about it at the time. There are no excuses for the current condition of the Fir Park pitch so don't come on here pleading for patience. Its high time senior management at the club got this sorted out once and for all.

Excellent post Kmc. Hits the nail right on the head. We could've been out of the cup yesterday as a result of his needless interference. Did he not do the same for the game at home to Nancy? Personally, I think apart from their goal after 12 minutes, we ran the game, We had the majority of possession, played all the football but found it impossible to succeed on a surface "presented" more for motocross than a first class football match. On a better pitch we'd have won the game easily. On a newly laid pitch at St Mirren I'm confident we can beat them playing our natural passing game in a 4-4-2 formation.

The pitch is a bloody disgrace. I would venture the following points: 1. Every pitch in the country is not 'in a state' at this time of year - ICT, Kilmarnock and Dundee Utd pitches are in really good nick just now. 2. The deterioration in the FP pitch did not happen overnight as the pitch and its maintenance (or lack of it) have been awful for a number of years now. 3. Moving is not the only solution to having a good pitch - get it dug up, sort out all the drainage problems, fix the undersoil heating, relay a quality surface. The get decent groundstaff in to maintain the bloody thing. Yes it will cost money to remedy it but so what because it needs to be sorted. Our manager and team strengths are in playing a passing game and with a pitch like this its costing us dear as it takes the skill factor out of the game and teams we would normally pass off the park are able to come and get results they hardly deserve.

I thought we'd have got around 8,000 yesterday but....... I reckon there was about 6,000 at the game. Its certainly changed days since the time in 1978 when St Mirren were at FP on Scottish Cup business when around 27,000 watched it. Ah those were the days. Remembering and reminiscing.

Not a day to be passing judjement on player who had to play on that excuse for a football pitch. Young Marc was no worse than anyone else in C&A yesterday and I like others who have posted didn't here any jeers or boos when he was subbed. Fans need to get real. The young guy is out there doing his level best for his team and on a surface that would have made even Pele or Maradonna look shoddy. I hope he doesn't let it get to him because he is a good player and maybe just lacks confidence in himself. He has stamina to burn and always makes unselfish willing runs to into great positions in the opposition box which mostly go unnoticed and even when he doesn't receive a pass he still keeps making the runs. Keep it up young Marc and ignore the morons.

No doubt about it our Leader made a right bollocks of his tactics for yesterday's game. He termed it a 4-3-3 but IMO with 4 midfield players on from the start it was really 4-5-1. When you add that the only player starting with any sort of a regular goalscoring history (Clarkson) was being used as a target man then it was a recipe for trouble. It shouldn't have taken until half-time to sort it either. St Mirren are nothing special with only 19 goals scored in 24 league games but they are defensively solid with the 4th best defensive record in the league. Their tactics were simple but on a shocker of a pitch they were very effective. Long ball up to two big strikers who knocked it down for midfield runners. No messing about playing their way up the park for them as they determined to start playing their football about 20 yards from our goal. The Leader needs to stop mucking about and play his strongest side in its strongest formation from the beginning in every game.

Would have taken a point before game so quite happy. We are now 6 games unbeaten since the New Year, which is pretty good going. Only disappointment was not beating Falkirk last week. No danger of the dreaded R word so maybe the guys can settle down, relax, play some football and maybe get a wee cup run and sneak up the league. Not impossible to get 3rd or 4th place both of which qualify for the UEFA Cup.

I think in relation ot Billy Reid and John Hughes, because of the precarious situations their respective clubs are/were in, gambles were being taken on the bringing in of new players. They have to weigh-up the cost of this against the cost of dropping out of the SPL so maybe feel it is worth it. Given their respective results today, it may be paying off for them. As for our own situation in terms of finance, I think that fans maybe expect too much. Where is extra income to come from? In the current financial climate and perhaps for a long time to come, it will be increasingly harder for us to run with an overdraft at the bank, attract sponsorship and attract corporate sponsorship. We seem only to be able attract around 4,500 to home games at FP and really unless this were to increase its impossible to see where we could 'generate extra income' from. Next season may be worse, as fans, due to their own personal circumstances, might not be able to afford a season ticket or to attend all games. This will only worsen matters. Personally, I think managers will need to able to do what their predecessors used to do - trawl around the lower leagues and try to unearth players that maybe capable of making the step up. Low risk strategy with possibility of high rewards.

Latest news on Derby County website - Nigel Clough revealed that the club has made a bid to sign a new striker on a permanent deal, but didn't want to name the player until the signing is concluded one way or another. "We are looking to add to the squad at the moment and we are hoping to get a striker in. The chairman is dealing with it but we hope it will be a very good piece of business if we can get it concluded." Porter anyone?

I'd be sad to see him go. In the short time he's been here, he has made a real difference to us and always put 100% into his performances and never hides. A big genuine, honest and very dignified. I wish him all the very best where ever he goes. Think its more likely to be Derby or Nottingham Forest though - I think someone posted on here previously that his girlfriend is at university in Nottingham so that could be a big factor in his thinking.

Maybe Boyle should employ whatever his "winnings" were here to do something about our pitch. Its a bloody disgrace. In all my years supporting the 'Well I don't ever remember FP's pitch being in as bad a shape as it is now. It was once described as "one of the best playing surfaces in Scotland" but now???!!!! Did anybody notice the tyre tread marks all over the pitch on Saturday? Do the cretins on the ground staff not realise you should not be taking heavy equipment onto an already sodden pitch?

Well spotted that man. And we shouldn't be in the least bashful if we do get into the UEFA Cup by this means.

Klimpl had a great game. O'Brien played really well too. However I can't believe only one vote for Chris Porter. Anyway, I made him my man of the match. Yes, I know he missed a couple of really good chances, but I thought he led the line really well and was behind nearly all of the good things in our attacks.

We will play worse and win. Hit the woodwork 3 times and missed a couple of sitters. I thought we totally dominated the first half and deserved to be in front at half-time. I also thought we'd go on to win the game. Falkirk had other ideas and their sole tactic was to intimidate us to knock us off our stride and stop us playing football and aided and abetted by the worst referree seen at FP in a long time, succeeded. The first tackle on Hammell was assault and one of the worst I've ever seen and warranted a straight red card. The second one which resulted in Hammell having to go off was in exactly the same category. Two assaults on Craigan should also have resulted in red cards. However the referee chose to do he-haw. John Hughes tactics certainly worked in his favour and he appeared to think the entire thing funny. I've seen a lost of dirty sides down the years at FP but Falkirk are the worst I've seen for a long, long time. Referees are supposed to protect footballers from these kind of assaults bu this prick didn't seem bothered. I thought we played quite well and on another day would have run out winners by 3 or 4 nil. I thought our best players were Porter (my MoM), O'Brien (I was on my feet shouting goal when his shot left his boot as it looked in all the way); and Klimpl. However I was hugely disappointed in the performance of Stephen Hughes, who didn't look remotely interested and if this attitude persists then we should get rid. Paul Quinn had another 'mare. His distribution was shocking - his pass failure rate must have been close to 100%, he couldn't find a Motherwell player wth throw-ins and his attempts to cross in the second half were simply inept. Mark McGhee needs to seriously consider this guy's future because he has been at FP a long time and he is not improving. More positives than negatives though and we need to go to Easter Road with a really positive attitude as there is no reason why we can't take something.

Jeez!! Great to see this again. I was at this game with my brother - in the old enclosure in front of the Main Stand. IMO this is the best 'Well side I have seen at FP. Great quality and terrific to see all the 'old' players again. What a first goal set up by Vic Davidson. Now that's what a midfielder should be like. He was pure class. WP doing what came really naturally to him scoring great goals. Like a whippet and when he got a glimpse of the white of the goals he wouldn't stop to think - just shoot. This is the later in the same year that Rangers robbed us of a Scottish Cup final against Hearts when we lost 3-2 at Hampden in the March after being 2-0 up with 15 minutes to go. Still hurts even after all this time.

Given the poorish start to the season and the recent sticky patch he's probably correct. He may be using physchology on the players by saying this and 'daring' them to prove him wrong. However, we might still be able to make 4th spot and I seem to recall reading somewhere that 4th spot this season gets into the UEFA cup. Anyway a top 6 spot would be a good base to build upon for next season.

Unbelievable but terrific result. I would happily have settled for a draw but this is truly magnificent. To win so handsomely away from home, against the form team in the SPL and on a ground where we have often struggled is brilliant. It must give the players a terrific boost to their confidence. What about a nice wee cup run now! I've been regularly to Tannadice over the past few years and yet to see us win. I remember going up there a couple of seasons back and we played them off the park but couldn't buy a goal then, Jason Scotland, on as a sub, popped up and scored in the 90th minute. Totally gut wrenching. I'm just sorry I couldn't get there today because this would have more than made up for it. Well played boys.

The only way Hearts could take him would be to wait until the summer and pick him up once his contract has expired. They couldn't afford a transfer fee because they are potless and up to their Lithuanian arses in debt.

I think other than the OF all clubs' fans look forward to the SCup with a degree of optimism and expectation. Personally, it will never lose its appeal for me. Its always with a great sense of anticipation and expectation that I look forward to seeing who we will get in the first round and then wonder/dream about what lies ahead. As far back as I can remember, we have always taken good sized supports away with us when we've been drawn away in the first round. We had as many if not more fans, even though we lost, at Rugby Park and Love Street a couple of seasons back and we took a fair number all the way down to Stranraer. And at home we've had some really decent and big gates, here's a few - 1969 - v Clyde - 10,000 1970 - v Klimarnock - 14,000 1971 - v Rangers - 25,000 1972 - v Ayr Utd - 13,000 (midweek replay during the day) 1976 - v Celtic - 25,000 1976 - v Hibs - 19,000 1977 - v St Mirren - 27,000 1987 - v Hearts - 14,000 Viva the Scottish Cup.

Motherwell legends:- - John "Sailor" Hunter - The entire 1932 League Winning Squad - George Stevenson - The entire 1952 Scottish Cup Winning Team - The entire 1951 League Cup Winning Team - Tommy McLean - The entire 1991 Scottish Cup Winning Team - The Ancell Babes - Charlie Aitken - Joe Wark - Willie Pettigrew - Martyn Corrigan

Just as a guide to potential costs - St Mirren's new Barr Construction stadium holds 8,000 and is reported to have cost £15 million which works out at about £1,875 per seat. The Norwegian club we are reported to have taken a trialist from recently (IK Start FC) have just spent £38 million on their new stadiumcwhich works out at about £2,657 per seat. If we do eventually get to build a new stadium I hope we get something with some design aesthetics and not a 4 box job from Barr. Something along the Livingston stadium, with all four corners filled in and a capacity of say 10,000 would be ideal.

I'm assuming St Mirren will beat Brechin and we'll beat Inverurie. Our Scottish Cup record against St Mirren is quite good and we've not lost to them at FP so home advantage is highly significant in this one. Overall Motherwell Wins = 7 St Mirren Wins = 4 Draws = 1 At Fir Park Motherwell Wins = 4 St Mirren Wins = 0 Draws =1

Man so many to pick from. Just some and in no particular order. 1970 - Beating Spurs 5-4 on aggregate in Texaco Cup after being 2-4 down at one point. Spurs full of internationlists. Pure magic. 1971 - Beating Hearts 4-2 in Texaco Cup after being 0-2 down at halftime. Pure pleasure! 1976 - Beating Celtic 3-2 in Scottish Cup after being 0-2 down at halftime. Unbelieveable! 1991 - Winning the Cup beating Dundee Utd 4-3 . Cried my eyes out. 2005 - Beating Hearts 3-2 in League Cup Semi-Final. Unforgettable. 1970s - Beating Celtic 3-2 at Parkhead in the League. 'Grew double. Superb. 1991 - Beating Rangers 3-0 before Cup Final. Oh how sweet. 1969 - Div 1 Beating Kilmarnock 1-0. First game of the season after promotion. Invaded the pitch at the finish. Fantastic. Got my ear clipped by my dad as somebody cliped on me. 1969 - Beating Morton 1-0 at Ibrox after 3rd game to reach Semi-Final of League Cup to meet St. Johnstone. Thought we were nailed on for the final as we'd gubbed them 4-1 at FP only weeks previously. Cried my eyes out - again. There are others to numerous to mention but these for obvious reasons stand out.