Welldaft Mk1

See excerpt from article on Telegraph website. The bits in bold are giving me cause for concern!!!! That said I cannot see how they could try to use this as a form of blackmail. I mean do they reasonably expect 2-3000 home fans to turn up when their record attendance is 1400 or something in that area regardless of the 1st leg result. Indeed, so convinced are they that Motherwell will eliminate them from the inaugural Europa League tournament in the first qualifying round that they pleaded with their SPL opponents to switch the first leg from Scotland to Wales. Motherwell may currently be managerless and shorn of key players like Stephen Hughes, Graeme Smith and Maros Klimpl from last season's side but, nevertheless, officials at the Welsh Premier League club don't expect to prevail. The first leg will take place at Aidrie's Excelsior Stadium in nine days' time because Motherwell's problematic Fir Park pitch is being relaid but Llanelli had hoped to obtain home advantage in order to maximise ticket sales. Unfortunately, Motherwell refused to accommodate that request (in any case, it's highly unlikely that Uefa would entertain the proposal for fear it would tarnish the integrity of the competition) and Llanelli are concerned that their opportunity of a big pay day may have gone. "We told them we would like to play the first leg down here because if they stick three or four past us in Scotland then we won't be able to draw a decent attendance," said David Jones, who is responsible for the club's accounts and administration. "Our idea was to use the Parc y Scarlet, the new stadium built for the Llanelli Scarlets rugby union team, which holds 15,000, but unfortunately, Motherwell won't agree to that. "Consequently, if we take a beating up there, then the second leg will be at our own Stebonheath Park, which has a capacity of 1,003 and we wouldn't be able to give more than 200 tickets to the travelling supporters."

Quite correct. However my point was the team that STARTED away in Nancy. The starting 11 did not feature big Ports. That said he is the one player I would have back in an instant. I hope he gets a good chance next season at Derby. He would be welcome back anytime. As most people on this site point out there are ways to leave a football club and still earn the respect of the fans. McFadden and Ports for example - with McGhoo and Pearson being the other side of the coin.

I am on the phone right now as I type. Wow somebody is touchy today! And anyway how do you know I was referring specifically to your post..............

To put things in context. Look at the team that started away in Nancy. We will only lose (unless we sell) 3 players in Buzz, Hughes and Fat Boab. That is all. Everyone else is under contract. I would like to keep Buzz. Fat Boab can get to ****. Hughes when he was of a mind to play was a skillful midfielder but there were also games last season where he was largely anonymous. So in summary of that team we are only losing one, possibly two players that i would like to keep. and we have and will undoubtedly sign a few players - so here is a thought - we may even be better off than where we were v Nancy away last year. No need to panic just yet

Yeah their PR is feckin sh1te. At no point during this whole debacle has anyone from Setanta come out publicly and said anything. All we as subscribers have had to do is put up with news stories about evrything but how they are trying to save their skins. It looks like game over and I will be cancelling my monthly credit card payment immediately as I am quite sure it will be taken on the 1st of July despite them going belly up. They only have themselves to blame. That said I hope someone else picks up the rights or the majority of the SPL and Motherwell will be in big trouble!

I have heard a rumour that we have sold the entire team for 3 bubbly's and a sherbet dip. I have also heard that we will be playing the Motherwell under 15 girls team in the SPL next season. On top of that Boyle is now only worth 33p and Fir park will be demolished to make way for a mosque................oh and that we will be forced as fans to pay £100 for life towards that. The amount of Sh1te on this post is unbelievable. People make up fairy stories as they go along. The truth is that as a club we are not rolling in money - quel surprise! And we will be in an even worse position if we lose approx £1.3m from shitanta that is not replaced. When all is said and one we will still be in a better position than Killie, Falkirk, St Johnstone, etc etc. It could well be a painful season ahead and having no manager is hardly ideal at this stage in pre-season. As for McAllister - And I have no reason to believe it is true - BUT IF he has turned us down again - because we have NO money - AGAIN........Then he can take a flying jump of the erskine bridge and never darken our doors ever again. But like verything else on this post it is rumour and make believe

I noticed the official site has us playing Celtic twice in 4 weeks. I think the first one should read Rangers?? Alos noticed quite a few midweek Wednesday night games - 4 at least, inc Hearts at Tynecastle on 30th Dec That suits me and the few hardy band of supporters from the capital.

Sorry - Don't know them yet Just thought I would start the post to see if when they are issued in a few minutes we are happy or not with our lot. The start to last season was a nightmare - playing the top 6 + Hearts in a row. Never allowed us to build any momentum and probably cost us a top 6 place. Fingers crossed that we also avoid back to back old firm games.

Funny enough I was thinking of starting a thread on the very same subject. I am somewhat surprised that Leitch opted to continue playing second fiddle to McGhee rather than take on the Motherwell Managers job. He talks about how he wants to be the best Manager he can be - but this to me lacks any ambition. Do you think Alex Ferguson would ever have stayed as Assistant Manager if he had the option to move on, or in this case stay and manage an SPL club. To me it tells me he does not have much faith in his own abilities. In any case I was not clamouring for him to be given the job and judging by the poll neither were many others. I feel a clean slate is required and that is what is going to happen. I certainly hold no grudge against Leitch and wish him well in his career in future - after he leaves Aberdeen

Exactamundo. It is not that most Well fans do not rate what he did for the club in the two years at the helm. Nor in fact is the reality that if he was a success he would inevitably move on. I just think he lacks a little class. Whilst he was good for us - the truth is that it was Boyle and Motherwell that gave him a chance when no-one else would. Do we get a small thanks for that - no we get a reminder that he left us because the club we love is going to struggle to reach the dizzy heights he took us to in Year 1 and he HAD to get away. To me that shows little class and even less respect.

I am/was a big McGhee fan. I reckon he did an extremely good job with us and for that I thank him - but that I am afraid is where it ENDS. Even when he was with us I thought he showed a lot of disprespect to other teams. He has an ego the size of Mount Everest. He may throw some nice platitudes our way, but so far all I have read is that he HAD to leave Motherwell as it was getting more difficult to replicate the first seasons form. NO SHIT SHERLOCK! Tell us something we don't know. Or you can just remind Motherwell fans that we are in fact a wee diddy club with no resources and little hope for the future. What message does that send out to the current Motherwell squad He has no humility and is as arrogant as they come. I had to laugh when I heard him say he would not talk about Celtic.........when guess what he WAS talking about Celtic. I don't wish him luck at all. I hope he falls flat on his rotund arse.

Maybe £15 is a tad steep. But I can bet you it will be the cheapest european ticket in Scotland this season. Motherwell is a business and especially this year we need to maximise income. 4000 x £15 = £60,000 6000 x £10 = £60,000 In all honesty do you think we would get 6000 even if we reduced to £10???

I am probably in the majority when I say that it is now time for him to go. But...............I would rather have him back than let those cheapskates from up north get him and Leitchy on the cheap. Maybe we should start a campaign for McGhee to stay. Aberdeen are probably hoping that Boyle capitulates because they know the fans want him to go now. Welcome back Marky Boy - where have you been...........all is forgiven

If we were to have sacked both then I am quite sure they would have been entitled to the remainder of their contract - dependant on specific terms of course. That being the case then I would expect that in return we should be due the exact same which I would put at a minumum £200k PA. You would have to imagine that MM was on £150-£200k and SL on £75-£100k. So if it is true that skinflint Miller and Milne were trying to get away with £100k. Brass neck or what - chancing Arabs. In fact there is a case to say we should get more if we have to end up paying compensation to attract another Manager. As we would not be in this position if they did not want our Manager. Put up or shut up Aberdeen and stop wasting all our time.

A threesome with anothe bloke - whatever floats yer boat Rammer!!!!!!!

If that is the case then he obviously lacks ambition. Whilst I admit that the Motherwell job is considered not as attractive as the Aberdeen job - I sure as hell know that the Motherwell Managers job is more attractive than being Assistant Manager at Aberdeen. That and it is probably (albeit marginally) better paid. I can only assume he has little faith in his ability as a Manager.

I wonder just how true that quote is about Motherwell offering the Managers job to Scott Leitch and him turning it down?? I am not too sure that would have been a good move. Maybe we need a clean break altogether. Although it would have meant that we could have banked a couple of hundred grand in compensation. I suspect whoever we go after will be out of work. That £200k will almost pay for the pitch repairs - so thanks Muttley. At least we can start the search for a new Manager.

Amen to that. This has become farcical and the sooner it is sorted the better. The first I knew Hughes was off to hibs was when I read it! That is how it should be. We are due compensation so Aberdeen should pay up. Best for both parties as he cannot stay on at Motherwell. In many ways it would be amusing if Mowbray does not go to Celtic and McGhee has accepted the Aberdeen job. What might have been - eh Mark. I thank him for his efforts over the past two years. Nothing can take away the fact that he has done a very good job for Motherwell. But this faffing about has soured my views somewhat.

Better than your last trip to the Capital

All in all I cannot understand what is taking so long. It sure is not helping Motherwell FC and that is all I and the fans on here care about! It may be becasue the tight arses that are Aberdeen are trying to wangle there way out of paying fair compensation. It may even be that Celtic who are even more tight arses are baulking at paying £2m for Mowbray and let's face it who wouldn't. That could even open the door slightly for McGhee. That would be funny if he ended up at Celtic. Either way it is time to get it done and dusted. I rate McGhee highly but even I have had enough of this fiasco. Time to move on Muttley and let MFC start the search for a new Manager to allow us enought time to plan for the Europa Cup - although I suspect we will not get enough time

I will second that! Don't diss the Well - it may come back to haunt you!

Sad to say I am not overly enamoured about any of the names in the poll. That is the problem - either has beens or never will be's. Why would Jimmy Calderwood take us over after leaving Aberdeen - that would be a step backwards in his eyes. Dave Hay and Tomm McLean???? I would much rather have Butcher back , at least he managed us in the recent past not in pre-historic times! I actually wanted Coyle when McGhee was appointed, but I still was aware he had a pedigree and potential, not sure the same can be said for the supposed contenders. Leitch is likely to follow McGhee up the road. But if not maybe he and an experienced assistant would be able to cope? God only knows!

I just read an article whereby McGhee is saying that he is not jumping ship to Aberdeen for monetary reasons. In fact he is claiming that the contract on offer is not much more than he is on at Motherwell. Wow - must mean he is getting paid too much here. In fact if we can get the new guy at £50-100k less than McGhee was on + compensation then we have effectivley added £300k to our coffers this year. That might make Boyle a little less sad that he is offski. Especially in light of the issues at Setanta and the threat of no TV revenue for next season.

I will be sorry to see him go if only for the exciting football he brought in season 07-08. We acheived Europe for the first time by merit and even though we got in the back door this time around I guess he can take some plaudits for ensuring we never resorted to thuggish tactics. I cannot fault him for wanting to join Aberdeen and wish him good luck. What I do know are that the expectations will be greater and he has to hit the ground running. It could easily end up going pear shaped again and with no malice intended I hope it does. So that yet another Manager/Player realises that leaving Motherwell does not always bring success. It will be good in these tough times to get some decnt compensation but I just pray we make another good appointment. Not sure re the clammer for Gary Mac. His managerial career so far has hardly been a success. I really cannot think of one man I want in the hot seat and that is worrying. I know lots disagree but I would take Butcher back, although that is highly unlightly given who his assistant is and will always probably be. I hope McGhee has the good grace to thank Motherwell for giving him another shot at Managerial greatness, but sadly I suspect it will all be platitudes about his new club. It does leave us in an almighty mess as we should be looking at new players and gearing up for the European challenge in less than a months time. It is never boring down Motherwell way!

Good post Dave. I certainly agree with your point that this has become a "serious irritant". It will not help our attempts to keep players or indeed attract new ones to the club. That said I would rather he stays for maybe one more year. If as is looking likely he does not get the Celtic job, then I believe he will be here next season. I would be surprised if he took the Aberdeen job assuming he was even first choice there. Yes it is a bigger job - yes he will get paid more money, but their fans expectations are even more unrealistic than our own. Unless he finishes 3rd every year and wins a trophy he will be deemed a failure. Nah - I suspect it is either Celtic or a job back down south.