Kmcalpin

Of course we all want to win and Accies to lose this week, but I'll take a draw on Tuesday if Accies get beaten - that scenario would be enough to ensure our safety.

Overall we just deserved the 3 points and all important outcome was the win end of. Predictably it wasn't a classic but we did the business. Little point in going on about line up or tactics but I did feel sorry for Cadden as he was frequently left very exposed and on occasion had to cover 2 or even 3 men. The team did show spirit though and our grit won through. Heneghan and McHugh were probably the pick of the bunch. Moult again proved his worth and it was very fitting and pleasing that it resulted from a free kick conceded by Hamilton. You couldn't have written the script much better. I don't understand one or two comments about us being lucky. Griffiths had one good save to make and that resulted indirectly from a wicked deflection. Fortune, in the shape of the refereeing decisions favoured Accies. Devlin was was very fortunate indeed not to pick up an early red card for wiping out Frear who had skinned him. Docherty was also very lucky to escape a red card, indeed any card, for planting his studs straight into Lasley's knee in a horrific tackle. I've watched MacDonald's yellow card several times in highlights and am convinced he didn't dive at all. Sarris, yes him again, clearly sticks out his boot to trip him and his reaction says it all - he buries his hands in his face as he thinks he's about to be carded. The crowd were great, gave the side commendable backing and in the main behaved. Only one incident of folk sitting in the wrong seat near us and they reluctantly moved on when very assertively told to move by the legitimate occupants. A typical derby against a cynical Accies team, with plenty of talking points and we claim the 3 points. I can read the papers this morning (online of course.)

Just to clarify - the far away left hand corner (Sainsbury's end) was watered before the first half began and the near end hand right corner was watered at half time.

Heneghan for me.

That would make sense. The 2 corners were the ones that we were attacking down our left wing.

Does anyone know why Accies grounds staff were watering the pitch yesterday in 2 corners? I didn't know that you had to water artificial pitches and certainly not after wet weather! The pitch was shocking yesterday and was a huge factor in the poor standard of play.

Very true Busta...Ged Brannan?

A bit odd that he's saying these things now. Presumably he didn't sign any confidentiality clause? Presumably too he's no longer in the employment of the club ie on gardening leave?

The problem is that if some folk batter in and just take seats then other groups, including families can get split up. I've no problems with folk just taking seats as long as they move if asked to do so.

Thats just the Spice of Life Stand and not the Gazebo. If everyone behaves themselves and sticks to their allotted seats then there should be no problem but I can't see that happening. Hopefully stewards would step in to defuse matters.

Oddly enough the home stand is not all ticket and there will be a PATG facility for home fans. Surely it should be the same for all fans, home or away?

I don't see the point in selling tickets from the back down unless we don't fill the stand, in which case the front rows would be left vacant. If the stand is full...... I wonder too if we do sell out the end stand whether we'll be given tickets for the temporary stand or whether Accies would prefer to keep that empty. Anyway lets hope the entry arrangements are better organised.

The problem is that there are far more players from which to choose in England than in Scotland...perhaps 10 times more. I doubt very much if there's a talented player in our lower divisions who isn't being monitored by every club in our top division. Andy Ryan was mentioned and I'm pretty sure every scout from Scots Premier League and Championship clubs will know all about him. The real trick is picking up a gem with potential from our lower divisions by identifying players who are talented but not playing well or not being used properly by their managers.

You're not getting off the hook. If as you think, the club is going down the tubes, what do we do now? Time is against us and we have to come to a decision. In recent years there has been no white knight waiting to ride to our rescue and I doubt if thats changed. Not taking a decision and doing nothing is not an option.

Good posts Jay. Ok if you don't like fan ownership what is the alternative Del Superwell? Its all very well to say that you don't like something but what is the alternative right now; what would you do?

Thats my interpretation too. We would have wanted to give him a short term deal, but he refused and threatened to walk away so we decided to give him an additional year.

Our overall budget and indeed the playing budget is bigger than those of both clubs. Now if both sides of the argument are to be believed then the only plausible answer is that better terms mean either a longer contract or that these teams are willing to fork out a fortune, relatively speaking, to secure one player, who is then way, way above their average salaries. I tend to go with the Captain though on this. Each player we look at has a notional value which our club attaches to him, with a bit of flexibility. However they are not so good that the club will fork out way above their valuation.

I might be wrong but assume that if all the tickets are sold, unlikely I know, then there will be no PATG facility. As I mentioned at the weekend it was a late decision by Accies to give us tickets at all ie all PATG.

I agree Al but why wait so late to confirm the arrangements with Fir Park?

We, the fans, need to play our part on Saturday in this very important crunch game and I hope as many as possible will make the short trip across the Clyde. We need to turn up in numbers and back the team. It would be great if we spilled over into the temporary stand but I don't know if we will take sufficient numbers or indeed if Accies would want our fans in there.

Totally agree. I don't blame him for not getting results, the players must take some of the blame as well as should referees and luck. However, he is failing to get the best out of the players he has at his disposal. Despite what some on here might think at times, the players can do better. Some of that is down to them but a lot is down to Stephen Robinson. We do have some decent players in the squad and for whatever reason they just aren't playing for him.

Exactly. Had we lost our last 2 home games and been unlucky or been well beaten by far better sides or really played well then you couldn't fault Robinson. However, as poor as the current team is, he simply isn't getting the best out of them. Take the likes of Moult, Cadden, MacDonald, Frear, and to a lesser extent McHugh. All decent players who simply aren't performing to their best.

At this point in time, more than ever, we need to stick together as a support and I'm sure political and religious banners will be banned under the club's rules. No need for such banners at all and its got nothing whatsoever to do with football. Our club brands itself as a community club where all are welcome and we can't afford to unnecessarily tarnish that image.

It might not be so far fetched. If Hammell isn't fit, and remember its an artificial surface, then it might be a straight choice of Chalmers or Jules.

I'm not sure that the team is disinterested/garbage as its hard to judge. You don't assess a plumber on his electrical skills do you? You hire a plumber to do plumbing work and a sparky to do the electrics. That said, yes there are some poor players in the squad. To me some of the players are looking fed up playing in unfamiliar roles or roles to which they're not suited. I'd be exactly the same. Cadden is needlessly being played out of position and therefore weakening 2 positions for us. Neither Campbell nor Lasley are quick creative players and are the wrong combination. Frear is being asked to do too much without support. MacDonald is being totally misused and it shows. Moult is being asked to fill a role to which he's unsuited. Ainsworth certainly has his faults as we know but I'd have been totally p****d off if I'd been asked to play where he was yesterday. Robinson is overthinking tactics and team selection when he can't get the basics right. Substitutions were made far too late yesterday and changes ought to have been made at half time. Pre match when Hammell's name was mentioned as having recovered from injury I thought oh yeh? He didn't look fit and was all over the place defensively for the first 30 minutes or so. Its very early days to say this but I don't think Robinson has the support of the dressing room.