Kmcalpin

Dario Quinn is rated as being a good prospect by the management at Fir Park. I'd guess therefore he's being farmed out to gain experience and toughen him up....nothing more, nothing less.

Because, over the course of a season the ST holder will probably attend more games and pump more cash into the club, and in advance (As always of course there are exceptions - I quite accept that there are a small number of ST holders who rarely attend a game and there are some PATG fans who attend every home game without fail). A ST ticket is probably the best, though imperfect, proxy for loyalty.

You're basically suggesting a free for all? If long standing and loyal fans can't purchase tickets quick enough, then tough - thats their look out. A bit callous and ruthless in my view. I'm sorry but that's a sure fire way to alienate and offend a lot of season ticket holders, who comprise over 50% of our core support, in one fell swoop. No system is perfect but a database of names is as near as it gets. That said, some recognition should be given to those who travelled to Iceland and Norway, by way of thanks.

There's also the option of detailing a smaller guy to police him and hassle him and prevent him from getting a free header with the time and the space to place the ball where he wants. Hearts used to deploy this tactic to great effect. Its hard to jump if someone, however small, is standing on your foot.

It would make sense to give ST holders and memebrs of the Trust and Supporters Association priority, although there'd be some overlap. Long term, the answer is to set up a database of fans. This would serve a variety of purposes including allocation of home stand tickets for OF games.

We might be rivals on the pitch for 90 minutes but as others have said Aalesund fans should be made to feel welcome at Fir Park. This is a golden chance for the club to create a good impression in Europe and Norway in particular. Norwegian fans should be made to feel welcome. I have happy memories of Norway having spent some time in Odda and Sogndal.

We still require a creative/box to box central midfielder to support the striker(s).

The EoSC get everyhwere don't they?

In my view the club has done nothing wrong, nothing whatsoever.

Given the timespan it would be a logistical nightmare. It would be unworkable. Given that the club had considerably less than a fortnight to organise home leg tickets how long would season ticket holders be given to "book" their seats? One week? If that was the case then non season ticket holders would have say 3 days to collect theirs. This could lead to a large number of ticket sales artificially crammed into a very limited time slot. What about mixed groups of ST holders groups wanting to sit beside their friends/family who weren't ST holders? I suppose the only alternative would be to sell a Euro package for say 3 games in advance and then folk would take their chance as to whether or not we'd be involved in 3 games. They might end up forking out to see 3 games but in reality only watching one. I'm a season ticket holder myself and someone has taken my seat - so what? I'll be in the same general area and that'll suit me fine.

IF we get through, and at this stage its still very uncertain of course, I'd take anybody except an English premier league side. Lets hope for an interesting side from Europe that we haven't seen before. I for one, am bored of the same old English teams overexposed on the telly. We can watch the Liverpools every day of the week during the season if we want.

C'mon folks - still time donate a fiver for those who can afford it.

It really is game on for both teams. Both sides will go into next week's encounter knowing that they can progress. While we go into the game with a slight advantage its going to be tough, very tough. Aalesund are well capable of winning and Craig Brown will drum that into the players. We will find it hard to score many if we rely solely on Jamie Murphy who admittedly is shaping up well this season so far. A very tense and interesting return awaits. Get along to Fir Park next week folks!

EoS rules ok!

Thanks for your prompt reply Leeann. I suspect that your involvement has paid dividends. Someone from our party rang the office later today and was able to purchase tickets for the row behind where we normally sit. There had been a misunderstanding and one or two of "our" seats had in fact been snapped up quickly - they had indeed been available. We were able to obtain seats in the row behind. Still I think this only goes to show that its yet another nail in the coffin of the ageing POD Stand. Thanks again.

Maybe someone from the club can help me here. I've posted it to the Boards and not contacted the club directly, as it might be of interest to several other POD Stand season ticket holders. Our group tried to buy tickets for our own seats in the South Stand end of the POD Stand but were not able to do this. We sit in the padded wooden seats just to the right of the half way line. When we enquired yesterday we were told that these seats did not meet UEFA regulations and couldn't be used for the AAlesund tie. Now I'm aware that the plastic seats in the 2 wing sections felll into this category and were out of bounds at the Breidablik game but I would have thought these seast were ok. Although of wooden construction and a bit old , they have backs and a padded seat. IMHO they are of good quality and better than most seats I've sat on elsewhere in the ground or indeed at away grounds. Does anyone know what the problem is? They were obviously acceptable to UEFA a year or two back for our Nancy game. I appreciate this isn't of the club's doing but it has seious implications for the status of the POD Stand.

Good post Flow. Therein lies much of Scottish football's problem. For many years SPL clubs have viewed almost every issue from their own perspective. As you well know this was very evident, for example, at the SPL vote to reject Falkirk's application to groundshare at Airdrie a few years ago. Despite the vote being about a single well defined issue, several clubs voted for other reasons entirely. Until the 10 non OF clubs start working in harmony the SPL will struggle. They should adopt common marketing and pricing strategies for example. However, I suspect that some of the larger clubs non OF clubs will see themselves above this debate and adopt an "I'm all right Jack" position. If we want to move forward we have to change attitudes. By that I mean the clubs, the governing bodies, the players, the media, and last but by no means least the fans both the diehards and the fair weather variety. Its a big task.

Don't take it that way, although she is right in what she said. Maybe its been the club's fault for not being open over the years maybe its the fans' fault for not listening but thats not the issue. Generally fans don't understand football finances. I'm fortunate enough to be a small shareholder and so have access to the annual accounts and AGMs. To that extent I know a little about our finances although I'm no financial expert. What I have learnt though is just how little I know. Over the years I've read many posts on this and other Boards on our clubs' finances and many are well off the mark. For example if the media reports that we've sold Player X for £500,000 people have understandably queried where the money has gone. In fact they don't know what the actual fee was; how it was paid; what tax was due on the transaction; what the player's cut was. All these factors can reduce a seemingly fat fee quite considerably. In terms of our Euro campaigns, I've read on these boards that we will receive about 90k euros per round, and that would seem to be true. However very few posters have cottoned on to the fact that travel and accommodation costs will be very hefty. I just wonder what the club's bill for travel & hotels to Norway will be? In short LIP, Leeann was spot on - her comments would not appear to be judgmental but simply a fact.

Lets be clear here. I'm not blaming the media for all football's ills and I don't think others are either. But the media must take a share of the blame. Fans: SOME have become spoiled, some prefer watching footie in a pub, some could put more back into their clubs. Clubs: have become too complacent and taken punters for granted. some such as those in EPL have become downright greedy. Players: particlularly at the top of the game have become too greedy and the effect of that has filtered down to all levels, including juniors. Governing bodies: too reactionary and inward looking. Old firm: bled our football dry to the detriment of the other clubs at all levels. Media: infatuated and obsessed with the OF and the EPL. Too ready to do our clubs down. I could go on and on.

Nothing personal MJW but I felt that I had to come out of self imposed exile to reply to your post. I'll start by saying that admission prices are far too high - the fans know that as does MFC. No argument there. Leeann Dempster is 100% right when she said that fans lacked an understanding of football clubs' finances. As Brazilian pointed out she wasn't referring to gate prices when she said that. I'm not blaming anyone for that, its simply a fact. For example, few fans seem to realise that 17.5%, shortly to become 20% of course, of ticket prices, programme prices and transfer fees is siphoned off by the Teasury in the form of VAT. Thats a lot of dosh. The club knows we have an out of date stadium and will move as soon as we can afford to. What else can it do? I don't agree at all that we have a "shit product". We were the 5th best club in Scotland last year. In attending Fir park for 50 years I've seen many, many worse Well sides. What are you comparing us with? The EPL, La Liga? if so thats totally unrealsitic. By way of comparison I recently attended the SECC for what was in effect a 90 minute concert. It cost £40 per ticket with a programme being a tenner. The seats were awful and the accoustics poor. Flow makes 2 very good posts and I have no guilt about saying so. He is right that the state of football is no one party's fault. The press have a huge role to play and many fans are brainwashed. I read this comment by Ewing Grahame in this morning's SoS about our forthcoming tie. "This tie is unlikely to quicken pulses outwith North Lanarkshire." There was no need go overboard to dress it up but equally there was no need to demean it. A totally unnecessary statement and one which illutstrates the problems the so called Scots media cause our game. The club is making a great effort to win over the community. I can only suggest that you contact Ms Dempster and ask to meet her to explain "financial reality" and her vision for the club. You might learn something interesting and surprising as might many. The future isn't all rosy but the club is in good hands.

An absolutely appalling post which has brought shame to this site. If that is how low things have sunk then I want no part of it.

Happy to explain this one. At the time Simo was popular amongst a substantial section of our support and in recognition of his efforts the club, in confidence it has to be said, tried to make him an improved offer to stay when his deal was coming to an end. In the event they found it very difficult to make him an offer. Quite a few fans were giving the club absolute pelters publicly for not making him an offer. Pelters bordering on abuse. The truth of the matter was somewhat different. The club, played it by the book and attempted to contact Valakari's agent by phone, in person, by fax and by post but he ignored the lot. Meanwhile the fans' criticism was growing louder by the day, for treating their hero in such a fashion. The club then tried to discuss the situation with the player directly but he refused all attempts to negotiate or even talk about it. Neither the player nor agent said anything, nothing whatsoever. Not surprisngly the club gave up coming to the conclusion that Valakari was offski and they were right weren't they? Neither he nor his agent had the decency to tell the club or the fans that he was going to move on. And that, my friend, is the tale of Simo Valakari's departure, as told to a group of Well fans in Edinburgh.

As far as I know, Ryan Scanlon was homesick and wanted to return to the central belt to be nearer his home. Thats a different situation. I'm sure Jim Gannon was quoted as saying that he would not pilfer players from Stockport and I have no problem with that. As far as Paul Slane is concerned if anyone cares to read between the lines on this thread, Paul Slane has patently been tapped by someone at Celtic. Not a good example to set.

We don't know what is going on behind the scenes. That said I agree with you Wee G. Unless MFC has been actively trying to punt him to Celtic during Mark McGhee's reign (highly unlikely I'd say) then the obvious conclusion to be drawn is that Chris McCart is doing his best to poach the cream of our young talent - Steven Lawless anyone? In my eyes, IF thats true, then it doesn't paint Chris in a very good light. However he's escaped criticism so far on these boards.

My thoughts exactly Eddie. We should give the lad some space to get back to fitness and JG space to deal with his contract. Some on here would would do well to remember Simo Valakari who treated the club and fans abominably but was well thought of nonetheless.