David

I guess for me, it comes down to us having a shot at the league & FA cup every season, whilst probably never getting another crack at the Champions League. I doubt we'll do anything of course, but we may get lucky and land a tasty tie. Couple that with hearing the Champions League music at Fir Park (they play it for qualifiers, don't they?) I think it's really a once in a lifetime opportunity. The kind that we'll be telling our grandkids about.

You on the booze already Finlay?

I reckon he'll sign. A move to the English Championship will still be there at the end of next season. Once our European run comes to an end he can sign a pre-contract in January if he wants.

You'd place the likes of Porter & Krivokapic ahead of Cooper?

A nice idea, but I doubt the non Old-Firm fans will account for that many subscribers. I doubt that even Old Firm fans count for that many either. Most football fans who subscribe to the Sports channels do so for the EPL, and to a lesser degree La Liga.

The best player I've ever seen personally that played for Motherwell is Davie Cooper. Honourable mentions to Dougie Arnott, James McFadden, Chris McCart & Tommy Coyne.

Although I remain sceptical of anything actually happening, it's good to see that some of the SPL Chairman are thinking the same as the majority of fans.

Cheer them onto the park? For winning the league cup? Not a chance. Well done to them and all that, but it's the league cup for Christs sake, not the Champions League.

Yeah, but with all due respect Killie have won the league cup. Well done and all that, but it really should be a case of back to league duty as normal this weekend. No clapping, no salutes or any of that nonsense.

Exactly. I'm not going to be terribly upset if Page doesn't get the nod on Saturday, as both Clancy and Hutch are both excellent players and have done a great job this season.

If Kilmarnock hadn't been playing in the cup final, and Kelly's dad had passed away midweek I doubt the issue would have been raised. A sad situation for sure, and if the lad wants to pull out then I'm sure Killie would understand, but the game has to go on.

Both Clancy & Hutch were part of the team who lost to Aberdeen the week before. They didn't shower themselves in glory during the game, whilst Page and Cummins came in and held that Aberdeen attack for 90 minutes, playing a major part in us getting the win. That has to be recognised. If it's not, then what's the point in someone like Page hanging around? Just to fill gaps as & when needed? Personally I'd stick Page in with Hutch and leave Clancy on the bench.

I'd say that McHugh would be worth a starting slot, yes. If he hasn't done the job by mid-2nd half though Ojamaa comes back in. If the likes of McHugh are going to be replaced regardless of how they do when asked upon, then what's the point? If they're happy being perennial benchwarmers then fine, but if they go to training every day in the hope that they can dislodge the current player in their position then find themselves dumped even when they come in and do their job then they'll become disillusioned pretty quickly. In my opinion Page is worthy of a starting slot on Saturday. He earned it when he came in and palyed alongside a youth player making his debut, and managed to stop an Aberdeen side which put two goals past both Clancy & Hutchinson the previous weekend.

"win every game"? Yeah, that's what I said. When you take resources and suchlike into consideration the clubs I mentioned are the ones who should be challenging for the top four most seasons. They can offer higher wages than most of the other clubs, can't they? Unless we can match the money that the likes of Hearts, Hibs & Aberdeen can offer? They draw, on average, higher crowds than we do. Hearts averaged around 13-14,000 last season, whilst Aberdeen weighed in at around the 11,000 mark. We averaged around 5,200. To disagree that their fans have every right to believe that they should be challenging for the top four most seasons is ridiculous. I'm not saying that they should expect to finish there, but if you're a fan of Aberdeen, Hearts or Dundee United you're not going to take a top six finish as a successful season. You're going to expect your team to be challenging for top four. On the other hand, I think it's fair to say that most Motherwell fans begin the season under the impression that a top six finish and a decent cup run is a realistic aim, with anything above that being a bonus. Don't get me wrong, I'm more than happy with those clubs failing, and I'm certainly not saying that we don't deserve to be where we are, as we do. Facts are facts though. The clubs I mentioned are bigger clubs than we are. This only serves to highlight how well run we are, and how shrewd our management team has been this season.

Yeah, but it isn't though. The same situation arose when we beat Aberdeen 1-0 at Fir Park earlier in the season when Bob McHugh came off the bench to score the winner. I thought that should have got him a start the following week against Dundee United, but it wasn't.

Okay then, outside the Old Firm the two Edinburgh clubs, Dundee United & Aberdeen aren't the biggest clubs in the league, their fans shouldn't believe they should be challenging for the top four every season, and they should consider top six to be a successful season. Aberdeen do give their managers enough time to build a foundation and push the club forward. Does that sound better?

I don't see McCall not picking both Clancy & Hutch if they're available. Is that fair on Page? No.

Show me where I'm talking shite then. It's easy to swear and whatnot but if you can't take my post and point out where I'm wrong then you're just being a bit of a tit to be honest.

You must be the smart one in the family, aye?

If we aim for second then finishing third will take care of itself. We have as good a chance as we'll ever have of doing it, so we have to go for it.

Aye, congratulations to them for winning the cup today, but I hope we put a real dampener on their celebrations at the weekend. 3-1 Well.

How did it feel to live on the same street as footballing greatness? I mean Davie, not Neil by the way

Look, I have no intention of arguing with you about the potential Aberdeen have. To put it simply, the top two spaces in the SPL should be contested by the Glasgow greens & blues, and the other two league positions should be contested by the two Edinburgh clubs, Dundee United & Aberdeen. Going by club size the fans of these clubs should believe that they'll be challenging for the top four every season, and should consider finishing outwith those positions to be failure. I think that any Aberdeen fan who believes a top six finish and a decent cup run is acceptable is selling his club short. Such an aim should (and in my case it does) apply to my club and others like us. As you've said though, the board at Aberdeen and some of the other clubs I mentioned above have no intention of giving any manager long enough to build the foundation needed to push their clubs into those positions. In closing, long may it continue

According to the matchday program from the weekend Craigan & his daughters have signed up.