MelvinBragg

While that might well be the case, it might be that he finds that other clubs are not willing to pay a fee for him however are willing to offer him a signing on fee and salary. It might be outwith his control...

For what it's worth, I've seen Heaton play. Very decent keeper, not the best at crosses but a good talker for one so young. Problem is he's very highly rated and the rumours are that Notts Forest are after him. If we were to get him, it'd soon be "John who???", but for that reason I reckon we would have no chance...

I take it the express story reported on the Scottish gossip page of the BBC website is just a re-hash of old information? Stating we've had talks with Masaba, Weston and Jack Ross?

Don't see it somehow. He can thank Jock for pretty much putting the kibosh on any job prospects for him there...

Apparently St Johnstone are after Paul Gallagher from St Mirren. Given we are looking for a goalkeeper, should we not be looking at him?

I think you have a valid point here, Andy, and I think this is why the likes of Fitzpatrick and before him Quiinn, Clarkson and others have suffered at the hands of the fans. Post-McFadden it seemed like any young player who didn't look like a world beater right away was declared "not good enough". I have made the point about Fitzpatrick many times on here that he has all the tools to be a solid SPL midfielder, nothing moe, nothing less. In a few years time, he'll be our left footed Lasley...

Aye, but guys like Jamie Murphy were above him despite having hardly kicked a ball...

I seem to remember if McShovelface's first season noting that Chris Porter was way, way down the list. Sometimes you suffer for a consistent level of performance when it comes to this kind of vote. I suspect Sutton and Hately suffered the same this year (although Hately's performances have really tailed off...)

Note 14 at the bottom states...

How many does Murphy have for the season? All three of our strikers have gone through spells of chipping in their share. And Murphy has not scored a few winners? I'm not his biggest fan, and I still don't know if he's ready to be a nailed on starter but he's made a fair contribution this season...

Specsavers in Motherwell is just down from McDonalds...

Graeme Smith? Seriously, if only Coke could perform to that level more often, he'd be indispensable. Almost gave it to him but like a few others, for me Sutton kept things going when it looked like it was all over...

No chance. Risk injuring your prize asset in a friendly? That won't be happening...

I normally agree with you, Jay, and I'm not saying we will lose on Wednesday night, but allow me to be a bit pessimistic as we go into the game without the two guys who've been our two best centre midfielders since January...

No Jennings, no Lasley, we'll only get to Europe if fifth place in the league gets Europe. And even then Hearts have two home games..

From what I hear, you might well be right. And I'm not convinced that Jennings and Hately are an ideal partnership. Personally I'd rather see Coke and Jennings partnered together. But that does leave us with a wide midfield slot to fill and I don't see us going with two out and out wingers...

While I can see where the original post is coming from, I struggle to think of someone who has been in our youth system, been unable to break into our first team and gone on to great things. Tends to suggest that over the years that those in charge round our way can sort the good players from the dross. Cream tends to rise to the top. If the likes of Saunders, Murphy, Hutchison and Forbes are good enough, they'll play irrespective of who's manager and who else is in the squad. If they're not good enough, the fate of Kenny Wright, Shaun Fagan and Greig Denham (to name but three) awaits them. Let us not forget that many of the products of "our" youth system are not Lanarkshire born and bred. Lasley (Paisley), McFadden (Glasgow) and currently Hutchison (the NE of England) are just three that spring to mind. We, as a club, are doing what many of the bigger clubs are doing but on a much smaller scale/budget. Like Arsenal/Man Utd/Liverpool et al paying ridiculous sums for 14-15yr olds from smaller clubs with good youth systems so we have taken two players in the last couple of years (that I'm aware of) from Queens Park and I seem to recall one from Ross County (though I can't remember the guy's name). Bringing in a guy from Chelsea may not seem to fit the same ideal (and at 20, older than I'd like) but we picked up Jim O'Brien in similar circumstances...

Sad to see him go, I don't have the stats to hand but I'd imagine his goals to starts ratio must be pretty good. He's scored a good few goals over the years, albeit most of them from the bench. Like I say, would like him to stay, don't imagine he's costing us the earth in wages but for his own good maybe time to move on...

I don't see any other branch of the entertainment industry where they're concerned if the unemployed can't afford it. Bread, milk, gas, electricity, public transport should all be affordable for the unemployed. Don't see why football "has to be" (I know why it "has to be" really, people are more attached to their teams than to say a film star or a band normall). All I would say is that football has been referred to as the "working man's game" not the "jobless man's game". Aye, football is too expensive. For people who work too...

Why has it got to be affordable for everyone? I agree that football is too expensive, particularly of you're taking the kids, but the argument about the unemployed comes up every time when prices are discussed. Two things strike me. The unemployed people I come across seem to have more disposable income than those I know who do work. Why should football worry if the unemployed can't afford it? It's a business. And as I've said, the number of unemployed people who can kit out the whole family with home and away kits plus trackies of their chosen team suggests that they're not the ones we should be worrying about...

It's interesting that you say this, Peter, and I know others have said it in the forum. I know fixtures being moved is a pain but for shift workers sometimes moving them benefits us (for I am a shift worker). The Hibs game in a few weeks is a prime example. Were it on the Saturday, I wouldn't be able to go. Thursday night? Nae bother... Sometimes for a shift worker, Saturdays are hard days to get off...

Noticed that he's been playing the last few weeks. Good to see. Always thought out of McCormack, Clarkson, Hughes and all the other Motherwell players who've gone down south recently that Quinn was most equipped to do well. Mainly because of the will to win and physical strength that is required in the English game...

As much as I agree, sadly life is not that good...

I'd be guessing but Sir Nick Cusack is probably up there, and perhaps his one time strike partner Dougie Arnott. But that's only my first instincts...

I'm guessing not so surprising in those days when entire teams played together for a number of years. No squad game then, if someone asked you to name, for example, the right back for the top 10 teams in the country I suspect that you would have 10 names that played almost every week of the season. And most of them would be with a club for 2-3 years at least...