fizoxy

I'll take a wee stroll down to this one. We never have it easy at Falkirk so it could be a close one. It's definitely one we can win, but I'll take not losing.

I think the only way to really see if a new pricing structure would work would be to do it over a season, including season tickets, and alongside other "recruitment initiatives". This would obviously take some balls and some financial backing. There would also be the risk of the reduction not being significant enough to make an impact, so some serious research would be required beforehand. This way we are providing a viable form of entertainment for those who would never have considered going to football otherwise, and also providing a reason for those from the shire who shell out to watch the unwashed to think twice. Anything else will provide a one off surge in attendance, with most people treating it like a day out, when we really want to hook the next generation of diehards.

It would be interesting to see how the prices for other forms of entertainment have risen with inflation over the last 20 years or so compared to football.

So, since the "product" is shite, we should pay more? It just doesn't work that way. Even doubling our attendances with the current prices would merely give us the funds to sign players who are only marginally better than what we have, and we'd still spend the absolute minimum in maintaining Fir Park. So I don't feel the slightest bit guilty that I haven't put my hand in my pocket. It is up to the football clubs and the governing bodies to make the game more attractive to supporters. Everyone who is in the game is there to make money, therefore it is up to them to justify us paying them, and clearly they aren't doing a very good job.

You'll always get more people at a cup final, cos it's a bloody cup final! We don't play in those a lot so it's usually quite nice to go when we do. I don't have to buy a whole load of shite DVD's before buying a good one, so the football isn't any different. The problem I have is the notion that fans have some sort of duty to go to games and plough money into the club. This kind of blind loyalty is how clubs get away with charging £20 and up. the players don't need the support either, they're getting paid to do it. If "support" and "atmosphere" was so important to team performance they'd be paying us. If you're just going to the game because you feel you have to, then don't bother and do something you enjoy instead. I have my seasons where I wont miss a game, and I'll have some where I only go to a handful. Some times I don't go due to work or family stuff, other times I just cant be bothered. Any time I do go it is because I want to watch the team I love play football, whether it's shite or not. This doesn't mean I'm less a supporter than the fundies.

Naw, cos he's already scored for us!

We looked pretty good today, with Murph providing a bit more of a cutting edge when he came on. Coke and Las both put in a good shift, and the defence looked pretty solid. I'm not surprised at the state of the pitch, it was always going to cut up with being brand new, and the extreme weather we had this month probably didn't help. Good to hear the Juke never got his baws stood on, and it was just 12 stitches in his leg. The sympathy pains have receded now.

Am I missing some sort of "in-joke" with this Albania stuff?

Most of us had him down as the original "world cup" player Craig Brown mentioned after the Hearts game. He was released by Celtic in 2009 and plays somewhere in NZ now, but looking for a deal until the world cup I think.

I think the major argument for this is the period of no competition with the EPL and other major leagues. This could result in us securing a better TV deal and some much needed exposure. The major issue with this though would be selling it to players coming into the league. Could this result in a load of loan signings over the summer? We see a similar system in cricket, where county players will go to South Africa or Australia during the winter here, but that works because the seasons don't overlap, where ours would. Major tournaments could be an issue, but we have to get to them first! Other countries manage fine combining summer football with internationals and European competition so we could look at how they do it. I don't think this would dramatically improve the quality of the game, or suddenly double attendances, but I do believe it would at least be an improvement over the current product which is very stale. Unfortunately I can't see this, or any other major changes, happening as I don't believe the people in charge have the balls to make the bold moves which are required. We also have too many people in charge, but that's a different argument.

Live commentary here From BBC 21 Ruddy 03 Hammell 04 Reynolds 05 Craigan 06 Coke 14 Lasley 24 Hateley 09 Jutkiewicz 11 Sutton 17 O'Brien 27 Forbes Substitutes 01 Fraser, 43 Saunders, 07 Humphrey, 08 Jennings, 16 Fitzpatrick, 15 Murphy, 35 McHugh

Facebook stalking is fun, I didn't realise Keith Lasley was black though.

As good an idea as this is, I think that the major issue with regards to decreasing attendances is the price, and I don't think any fan's committee is going to change this. There's only so much you can do to entice new supporters, and a lot could be done at FP to enhance the "matchday experience" or at least bring it up to an acceptable level, but I don't think anything can be done to to make 90 minutes of watching MFC (or any other SPL club) worth £20.

Well, it is the close season in Brazil and it doesn't start up again until May

Further to what haggis said, I think the idea of a Q&A type thing would be really helpful, we had something similar on here in the early days, and as long as it's organised properly (i.e pre-submitted questions) I think it could work.

I met Mio Krivokapic at a reserve game at Tynecastle, prob during the Kampman era. He's a really nice bloke and he bought me chocolate. I also met Bobby Jenks when on a tour of tynie back when hamster was there. Me and my brother were wearing our well tops, and Jenks clocked us so took us aside and showed us his office, with the 1991 cup winning photo taking pride of place on his desk. He didn't buy me anything though.

I like BSH's analogy, too many people take these things personally. If we expect players to "do their job" on the pitch, then we should also allow them to treat it like a job and move on when a better offer is available. It's easy to tell Slane to hang around here and get his move in a few years time, but what if he suffers a serious injury in that time? Football is a short career as it is.

I agree with MB that these players should be tied up on contracts before they gain first team exposure, rather than showcasing their talents to everyone while they are still on YTS deals. The OF can afford to wait and see if these young guys turn out to be any good before buying them for pennies (to them anyway) but we have to take the risk at this stage when the cost of a contract for a failed u19 prospect is an easier loss to absorb than losing a potential star (and future transfer fee) for nothing. Bringing through youngsters is the only way to go for clubs like us, so we have to be a bit more clever about it

I'm sure a happy medium can be found between "seig heil" and silence.

I'm sure Fraser is relatively high paid for a 2nd choice goalie, assuming we keep Ruddy for the year.

Midfielder

We can't guarantee results, but the performance sounds a lot better than our recent efforts, although the system isn't far off what we've been playing with. I would guess that we're getting rid of the ball quicker and playing more direct as opposed to pissing about on our own 18 yard line. Sounds like Jennings is getting stuck in too.

Why is it we always concede just before half time at Tynecastle?

Just wrote it down fast, wasn't really thinking about that. I think Murph will be on the right with jimbo on the left and juke up front.

I agree the 4-5-1/4-3-3 looks most likely, with a pretty solid looking midfield 3.