Well Up For It!

Ryan Dow at Dundee Utd show promise, although imagine he will be off to bigger and better things as well. Likewise with Schalk at Ross County. In all likelihood none of these guys will be with us next year though, suspect lower league England and Scotland to be our market.

As many have said, really need to take something on Saturday or we will be in the bottom 6. Should that happen, I will be a little gutted given the run we have been on, but at least we can't be dragged into the relegation fight now. Heart says we can do it, head says no. Predict Dundee and St. Johnstone will both win and Partick/Ross County will be a draw - so would put us 7th in the event we don't get anything from Celtic game.

I fucking love Keef!! Once again, superb stuff guys!

Following on from my earlier post, it's clear this is the situation we are in and whether you believe it will work or not long term, it's the way it is. I'm nowhere near convinced, but like others, will be doing my bit to give it a go. £10/month direct debit from me and we will see how it goes. If a year from now it's clearly not showing any signs of working, I will reconsider the commitment as I don't want to be throwing money at a sinking ship. But, we have to give it a go. Repeating myself, but if you are in a position to sign up to monthly donations, then would urge you to dip your toe in the water as we will never know if this can work until we try. ...and hopefully the powers that be in the society will pick up on this new willingness from the fans that have previously been skeptical to give it a go and get their act together! I don't view our small fan base as the biggest threat to this model going forward, I view the strategy of the society as the biggest obstacle.

Apologies for dragging up and old thread, but last nights news got me thinking a lot about the next chapter in our football club. In terms of full disclosure, I've never been convinced by the fan ownership model, yet I'm definitely not against it. In an ideal world the fans owning the club is what any fan would surely want with their team? My concerns have always been over the size of our fan base and, more prominently, a lack of faith in those driving forward the 'Well Society campaign. However, here we are. Fan ownership is now happening, and like it or not, we as fans have to support it where possible or we will surely expedite the inevitable doom many critics of the scheme predict. It's most definitely not the time to stand back and do nothing while preparing your "told you so" speech. To the majority of people, the minimum contribution of £5/month is not a great deal in the grand scheme of things, with every penny counting toward the potential utopian future of fan ownership. However, this works both ways, and support from the fans won't be enough...the Society and the club have to facilitate it much better. As someone who has worked in marketing/communication for 15 years, I've been totally baffled by the marketing & communication strategy the society has put in place. Simply put, I'm genuinely convinced they don't have one. So many opportunities have been missed in promoting the scheme, so many events designed to promote it have been poorly executed. Communication is simply not good enough, and for me, this actually encourages a mistrust in the people at the helm of the society. No, I don't expect to know every little detail, I understand the requirement for a degree of privacy in any business, but I do expect a clear and regular update on the decisions and direction of the society. From the outside looking in, this is clearly not happening. As a non-member, I emailed the society in March last year with a list of concerns and questions, along with ideas on how they could convince those on the fringes with effective marketing plans. I received no reply or even acknowledgement of email. This ended any immediate plans for me to sign up. They basically scared me off. Now that the club and society are essentially going to be one body, I'd expect a much more consistent, joined up thinking. Surely packages can be put in place to entice membership. An example of the top of my head, is paying 10-20% more on your season ticket cost and you enter monthly/weekly draw to win a signed shirt, hospitality tickets, etc. There are hundreds more ideas similar in principle to this, all that requires is a little bit of creative thinking. Adding incentives to membership and monthly contributions that have minimal cost to the club will increase uptake. The club/society need to grasp that an extra £1 is better than nothing and I do feel that is a little lost at times. I'm going to do my bit. I'm finally going to sign up to monthly contributions for the next year to see how things go. I would encourage every other fan that is in a position to do so to act likewise as it's now "our" club and we have to support it and safeguard its future. However, I would also strongly encourage the society/club to get their act together, and fast! In my eyes, their practises have definitely done more harm than good to the overall cause and that needs to be remedied urgently or we will most certainly be facing the doom that many have predicted. In truth, I'm still not convinced about the fan ownership model for our club, but now is the time for a little bit of trust - a little leap of faith. It's uncharted territory, there are abundant unknowns, but I'm firmly of the belief that if we don't give it a shot, how will we ever find out for sure? (apologies for length of the post)

Echo what has been said regarding the Society providing as much information as possible. Doubt it will be quick in coming given their record and the fact the transfer of shares, etc has to go througb the legal process. Definately a complete change of direction from the plan Les put in place. Pretty sure he will have some recourse in place should it go belly up such as him retianing security on Fir Park. Until we get a statement from society its all speculation. As I said earlier, the key players behind the Society have now got their wish and its up to them. Many aren't convinced, myself included, but happy to give them the opportunity. In an ideal world, fans owning their club is how it should be. Time will tell.

Not sure if this deserves a new topic or not... http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2016/03/15/club-statement-ownership/ Interesting developments. Big change from the perceived plan. Does this mean Les is writing off his investment in the club? While I've never fully bought into the fan ownsership idea, wish the new people all the best and hope I am proved wrong to be sceptical. As for Les, thanks for his involvement and clearly stabilising the club off the park in the short term and providing the Well Society the opportunity to make a real go of it. Interesting times ahead...

Was actually talking to a friend the other day how it had been quite a while since Les was in the press threatening the fans to sign up to the 'Well Society. We also discussed how it all seems to have went very quiet on the society front as well, but thats another matter.

This is just up the road for me and had every intention of heading along, but after going to my first game of 2016 on Saturday, have been put right off and now don't know if I will bother. Us as fans go to all the effort and cost to go to games to be served up lacklustre pish and all it does is leave you depressed. St. Johnstone on Saturday is a "home" game for me and will likely head to that. We need a result badly tomorrow, but after the 60 odd minutes I seen on Saturday, would be amazed if we take something.

Wonder who he will blame this week?! Doesn't matter what us fans think anyway, he jas said as much. He's an arrogant fuck! Even had the balls to say we were actually playing well?!! Keep up this form and we will do well to finish in the playoff.

Absolutely fucking shite. Enough for me, not been to a game this year and a totally wasted trip from Perth.

Can we bring back negative scoring to posts please?

No doubt it was the changing point in football as we know it - but I firmly believe the influence of Sky TV and other broadcasters, plus the emergence of agent power, has done a thousand times more damage to our game than Bosman ever did. The Bosman principle is correct for me. Players should not be tied to a club out with a contract. But that rightful decision opened the doors to the greed and corruption that is rife at the very top of the game and set football on its current path that will eventually end in complete and utter implosion.

I don't get this logic. If they are playing mid week in the League Cup or rearranged fixtures it's OK, but if they are playing mid week in the League it's more intense? Even though they will now have a mini break mid-season to recharge? I get not everyone is in favour of it, but I am. Think this is the first step to a shake up in Scottish Football that will hopefully lead to a bigger league (14 or 16) and less fixtures. And the leagues that currently have a winter break have not suffered for it - one would argue the fact the English Premiership doesn't have one has severely hampered their teams and Europe and national teams.

That is a side effect, yes. But with the League Cup starting earlier, surely would allow season to finish earlier? And if I had a choice between five weeks off in the summer, or two weeks off at Christmas and three at summer I know what I'd pick.

Not so much the weather or anything, its Scotland - bad weather can happen in July. More a bit of a recharge for the players for me. They have their 4 games or such over a 8/9 day period at Christmas/New Year, get two weeks off (which would help pay at the gate fans during the strapped January Month) and come back to Scottish Cup game on around middle January. The games in July are simply just adding something different to the boring slog of pre-season friendlies. Yeah school holidays and all, but surely people not away would be much more likely to attend a Motherwell vs Airdrie competitive game than Motherwell vs ? It may very well prove to be a "crap idea from out of touch authorities" but at least they are mixing it up and trying something different - which is badly needed IMO. Time will tell I guess, but I very much stick to the fact that I welcome the changes.

Really conflicting statements from Les and then the SPFL tonight - makes you wonder about internal communication at the club. From the outside looking in, this change certainly seems to have come from nowhere. However, I welcome it. Will be something a bit different. Reintroducing the winter break is also a very sensible in my opinion.

Although he went on to haver a fairly decent career sadly cut short by injury, always thought Stevie McMillan was destined for great things. Same can also be said about Hammell to an extent - while he has had a solid career with us, when he first burst through he stood out for me and thought he go on to be an International.

Really sorry to hear of the low turnout for what appeared a excellent lineup of panelists. Would have loved to have attended if I weren't on my honeymoon. Just had a listen to the first part and was thoroughly enjoyable. Fully respect the stance the podcast guys are taking with regards to future events with the club and society, and think the fact they never made more of an effort to support this is disgraceful. Further supports claims that the society don't do remotely enough to engage with fans. All they had to do was support this event with a mention in a newsletter, an e-shot, etc as all the work was already undertaken by you guys, and they dramatically failed on that count. As someone who works in marketing, the fact they have done nothing in response to an open invitation to piggy back on an FREE event that is being externally run and funded, offering an engaging and entertaining event baffles me. It is beyond bewildering and screams of total ineptitude and laziness. While this may only be a minor failings in the grand scheme of things, I really have zero faith in the society at present and doubt it will improve any time soon, if at all. And it's such a shame.

Could have been. We did beat them 2-1 at home that year and got scudded 2-0 - remember it being one of the most one sided games I'd ever seen us play. Maybe got them round the wrong way, with the replayed game being the win.

Just catching up on this after a few weeks away...great thread, and hard to answer. Cup Final, Nancy Away (for the occasion), 6-5 Aberdeen (for the bewilderment), 6-6 Hibs, Skippy Sunday, the play-off games all favourites for me. Only one of note that I haven't seen mentioned that stands out for me is the abandoned game against Hearts in 1999/00 (?) season under Billy Davies. Was horrific weather and game somehow went ahead, much to the delight of the many Bayern Munich fans who had came to the game as it was night before they faced Rangers and they had occupied the East Stand section next to the Cooper. They were singing and dancing all the way through the game. Gilles Rousset was sent off early in the game for a horrific challenge on Goodman (?) and we took a 1-0 lead against our biggest rivals for 3rd. The game was abandoned at before the start of the 2nd half, yet the majority of fans stayed in the ground and joined in the songs with the Munich fans. They lead us on a chorus of "stand up if you hate Rangers" I'm sure we lost the rematch - which ultimately costs us 3rd place - but really fond memories of that (half) game. Also, loved the final game that season when we had to beat Champions Rangers and hope Hearts dropped points to Hibs. We hammered Rangers 2-0 at a packed Fir Park.

Not at a 'Well game, but got spoken at Scotland vs Lithania years ago me and my mates were sitting right at back row anf were constantly told to sit down by wee tough guy steward. Problem is, everyone in front was on their feet so we kept standing. He came over and (as I was on the end) tried to force me onto my seat by pulling my arm. Me being a clear foot taller than him just turned and laughed and told him to jog on, which he did. 10mins later police came and spoke to me about asaulting the steward. Gobsmacked, was taken away to speak to them. My mate, who saw all this happen, followed me. Police were very aggressive toward him until he uttered the words "It was hillarious, I videoed it all on my phone". Shows clip on the phone, police apologise. Steward is sent to another area while I give him the fingers!

The reaction to his appointment has once and for all proved we have some utter bellend fans! Was he my first choice...no. Am I outraged at his appointment to the point where I won't support my team...no. Folk forget the good work he done with us and the quality of attacking football we were playing. He is most definitely entitled to a bit of time before the utter nonsense starts getting hurled his way. Fact is, we could go on to have a decent season and folk will still want him out. Utter bangers!

Think McGhee makes sense and would be happy with that appointment. I'm sure he was in charge when our GM started with the club, so their will be familiarity there. Also, Craggs, Leitch, Lasley and Hammell all know him and his ways. Good experienced manager that plays positive football and ensures a level of fitness is exactly what we need. Don't hold much of a grudge over way he left.

Well before my time, but fortunate enough to meet him a few times and he was an absolute gentleman. Absolutely tragic news. RIP Joe