St Mirren V Motherwell 21/02/2026

[Kmcalpin]

24 minutes ago, weeyin said:

"Everybody else is doing it" might be a fine excuse for a 12 year old, but not a grown man.

We should single out Slattery because he's our player and needs to be told to cut it out. 

Telling other team's players to cut it out isn't as effective. 

I wouldn't make a big deal of it, but I would be telling him it's unacceptable, and to get focus back on his assists and his shooting, where he is most effective. 

We have to be consistent to call out this form of cheating, for thats what it is. Slattery's behaviour last night was a particularly bad example, but our club needs to call it out without fear or favour, and whats more, do it in public irrespective of who the player is or who they play for. Should we go a step further, and if its our own player, suspend them for a game or whatever?  But, if we simply highlight the actions of our own players they'll feel singled out and picked on.  

A danger though, is that if we take unilateral action, other clubs, managers and players will laugh up their sleeves at us and continue to practice this particular dark art. 

As I said, it needs strong consistent action from the SFA.   

[Kmcalpin]

Last night's great result reminded me of a game I attended in September 1966 at the old Love Street ground, when we thrashed the Buddies 5-0, with Bobby Campbell scoring all 5. Deja Vu.

[texanwellfan]

3 hours ago, Kmcalpin said:

Last night's great result reminded me of a game I attended in September 1966 at the old Love Street ground, when we thrashed the Buddies 5-0, with Bobby Campbell scoring all 5. Deja Vu.

I had him in The sweep on the central branch supporters club bus that day. 

[joewarkfanclub]

10 hours ago, Kmcalpin said:

We have to be consistent to call out this form of cheating, for thats what it is. Slattery's behaviour last night was a particularly bad example, but our club needs to call it out without fear or favour, and whats more, do it in public irrespective of who the player is or who they play for. Should we go a step further, and if its our own player, suspend them for a game or whatever?  But, if we simply highlight the actions of our own players they'll feel singled out and picked on.  

A danger though, is that if we take unilateral action, other clubs, managers and players will laugh up their sleeves at us and continue to practice this particular dark art. 

As I said, it needs strong consistent action from the SFA.   

I dont think we need to make an example of Slattery by dropping him or singling him out.

But Jens can say in an interview that he has spoken to him and told him he doesnt like it and told him not to do it again.

He could even reference Elliot Watt earlier in the season when he went down under minimal contact from an alleged head butt.

Challenging other managers to speak to their players in a similar manner would shift the focus and put the spotlight on it for other clubs to deal with.

You wont eradicate it. But you can make it more difficult for players to get away with if you talk about it instead of just ignoring it or accepting its part of the game.

[grizzlyg]

Ye no doubt usual journalists will ask Jens about it so best to say its been dealt with in house.   Annoying as overshadowed a wee bit our amazing performance. 

But....if VAR had done their job the red would have been rescinded like Gogic one

[Spiderpig]

11 hours ago, Kmcalpin said:

We have to be consistent to call out this form of cheating, for thats what it is. Slattery's behaviour last night was a particularly bad example, but our club needs to call it out without fear or favour, and whats more, do it in public irrespective of who the player is or who they play for. Should we go a step further, and if its our own player, suspend them for a game or whatever?  But, if we simply highlight the actions of our own players they'll feel singled out and picked on.  

A danger though, is that if we take unilateral action, other clubs, managers and players will laugh up their sleeves at us and continue to practice this particular dark art. 

As I said, it needs strong consistent action from the SFA.   

Looking for. The SFA to do something is a waste of time, they will do feck all in case they upset the ugly sisters. Play acting, diving, cheating, simulation call it what you like has been going on for as long as football has been played, and it wont stop , if a player thinks he can take a dive, or manipulate a situation to win a penalty, get an opponent sent off etc they will do it.

Motherwell can be all sanctimonious about it, make a stand by pulling Slattery up for it, go on about the integrity of the game etc, but the rest of the clubs will say nothing and behind the scenes piss themselves laughing.

Its the authorities that need to deal with it, VAR could easily have overturned that red card on Saturday but they chose not to, the same way they ignore loads of othe blatantly wrong calls. So if the SFA / SPFL etc do nothing why should the clubs bother.

As ie said before many times the governance of the game in Scotland is not fit for purpose, particularly re VAR and referreeing standards and until it is sorted nothing will change.

[Kmcalpin]

2 minutes ago, grizzlyg said:

Ye no doubt usual journalists will ask Jens about it so best to say its been dealt with in house.   Annoying as overshadowed a wee bit our amazing performance. 

Yes, and I'll hold my hands up for raising it again. Journos will raise it especially as it happened against St Mirren. Its time to move on. These incidents are ten a penny and this one mustn't overshadow what a great performance it was. We took St Mirren apart and rubbed their noses in it, in their own back yard. Truth be told it could have been more. 5 different scorers and another shut out. It doesn't come much better than that.   

I had concerns pre match that, given our busy schedule, we might be running on empty but JBA managed that well and even had time to sub the much used and probably exhausted Paul McGinn. These results don't come around very often and we shouldn't let anything detract from that.   

[joewarkfanclub]

13 minutes ago, grizzlyg said:

Ye no doubt usual journalists will ask Jens about it so best to say its been dealt with in house.   Annoying as overshadowed a wee bit our amazing performance. 

But....if VAR had done their job the red would have been rescinded like Gogic one

The suggestion is that VAR did do its job and King was sent off for throwing his arm out at an opponent, regardless of whether he made contact or not.

I dont agree with that, but if thats the rule, then I guess we just need to accept that, much as we did with Oscars red card for a slip. 

We could, and probably will just stay quiet about the play acting as most clubs and managers will instinctively protect their own player, and thats fine.

But if, as KMcAlpin suggests, you want to try and eradicate that sort of stuff from the game, someone needs to be brave and take a stand.

But you do need to be really careful and do it in a way that doesnt through your own player under the bus.

[texanwellfan]

It’s shame Slats done that cause he had a great game and was staying on his feet even when being fouled. Personally I think it’s not a big deal. He made a bad decision, there was a chat with Jens, you’re not very likely to ever see it again. Next question. 

[weeyin]

Jens will just stare at the journo like a Jedi and after a quick "this is not the question you were looking to ask" they'll move on.

[Coatsy]

Unbelievable Jeff we win 5-0 and have one if not the best performance of the year and all folk on here are bothered about is a red card given to the opposition which no doubt VAR would have overturned if they saw fit geta grip guys

[Orinoco]

If you go and try and hit someone then you deserve a red irrespective on whether you actually connect. Slattery actions are typical of the modern game. Slight touch then hit ground, otherwise the referees will ignore it. The problem is that referees wont give fouls if a player stays on his feet even if it impacts the players control of the ball.

St Mirren cant complain as all their usual tactics of bodychecks, leaving foot in, jersey pulls, multi ball placements,  etc are as much as cheating as Slattery's actions.  Every team will try or do anything to gain an advantage. 

In an ideal world we take the moral high ground but why put ourselves at a disadvantage?

[dennyc]

43 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

If you go and try and hit someone then you deserve a red irrespective on whether you actually connect. Slattery actions are typical of the modern game. Slight touch then hit ground, otherwise the referees will ignore it. The problem is that referees wont give fouls if a player stays on his feet even if it impacts the players control of the ball.

St Mirren cant complain as all their usual tactics of bodychecks, leaving foot in, jersey pulls, multi ball placements,  etc are as much as cheating as Slattery's actions.  Every team will try or do anything to gain an advantage. 

In an ideal world we take the moral high ground but why put ourselves at a disadvantage?

I think the referee deserves credit for booking Phillips within 4 minutes of kick off. I think that booking impacted the game massively and sent a strong message to the  St Mirren players. Compare that to our earlier visit to Paisley where it was half an hour before the referee decided to take action. Having ignored the usual  nasty fouls, late tackles etc for most of the first half. 

[johnstone]

Reading the Pie and Bovril thread got me thinking. Would you:

A. Take a cup win and a potential relegation dog fight in the league with the risk of relegation in the play off and add to that nearly a full season of poor football. Also a manager out of ideas and the team turning stale and need a full re build in the summer. 

or

B. No cup win, but an incredible season of high quality football week in week out with the genuine chance of winning the title and a complete change in football philosophy at the club that could be implemented into the future. 
 

What would you pick?!!

[wellon]

1 minute ago, johnstone said:

Reading the Pie and Bovril thread got me thinking. Would you:

A. Take a cup win and a potential relegation dog fight in the league with the risk of relegation in the play off and add to that nearly a full season of poor football. Also a manager out of ideas and the team turning stale and need a full re build in the summer. 

or

B. No cup win, but an incredible season of high quality football week in week out with the genuine chance of winning the title and a complete change in football philosophy at the club that could be implemented into the future. 
 

What would you pick?!!

Could they win the Scottish Cup too though?

[johnstone]

2 minutes ago, wellon said:

Could they win the Scottish Cup too though?

They could do the double, that’s the question though, do you take potential cup success over long term success in the league. 
 

Hard one to pick to be honest.

[0Neils40yarder]

24 minutes ago, johnstone said:

Reading the Pie and Bovril thread got me thinking. Would you:

A. Take a cup win and a potential relegation dog fight in the league with the risk of relegation in the play off and add to that nearly a full season of poor football. Also a manager out of ideas and the team turning stale and need a full re build in the summer. 

or

B. No cup win, but an incredible season of high quality football week in week out with the genuine chance of winning the title and a complete change in football philosophy at the club that could be implemented into the future. 
 

What would you pick?!!

I think if you look at football clubs as a business, then its pretty easy to see which club has had the better season...our gates are up, our income is up and our players and manager are in demand, which will further allow the club to grow.

Would I love to win the Scottish Cup, fucking right I would but this season (and to be fair, the way the club has been run off the park in the last couple of seasons) is allowing the club, as a business, to stabilise and grow.

[grizzlyg]

It reminds me of 2014-2015 season.  If someone said to me 'would you take a poor season,  out cups early but you would beat Rangers 6-1 in play off to ram it up all the media and journalists who wrote us off?'

Yes.

For this season I am just loving it snd hope we have 11 more great performances and have an unbelievable finish to the season.

I genuinely think Jens could stay if he sees this project developing.  Also as I have said before the board deserve huge credit for doing their homework and seeing what was out there.  No-one had a clue until it was announced ( same as Wimmer)

COYW

[Spiderpig]

1 hour ago, johnstone said:

Reading the Pie and Bovril thread got me thinking. Would you:

A. Take a cup win and a potential relegation dog fight in the league with the risk of relegation in the play off and add to that nearly a full season of poor football. Also a manager out of ideas and the team turning stale and need a full re build in the summer. 

or

B. No cup win, but an incredible season of high quality football week in week out with the genuine chance of winning the title and a complete change in football philosophy at the club that could be implemented into the future. 
 

What would you pick?!!

Option B every time, lucky teams win cups, good sides playing good football, not losing many games or goals win leagues. Any team meeting those criteria every season will have more long term sucess than a team who got to a cup final by drawing lower rated teams all the way to a final, and get lucky.

[weeyin]

1 hour ago, grizzlyg said:

I genuinely think Jens could stay if he sees this project developing.  

I think Jens and most of the players have been in the game long enough to know it's rare for everything to fall into place like this, and to make the most of it.

If we do get a decent league finish and a crack at Europe, that might be enough to persuade him to stay at least another 6 months, and keep some of our key players.

If not, then we find JBA v2.0 and continue the project. He keeps talking about laying the foundations for years to come, so it sounds like the Board has a plan with or without Jens.