Motherwell v Falkirk 04/04/2026

[Yassin]

4 hours ago, Ya Bezzer! said:

Now let me just state I think JBA has done a good job.

But here are some dispassionate facts.

Here are JBA and Stuart Kettlewell's league records after 32 matches.

SK-32-12-10-10

JA-32-14-12-6

The difference is 2 wins and 2 draws over 32 matches.

I liked and defended Kettlewell more than most but as far as I can tell all this shows is that he accrued less points than JBA in more games, 5 of which were post-split bottom 6 fixtures?

[joewarkfanclub]

8 hours ago, Ya Bezzer! said:

Now let me just state I think JBA has done a good job.

But here are some dispassionate facts.

Here are JBA and Stuart Kettlewell's league records after 32 matches.

SK-32-12-10-10

JA-32-14-12-6

The difference is 2 wins and 2 draws over 32 matches.

Also given the fact that we have tough matches coming up and and aren't in particularly good form and Kettlewell got 9 points from his next 7 matches means it might be even closer on the first day of next season, although, of course, I don't know what our next 6 results are going to be.

Given the closeness of the two records I just find it interesting that the average fan probably has widely diverging views on both managers.

JBA has done well but he's no where near a legend.  Finishing 4th or 5th is hardly unprecedented for Motherwell managers.  Terry Butcher got us Top 6 numerous times when the club was on it's uppers and not spending, as it is now, six figure sums on multiple players.

People tend to go to extremes, best ever, worst ever, when it's the vast majority of the time it's not.

 

 

If JBA goes on a 16 game run without a win soon, then maybe we can start to compare!

Ketts was very good when he first came in and took a struggling team and got it functioning again.

But the wheels very quickly came off the bogey after that.

My use of the word legend was in response to Grizzly being picked up on his use of the word and was tongue in cheek. 

But Im not having him compared to Kettlewell (yet).

[Spiderpig]

I cant believe we are having this debate, what type of football would you really like to see at Fir park, the eye bleeding hoof and chase under kettlewell, or the free flowing, tippy tappy passing, playing out from the back, rock solid defence (mostly) etc under JBA, i know who my vote would be for.

[well_said]

9 hours ago, Spiderpig said:

I cant believe we are having this debate, what type of football would you really like to see at Fir park, the eye bleeding hoof and chase under kettlewell, or the free flowing, tippy tappy passing, playing out from the back, rock solid defence (mostly) etc under JBA, i know who my vote would be for.

The main proof of that is the extra crowd numbers turning up at matches now and if you contrast that to the crowds starting to dwindle away during the kettlewell era , even the diehards were getting pissed off watching that rubbish. I know what I prefer to watch.

[wellon]

On 4/7/2026 at 1:39 PM, Ya Bezzer! said:

Now let me just state I think JBA has done a good job.

But here are some dispassionate facts.

Here are JBA and Stuart Kettlewell's league records after 32 matches.

SK-32-12-10-10

JA-32-14-12-6

The difference is 2 wins and 2 draws over 32 matches.

Also given the fact that we have tough matches coming up and and aren't in particularly good form and Kettlewell got 9 points from his next 7 matches means it might be even closer on the first day of next season, although, of course, I don't know what our next 6 results are going to be.

Given the closeness of the two records I just find it interesting that the average fan probably has widely diverging views on both managers.

JBA has done well but he's no where near a legend.  Finishing 4th or 5th is hardly unprecedented for Motherwell managers.  Terry Butcher got us Top 6 numerous times when the club was on it's uppers and not spending, as it is now, six figure sums on multiple players.

People tend to go to extremes, best ever, worst ever, when it's the vast majority of the time it's not.

 

 

In 50 plus years, most of the time it has been the best football I have seen played and the best crowds ive seen too...if you can't see that , maybe you need some other hobbies too

[Welly Machine]

Just seen the KMI Panel outcomes from last weekend are available:

The panel unanimously agreed that the on-field decision was incorrect. The panel highlighted VAR should have intervened to recommend an OFR and a penalty should have been awarded.

They class this as a difficult decision where the referee needs the help of technology to make the correct decision, yet in this case VAR didn't get involved. Why? Slattery payback?

I'm sure the VAR Review show for April will clear it up 🤔
 

[Spiderpig]

2 hours ago, Welly Machine said:

Just seen the KMI Panel outcomes from last weekend are available:

The panel unanimously agreed that the on-field decision was incorrect. The panel highlighted VAR should have intervened to recommend an OFR and a penalty should have been awarded.

They class this as a difficult decision where the referee needs the help of technology to make the correct decision, yet in this case VAR didn't get involved. Why? Slattery payback?

I'm sure the VAR Review show for April will clear it up 🤔
 

Allegedly VAR did not have access to the same video footage that we saw on Sportscene, if thats the case wtf is the point of Var being there.

The clubs need to start telling the SFA sort it out or get it binned.

[Orinoco]

Nice excuse! Needs highlighted by media, (stop laughing at the back!) and binned if thats the case.

Total joke. Clubs spending thousands and its a guy using a phone camera from miles away catches the incident.

[wellfan]

The KMI Panel and VAR Review should both be scrapped. They’re pointless exercises that deliver no consequences for those making the mistakes and no meaningful change for those affected by them. It’s all performative nonsense that does nothing but wind people up.

[bobbybingo]

24 minutes ago, Spiderpig said:

Allegedly VAR did not have access to the same video footage that we saw on Sportscene, if thats the case wtf is the point of Var being there.

The clubs need to start telling the SFA sort it out or get it binned.

Were they using a Betamax player?

[MJC]

On 4/5/2026 at 4:48 PM, bobbybingo said:

True. Personally, I hope they don't. Their fans seem to have a real problem with Motherwell, whether they're greetin about getting relegated at Fir Park, being refused promotion while we stayed up, or (as I read today) their keeper getting sent off in 1992 for mouthing off about a Falkirk free-kick that turned into a shy (immediately followed by a goal) for us. I suppose they had plenty of time to seethe in the lower divisions.

It was good to see them slapped right back into their box today. After being 2-0 up and getting all excited it ended up a bit of a drubbing for them on their own patch. 😁 

(Guitar into……)

# Ah-as I was walking by the Falkirk wheel

I-I seen a local ragin’

Cos the Falkirk Bairns,

Got skelped six-three

By the Fame-uss Glesga Rainjurz #

[0Neils40yarder]

10 minutes ago, MJC said:

It was good to see them slapped right back into their box today. After being 2-0 up and getting all excited it ended up a bit of a drubbing for them on their own patch. 😁 

(Guitar into……)

# Ah-as I was walking by the Falkirk wheel

I-I seen a local ragin’

Cos the Falkirk Bairns,

Got skelped six-three

By the Fame-uss Glesga Rainjurz #

What the fuck

[Kmcalpin]

I think any faint hope they had of catching us disappeared at full time. 

[MJC]

4 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said:

I think any faint hope they had of catching us disappeared at full time. 

Even before today it was always Hibs we had to worry about catching us for 4th and nothing has changed in that regard. We seriously need to buck our ideas up but as you say it’s hard to see where the next point is coming from.

[joewarkfanclub]

51 minutes ago, MJC said:

It was good to see them slapped right back into their box today. After being 2-0 up and getting all excited it ended up a bit of a drubbing for them on their own patch. 😁 

(Guitar into……)

# Ah-as I was walking by the Falkirk wheel

I-I seen a local ragin’

Cos the Falkirk Bairns,

Got skelped six-three

By the Fame-uss Glesga Rainjurz #

Seriously dude?

🫣🫣🫣

 

[mio]

10 minutes ago, joewarkfanclub said:

Seriously dude?

🫣🫣🫣

 

I think that tells us all we need to know 

[stv]

48 minutes ago, MJC said:

Even before today it was always Hibs we had to worry about catching us for 4th and nothing has changed in that regard. We seriously need to buck our ideas up but as you say it’s hard to see where the next point is coming from.

It will come from a game where we actually score with some of our chances and dont loose stupid goals.

We were looking most likely to score in the second half yesterday missed two great chances then lost a daft penalty. Can't keep that up its bound to change.

[grizzlyg]

Happy with that result today. Keeps Falkirk 8pts behind with our goal difference miles better.   5th will get you into europe if sellik win cup which I think they will.  Gives us safety net if hibs catch us

[grizzlyg]

Just now, grizzlyg said:

Happy with that result today. Keeps Falkirk 8pts behind with our goal difference miles better.   5th will get you into europe if sellik win cup which I think they will.  Gives us safety net if hibs catch us

And I despise the old firm just incase I start getting allegiance pish aimed at me

[bobbybingo]

4 minutes ago, grizzlyg said:

And I despise the old firm just incase I start getting allegiance pish aimed at me

You're a legend....

[MJC]

7 minutes ago, stv said:

It will come from a game where we actually score with some of our chances and dont loose stupid goals.

We were looking most likely to score in the second half yesterday missed two great chances then lost a daft penalty. Can't keep that up its bound to change.

Of course and that’s why I have regularly bemoaned our inability to make chances count and get points on the board. It’s been a running theme of the season and I don’t see it changing at this late stage unfortunately.

6 minutes ago, grizzlyg said:

And I despise the old firm just incase I start getting allegiance pish aimed at me

Don’t worry mate, you’ll be safe from that nonsense as long as I’m around. 🤣

[mio]

6 minutes ago, grizzlyg said:

Happy with that result today. Keeps Falkirk 8pts behind with our goal difference miles better.   5th will get you into europe if sellik win cup which I think they will.  Gives us safety net if hibs catch us

Likewise, I’m reasonably pleased with that. It’s between us and Hibs for 4th now.

I actually fancy us at Ibrox with Slattery back and a few others back to fitness. Rangers at times today were absolutely appalling. 

[star sail]

4 minutes ago, mio said:

Likewise, I’m reasonably pleased with that. It’s between us and Hibs for 4th now.

I actually fancy us at Ibrox with Slattery back and a few others back to fitness. Rangers at times today were absolutely appalling. 

A victory at Ibrox would certainly go a long way towards healing the wounds from the last month. 

If Rangers were to miss out on the title partly because of Stephen Welsh's late equaliser at FP and because we beat them in the last meeting of the season, that would give this old Well fan more than a little satisfaction.