Handsome_Devil

Yeah, intrigued is very much the right word. From the very start there have been all kinds of contradictions - not just quirks, massive irreconcilable differences - running through this. A lot of it comes from whether you believe the rumoured broad terms of the bid of course but as I've no desire to reopen the debate on the merits of that, let's just say if someone can tick all the boxes to keep everyone happy here, they can probably turn their hand to the Middle East next.

Include me on the bus that finds it bizarre so many folk are effectively saying 'our business model works; we need drastic change!". As for the income, there's no doubt we can be a bit bolder here and depending on the where/what/how you can debate how necessary external investment/expertise is to facilitate it. Like the old phrase, it takes money to make money, literally anything we invest in like improving hospitality, media, catering, community initiatives, is cash which could have been spent on a new striker. And while the outlay goes straight on the heavy side of the p&l, it takes a while for the return to show up - if it does at all. I think that's why I liked the Burrows/Russell era, despite some large annoyances - it was a spell where we really seemed committed to the medium/long-term future and not just scrambling from window to window determined to stay 10th.

Definitely. We're back to level, which is all the realistic among us could hope for. As a hypothetical....Season 1 goes wrong but is salvaged by spending in January and sacking the manager. There's optimism for season 2 but probably misplaced as the budget is cut by paying off the previous season. Yes, you could over perform the pounds spent but realistically you continue to struggle. You either repeat season 1 or you get to season 3 still in the top-flight and having paid off previous errors. We don't quite fit into that classic pattern because of when we sacked Alexander but essentially - assuming we don't collapse at least - we're close enough. Basically we've moved past the original sin - neither backing or sacking Alexander in May 22 at the cost of X hundred thousand and missing a chance to fight for Europe when Hibs and Aberdeen fucked it so badly we'll have Killie plus either St M or Dundee making it. Summer will now determine whether we start an upward swing of the cycle or enter another survival series... I would never confidently predict glory to come before a summer rebuild but having returned to stage zero, finally sorted a CEO, working on the strategic direction etc I think we can be cautiously hopeful the bottom has been reached and we're on the way up again.

I mean, fair play, but "I'd rather have him as fourth choice than a guy with no legs (Obika at least)" being one of the most positive comments about him in July says it all really!

It's also worth pointing out that even at Xmas, half our fans thought Bair was utter shite and the other half thought he was shite but at least worked hard. The level of seeth at his signing was off the charts, matched only by the total bemusement that it was a two-year deal on top. I'm absolutely delighted for him and us at how it's gone but if history isn't being rewritten, the July-Christmas part of his spell with us is fair being ignored.

I'd rather they'd won...for the giggles mainly but if you're in the final literally everything is focussed on that, the games till then are just kickabouts.

There's certainly no argument if is desperate to bank the first cheque he sees. Where he differs slightly to the 18-20-year-old in this position, they know if they have a bad movie they've time to get their development back on track. He's 24, finally playing and scoring regularly, if he doesn't get regular time and wastes (in sporting, if not financial terms) 2-3 years, will he ever get this improvement window again? Probably not. Given that would probably also kill whatever chance he has of playing for Canada at a home World Cup, there's a strong argument that having sporting security to 2026 is no bad thing for him. Continue to improve like this and we sell him anyway; improve a little more and plateau and he'll get his freebie move a year later; worst case he's doubling his money and will fancy his chances of a home World Cup. But aye... I suspect if that's the offer he'll be away and fair play to him.

I certainly wouldn't bite at the first offer and my preference would also be to extend him if possible...but if a hypothetical 750k becomes the best concrete offer on the table, I think we'll take that if he's going to see out his deal in 2025 and leave for free. And it'd be hard to argue with.

Someone on Twitter pointed out the other day that Dundee were (by miles and miles) the best team in the league at set pieces. We'll ignore Hibs for the convenience of a good line but essentially they're in the top six and we're not because they score from free kicks and corners while we concede from them. Which ties in with what you say given how we're always banging on about fine margins... Dundee ironically enough are the only peer we have a positive record against, when you look at it like that it's actually surprising we're as safe as we seem!

Aye, now that we have Caldwell in place I'm quite happy they work away on details or negotiations till they can present something, it's just a notable contrast to now do it in silence. If we still hadn't got a CEO sorted I'd be annoyed drifting even further.

There are witty pedants in our support who love pointing out he didn't score a free kick, he scored from a free kick. It's become one of these repetitive points or jokes which is probably hilarious if you were in on it originally but to everyone else just looks odd.

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-fc/4950669/dundee-fc-owners-incompetence-jim-crumley/ No idea if the columnist has a particular axe to grind but certainly a fair degree of scepticism to the US boys at Dundee there. Regarding us, it's interesting that after EB positioning himself in the BBC before the weekend and the various leaks from the club/society side that there hasn't been a peep since.

Some absolutely belters tbf...Spittal v Celtic for me.

Martinez probably wasn't shite at his peak but by us he was essentially past it and playing with crap. The opening day we lined up with a midfield four of Townsley, Dow, Martinez and Twaddle will haunt me forever.

It's entirely possible that like the stereotype footballer all his brains are in his feet and it took him years to settle down and deliver his best for whatever reason. Ha! Timing skills from RG there. was amazed to see he's 30 mind... absolute last chance for him to get a decent deal this summer really and would be perfectly happy if it's us taking that punt.

It's amazing how emotional you can get over standing on a lump of concrete... I didn't go on the pitch but think I've still got the bit of the terrace at home.

We mocked McGhee for his 'German contacts at Hamburg' being invisible whereas Eric Black's French contacts produced a bunch of utter shite.

Elliot scored a rebound after Delomeaux hit the post... remember it well. We were poor that season but a couple of decent players...St J we're rotten and that game in early April or so relegated you with about four to go or something? The 1994 version was the last Fir Park game with terracing...we were excellent that season but on the beach and while I've long forgotten the details, you probably should have got the second goal you needed. I'd worry less this time mind, I don't see the top-flight side losing the playoff.

I definitely don't dispute it's unlikely but when you've been on runs of 2 wins in 20 one season and 1 in 18 the next, you're aware the wheels can come off very quickly!

County will fancy their chances at Livingston and home to Hibs so if we lose in Aberdeen there's a fair bit of pressure on not fucking up v Livingston. And tbh I'd rather have had St J earlier for another chance at getting the points on the board sooner. But still, fact remains we're in a very strong position and it'd be criminal to f**k it up from here.

Can only hope! Though I heard it separately as well. Along with, just for intrigue, that we've also got a PCA from Raith Rovers.

You could even go further than that and say that it's taken until May 2024 (assuming we clinch safety with a balanced budget then) to get back on truly solid ground from Alexander losing the plot in spring 2022. Which makes sense when you break it down but still, bloody hell. I've no doubt Kettlewell will see the same as us regarding CBs but that not the same as him picking/being able to afford the guys to fix it. The Livingston rumour is hardly confidence inspiring. What's also worth saying is that this year he got a long time to bed his signings in - for all Bair, Davor and Gent are now pluses, they took till Xmas to get going. If he does the same again next season and we're struggling in 10th, I'm not convinced we won't decide to roll the dice for January rather than wait and not renew him. Hopefully not, ofc.

If anyone fancies an afternoon nap there's a long chat with the most normal man in football: https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2024/04/16/500-and-not-out/

Freed by Motherwell and first pick at the Euros will be some summer.

Blaney is one of the chameleons that make up most teams...if things are going well he's fine, if things are going poorly he'll look poor. My main amusement is we signed him partly because of his free kick against us yet we've hardly let him take one...I think he cleared the stand in Perth? But can't remember many more.