Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[crazylegsjoe_mfc]

I used to love the EPL and although my interest in it was on a steady decline before COVID, but I think it's now been killed stone dead. I don't think anyone can really get that excited watching bang average players who cost £30 million-odd try to cancel each other out in a Brighton vs Crystal Palace match. When you add in the games being behind closed doors and VAR, that just totally kills the enjoyment out of watching it for me.

It took me longer to lose interest in the Champion's League, I used to enjoy just watching the goals show if I didn't have that big an interest in the games that were on, but this year I've just fallen away from watching that at all too.

Our games have been fine, based on the fact that I watch us more for results than entertainment. The St. Mirren game was dreadful last week for a neutral, but I was still so on edge about the result I couldn't take my eyes off it. Don't get me wrong, I'm under absolutely no illusions that there were any neutrals watching it 

I think it was @Busta Nut who said to me a few months ago that if you were watching football now, for the first time, you wouldn't continue watching.

[18May1991]

Can only agree with the above.

I’ve not been to Fir Park for some time now - young kids, money/ time restraints etc. However, I can’t wait to get there again, bringing my toddler aged son with me for the first time, kitted out in his ‘Well top, proud as punch. Cannot fucking wait. Properly excited by the thought of that, with memories of my old man bringing me as a kid. The fact he’s not around to come with us is the only downer. 

Otherwise, I’m scunnered with football. VAR really has sucked the life out of games and I fear it will ruin the European Championships this summer, assuming fans get back in ok. The whole elation when your team scores, only to have to wait, even for a minute, to check if they have actually scored or are going to be pulled up for a foul at the other end of the park 2 minutes previous, is just awful and totally ruins the game.
 

Think about it, the whole reason you go to football is to hear the ball hit the back of the other teams net and lose your shit, like a kid again, for a minute or two. VAR has fucked that down south and elsewhere and will do the same here if it is introduced. 

[capt_oats]

Aye, I'm very much in the same boat. I lost interest in the Barclays years ago, the EFL games are genuinely unwatchable and the CL/Europa games haven't done anything for me in ages. Right now all they are are background noise while I'm doing something else.

It's 100% hit a saturation point for me.

In terms of Motherwell my expectations weren't particularly high at the start of the season simply because of the circumstances - players hadn't kicked a ball for 4 or 5 months, budgets had been scaled back, recruitment was limited, there was no real pre-season and there was the great Covid unknown as well.

The way it's panned out has been even worse than I'd expected though - the number of injuries we've had has been wild and watching the league try to cram fixtures in has made the whole season feel like a rushed, 'get Scottish fitba' done' affair. That's before you factor in the whole pantomime of the forfeited/unforfeited games.

It's not even a case of it just being us. St Mirren had something like 8 league games in February alone, we had 7. That's just a fucking nonsense.

I mean, outwith Rangers, St Johnstone and probably St Mirren is there a fanbase in the league who could actually say that this has been an enjoyable  season for them?

Edited March 5, 2021 by capt_oats

[dezz]

A lot of the posts in the last hour pretty much sum up my thoughts at the moment. 

I used to be an absolute slag for football, I'd watch anything that was on - EPL, English Championship, CL/EL, Bundesliga, Serie A but over the last 5 years or so my wider interest in the game has almost entirely fallen away to the point where Scottish football is pretty much all I watch and am interested in. I couldn't even tell you who's still in the Champions League this season.

The reasons for this have already been mentioned above, but the top level of the game has become a farcical closed shop, and introductions like VAR have sucked any joy and emotion whatsoever out the game. 

I'm absolutely dying to get back to Fir Park so I can feel that proper emotional connection with football again (streaming just doesn't quite cut it) but also to catch up with my mates pre and post match for a few beers and a chat. Over the last few years I've been taking in more games around the country when I cant make our game for whatever reason, and I can't wait to get back on a train to some random town with my mates and a few tins to go see some junior/lower league games.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

On the whole I've been enjoying watching the games since Alexander came in but it's generally a 90 minutes a week thing, I've pretty much stopped listening to football podcasts/paying much attention to the chat online.

I'm not even taking the piss when I say that the paneer discussion has kept me coming on here recently more than anything else.

[Desp]

Can only echo what's been said already. Fitba these days is utterly pish. I watched the Liverpool v Chelsea game last night and genuinely spent the majority of it scrolling through my phone. It was pish. The no crowd thing is massively the reason why its pish (add in the VAR nonsense now). My wife was always bemused as to why I'd watch any old fitba on the telly - Tranmere v Walsall or some shite like that - and a lot of it was to do with the atmosphere in the crowd, watching the away end go mental after a late winner etc. Now its like watching a training game.

The EPL is now so far up its own arse its barely watchable. Bring back West Ham v Coventry on Ford Monday Night Football with Keys & Gray! Guaranteed goals and several yellow cards from c***s on £750 a week in those games. 

I actually had given up my ST a few years back (had an upcoming wedding, young kids etc) so was genuinely looking forward to getting back this season, but another season has gone by. Cannot wait for proper football again (football without fans really is utter bollocks). The first few games at Fir Park will be magic. Until we get humped 4-1 by St.Johnstone, that is. 

[Swello]

I've never been interested in anything other than our league - I've never had an English team and never bought into the mad hype from down south or the "there's a great Eredivise game on later" stuff about other leagues. My interest in football is 99% going to Motherwell games, which is why this season has been a huge drag. Seeing stuff about xG makes me want to kick  the less fortunate. 

What I *do* like is that there is a lot more "scottish fitba is good on it's own terms" about these days with younger folk especially - there's a lot less "laughing stock of world football", depressing tabloid pish.

I've enjoyed the patter in here this season, I've enjoyed about 5 games and the rest has been grim - but it still won't stop me slaveringly buying my season ticket in a few weeks time. It's got so bad, I even miss McDiarmid park and NDP, never mind Fir Park..

[YassinMoutaouakil]

I've never really been an English/European football guy- I'll watch the Champions League games if I'm in the pub and they're on but aside from that I'm basically Scottish fitba+ World Cup/Euros. 

[superwellfan]

Know what would cheer us up? If someone posted footage of us beating Celtic 2-1 at Fir Park in 2002. It's a video that I don't think I've ever seen on the internet. Or, at least, not a playable video. I yearn for it greatly.

[Swello]

Just now, superwellfan said:

Know what would cheer us up? If someone posted footage of us beating Celtic 2-1 at Fir Park in 2002. It's a video that I don't think I've ever seen on the internet. Or, at least, not a playable video. I yearn for it greatly.

Which one was that? 

[superwellfan]

Just now, Swello said:

Which one was that? 

Shaun Fagan bullet header, Faddy penalty? 

[Swello]

1 minute ago, superwellfan said:

Shaun Fagan bullet header, Faddy penalty? 

Man - I'd forgotten all about that - brilliant game. Was that not one of those seasons where every game wasn't filmed?

[Pettigrew]

3 minutes ago, Swello said:

Man - I'd forgotten all about that - brilliant game. Was that not one of those seasons where every game wasn't filmed?

I'm sure it was live on BBC that night.  

[Ron Aldo]

Know what would cheer us up? If someone posted footage of us beating Celtic 2-1 at Fir Park in 2002. It's a video that I don't think I've ever seen on the internet. Or, at least, not a playable video. I yearn for it greatly.

It really is mad when you think that we beat Rangers and Celtic that season and also scored 6 goals in 2 league games (Hearts and Livi) yet still finished bottom.

Just as well we're the establishment club.

[Gianfranco]

That was my first season as a Motherwell fan.

[Desp]

22 minutes ago, Pettigrew said:

I'm sure it was live on BBC that night.  

Yeah it was. Pretty sure Celtic fans bizarrely booed a minutes silence for the first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. 

I was 15 years old and managed to sneak into Coral on Airbles St and place a bet on 2-1 Motherwell at 25/1. Unfortunately, I was young and only had a quid on it

Still, a win is a win! 

[Doctor Manhattan]

46 minutes ago, superwellfan said:

Know what would cheer us up? If someone posted footage of us beating Celtic 2-1 at Fir Park in 2002. It's a video that I don't think I've ever seen on the internet. Or, at least, not a playable video. I yearn for it greatly.

When I need cheering up I recall the glorious 10 days in 1983 when Brian McClair scored five against the Old Firm, beating Rangers 3-0 and Celtic 2-1. I vividly recall screaming at the ref to blow the final whistle with the score at -1-1 as the 90th minute approached, before he knocked in the winner after a Bonner howler and serious celebrations ensued.

 

[Swello]

1 hour ago, Ron Aldo said:

It really is mad when you think that we beat Rangers and Celtic that season and also scored 6 goals in 2 league games (Hearts and Livi) yet still finished bottom.

Just as well we're the establishment club.

That Hearts game was one of the highlights of the decade for me  When you gloss over all the dismal stuff that led to us finishing bottom, the other thing I liked about that season was the number of 20 man rammies there were - tremendous stuff.

1 hour ago, Desp said:

Yeah it was. Pretty sure Celtic fans bizarrely booed a minutes silence for the first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. 

It was actually some loud IRA songs from the concourse, their "defence" being that they didn't know there was a minutes silence 

[ropy]

23 minutes ago, Swello said:

That Hearts game was one of the highlights of the decade for me  When you gloss over all the dismal stuff that led to us finishing bottom, the other thing I liked about that season was the number of 20 man rammies there were - tremendous stuff.

 

Who fancied us for a draw at half time? Was it 4-0?

[welldaft]

14 minutes ago, ropy said:

Who fancied us for a draw at half time? Was it 4-0?

I remember that game and to be fair to the Jambos (not normally something I would ever say) it never felt like a comfortable game at any point until we got the 6th. I am sure Hearts had as many chances but just did not take them. 

I have just given up on BT Sport. Without going all MJC I have enjoyed Rangers performances as the games have been exciting and it improves our country coefficient.

But for a long time I have had a strong feeling about UEFA and the fact they are so self absorbed and self interested. Nothing matters other than money. End of. The seeding of teams virtually to the final is a disgrace. They spend all their time working out how to get the bigger teams in the competitions. Smaller countries are in effect an inconvenience. The Champions league last 8 are almost the same teams every bloody season. Enough for me. 

I always prefer watching Scottish football simply as it usually affects Motherwell even when we are not playing such as Ross C beating Celtic the other week. 

Cannot wait to get back to Fir Park and the revamped East stand. Hopefully not too long now