MOTHERWELL FC: TUESDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

Even on the afternoon after the night before, it still seems absurd, mental and ri-goddamn-diculous, that Motherwell FC are competing in the UEFA Champion's League. The word competing has been used correctly here, as while 0-2 down after the first leg, The Steelmen played to the best of their abilities, and no one in Claret and Amber can fault anyone who contributed to a cracking Champion's league debut. The result does however mean that we are left with an Acropolis sized trial to overcome. Despite putting in an Herculean effort against the giants of Greek football, Panathinaikos, Stuart McCall's first foray in to UEFA's premier club competition ended in defeat.

To be fair, it wasn't an unexpected shoreline, but what the performance roused, was a sense of belief that the men in Claret and Amber were capable of causing an upset. The two goals conceded were highly preventable, but on another night, Chris Humphrey's 20 yarder dips a few inches lower and crashes in off the underside of the bar; Michael Higdon gets a bit more direction on his header and plonks the ball behind the goalie; Henrik Ojamaa loses his gifted but selfish nuance, just once, and plays in Jamie Murphy to further his tally as the club's all time top European goal scorer.

However, on this night, under the dull Lanarkshire floodlit sky, those chances didn't find a way past a solid Pana back line. Velasquez and Boumsong took most things in their stride, and with the pace at which Sissoko, Lazaros and Toche could break, those missed opportunities transitioned from buoying the crowd, to frustrating them in equal measure as the game went on. Having far more posession and making far more chances than most home fans would have expected, swelled the noisy crowd in to belief that something could happen, but, alas, it was not to be. To go to Athens and overcome that two goal deficit, would go down in the annuls of MFC history as one of the greatest results in the Club's history.

While only Nostradamus would be able to predict such a ludicrous turn around, it is important that the players go to the the home of the Parthenon with the belief that they can do it. Otherwise, the plucky and lucky bunch of revellers making the pilgrimage will be nursing their Ouzo induced headaches with what might have been. Unfortunately funds and other commitments will not allow me to make the trip, but having had the pleasure of commentating for MFCTV for last night's game and getting one of the best seats in the house to do it form, has meant that my Champion's League experience was fantastic. (Although, there is a 99.9% chance that the commentary didn't actually go out to anyone...)

It was one of the busiest Media boxes I've seen at Fir Park for quite some time, and huddled up right next to my self and Graham "The Mouth of Motherwell" Barnstaple, were our Greek counterparts. After much faffing about trying to find a power supply, our plate smashing pals finally got settled, and got their own broadcast underway. They had screeds and screeds of what looked like the matrix on their computers, which they claimed was their own alphabet, although, bizarrely, there seems to be no Greek translation or spelling of "Jennigs" or "Craygen".

Despite seeing their team under the cosh for spells in the game, they weren't very loud or animated at either of the goals. Certainly nowhere near as jubilant as Graham and I would have been had The well managed to find the back of the net. Come the end of the game, they praised the skill, but not the style of Sissoko, and Velasquez powerful performance at the back, while singling out Law and Ramsden as the star men for the home side. With the latter looking fairly composed in his first competitive outing, Lawsy stole the show with his directness and eagerness to get forward and create. If he can do the same at the Olympic Stadium next week, he could be the catalyst for one of the all time great European comebacks.

Hopefully, I'll have trawled the web or found a pub with Al-Jazeera, to find a stream of next weeks match, which comes after a lengthy trip to Dingwall for the start of this season's SPL campaign. Ross County may be celebrating raising the title flag, but by no means will they be in party mode as they look to add to their highland history. McCall may opt to mix things about to rest players ahead of Athens, if he can afford that luxury. Regardless of the outcome of the trip north, the eyes of us all will be firmly on the return leg next week, with hope spurring everyone on. While dropping in to the Europa League is not the worst consequence of losing the current tie, realizing the dream of staying in the Champion's League that little bit longer, would taste that little bit sweeter.

Up The Well

MOTHEWELL FC: NEARLY THERE...

It's the morning after the night before and the morning of the night to come. Last night, a few hundred Well fans and a choice select of the Motherwell media team screamed with joy twice in absolute joy; once when Michael Higdon reacted quickest to Jamie McDonald spilling Jamie Murphy's dipping strike, and once again, when Alan Winter blew for Full Time.

 While it was Taps Aff in the away end, the restrictions of a headset and mic prevented me from partaking in that type of celebration. Instead, I joyously gushed about what I had just witnessed to the handful of listeners on MFCTV and my commentary colleague Graham "Mouth of Motherwell" Barnstaple. The much maligned Michael was now the messiah, having delivered the goal which sees Motherwell Football Club teetering on the edge of the unknown and unthinkable Champion's League qualifiers.

 A Dundee United win at Ibrox tonight, will pull us back form the edge slightly, while a home win will tip us right in to the gaping jaws of elite European football. It's slightly ironic that the demise of RFC has put us in this coveted position, and we are now depending on them to not lose in order to secure this mystical berth, ahead of our own trip to Govan at the weekend. But thoughts of tonight and Saturday's upcoming games were put to the side for the immediate aftermath of what could have been a tetchy Tuesday at Tynecastle.

 With Motherwell, having our destiny in the palm of our own hands finds us often spilling what we are carrying at the crucial moment. And at times last night, before Higgy's goal, it looked like Gorgie could be the scene of an uncomfortable drop, as Hearts came out of the traps and looked mouch more composed on their home turf. As has been the norm of late, the midfield and defence restricted our opponents to pot shots form distance, which rarely troubled Randolph in the middle of our goal.

 When Taouil latched on to the rebound from Templeton's blocked effort, a sharp intake of breath travelled out to the listeners of MFCTV form both myself and Graham, but we had need not worry ourselves. On a nervous night, the breaks stayed in favour of those in Claret and Amber, and it was a breakaway of great quality which gave us the winner. Jennings, who has been understated all season in the role he carries out manfully and to the hilt, won a hard, typifying challenge in the middle of the park to win posession, and from that challenge, the ball was worked to Murphy on the left.

 As Murph ghosted in from the wing, his shot looked from the gantry, like it would be an easy take for McDonald. The bounce of the ball in front of the Jambo's goalie was enough to panic him in to a parry and to much Maroon dismay, The Don stroked home. As Graham and I lost our professional composure amidst the gathered media and Hearts fans around us, the travelling faithful's noise was pitched even louder. Like a locomotive, they had used the team's season of performances to stoke their vocals and noise up in the corner, carrying the side to the heights they have hit. Higdon's goal was the proverbial woot woot of the metaphorical vessel, hurtling towards lands unknown.

 Hearts looked stunned and try as they might they could not break down the well rearguard. Hutchinson in particular was a behemoth at the back, while Clancy looked as composed and assured as he has been all season. Regardless of what was thrown at Motherwell, they hung on until the final toot of Winter's whistle, at which point the joy and emotion in the fans spilled to the players. To a man, they mobbed Higdon as the SKY cameras focussed on the former St Mirren man. I doubt 12 months ago, the big Scouser could have envisaged out scoring himself and setting Motherwell up for a crack att the Champion's League. But he has.

 It's testament to his ethic and effort that he is now a Fir Park hero. Eyebrows were raised at his signing, and while taking some time to find the net for the Well, he became the punching bag for many unpleased with certain results. Whether his celebration at Tannadice was intended as a "getitupye" to the Well fans or not, "The Higgy" may now be seen as as much of an iconic 'Well gesture as Faddy's streak and rat tail, Colin O'Neill's Hugo Sanchez and Sieb swinging on the bar. 400 arms bent at the elbows in an upward motion, as Higdon was led to the SKY studio, prove that.

 That motion of a fist being moved upward, against the oppression of whatever you want to fight is indicative of Motherwell punching above their weight. Something we have said for so long, when our league position or cup runs have belied our own thoughts and beliefs about our club. A foray in to Europe will definitely be "above our weight", but we shouldn't be looking to punch at it; merely we should enjoy it. The players have worked so so hard this season to get us there, and it has been a great season to be involved in with what I have done at the club.

 If Rangers do the job tonight, then that feeling of a job well done by all in Claret and Amber will carry in to our next 2 games, and while we'd like to keep the good run going, we can't be too harsh on McCall's men if we have a little dip, knowing fine well what awaits us. (Although, to be fair, from a personal level, commentating on Well's first win at Ibrox in 15 years would be pretty damn special...) For those that travelled through to Tynecastle, for those of a Claret and Amber persuasion who watched on SKY, for those who listened to Graham and I nervously stumble through commentary, last night was one of those historic nights in motherwell folklore.

While not having the thrills of a Cup Final, or the drama of a 6-6 game with a wonder strike in the last minute to level, it had as much emotion and heart as any fixture as important to the club would conjure up. All eyes are on Ibrox tonight, but you can't help but feel that the 1st of May 2012 will be remembered as the night that Motherwell FC qualified for the Champion's League.

 Up The Well!!

KJ WellCast 2604

KJ WellCast 2604

MOTHERWELL FC: SQUEAKY BUM TIME

Four games to go. Sunday is now consigned to the history books and it is time to move on. St Johnstone are next on The Well hitlist, and who better to be playing than a team bereft of their star man? Albeit, Celtic were without many of their star men, as have Rangers been in the last few outings against them, and to an extent Kilmarnock after they won the League Cup...actually, maybe that's not such a blessing after all...

For the last few years, our post split games haven't really meant much. Last year, we sacrificed pushing up the league to focus on the Scottish Cup final, the year before that, our European aspirations were already pretty much confirmed before the 6-6 game and Jutkiewicz's magnificent leveller. Anything we have been fighting for has usually been wrapped up 1 or 2 games in, with the pressure off for the last few matches.

This year though, we do not have that luxury. At time of writing, we are 3 points clear of Dundee United, with an untimely drop in form seeing us only gain 1 point from the last 12, scoring only twice in the process. Murmuring of the same ilk as in January is abound on the forums about how we are going to bottle the chance at the Champion's League and how McCall should be chopped for it. This is nonsense.

While recently there have been sub par performances, dips in form are to be expected in a tired team. Counting out suspensions and injuries, Randolph, Hateley, Hammell, Law, Jennings, Higdon and Ojamaa have never or hardly had a weekend off this season, while red cards to Keith Lasley would surely have seen him play a fair few games more. With a squad of Motherwell's size and budget, rotation has not been an option for McCall, that other managers seem to be able to afford.

I'm not putting that forward as an excuse, but it will certainly take it's toll on a team. What the players need to do now though, is take forward the motivation that playing in Europe can bring to them as a team and individually. From a club standpoint, the financial reward of making the CL qualifiers would be a huge boost, where even falling at the first hurdle would see us in the Europa competition. This money could see us potentially sign up our best and most consistent players for longer, as well as being able to offer decent money for better players, who could be coaxed by the lure of European competition.

Another reason for them to perform is the fact that some of the remaining games are live on TV, and at this business end of the season, SKYand ESPN are the best shop windows around. While not wanting to lose the likes of Randolph, Jennings, Murphy, Humphrey et al, if they want to move on, they need to show their potential, and doing it against the statistically best teams in the league, live on telly, will give them a great chance to make a mark.

I would imagine that they would also feel obligated to do it for the fans. While the East and Cooper stand were nowhere near full on Sunday, for various reasons, the overall turn out while we have been rising high in the league hasn't been the greatest. However, the fans that have turned out have been loud and proud to be shouting on The Well. The lads at the far end of the East Stand have outdone themselves this season with their banners and behaviour, despite getting huckled by security jobsworths at Tannadice and Pittodrie. The players themselves are spurred on by these displays and what better way to pay them back for their support, than to make the Andy Capp banner pictures a reality.

The converse to this is that United, St Johnstone and Hearts will all be feeling that they can catch the Well based on their form versus ours. Peter Houston's men are in pole position to catch us, and their superior goal difference would mean that drawing level on points would be enough to knock us out of that CL spot. A defeat at the weekend, coupled with a United win over Hearts, will see that scenario play out. With that game happening before ours, the team will know what is expected of them. A Hearts win would take a little pressure off, but they must go all out for the win, regardless of events at Tannadice.

As exciting as it would be for it to go down to Motherwell v Dundee United on the last day for a crack at the unbelievable, the gaffer, the squad and the fans will be hoping it does not come to that. Realistically, I reckon it may come to that, but a win at the weekend will go some way to preventing it. More often than not this season, our own results, as well as those of our closest rivals have gone our way. What I would give for that to continue.

So, in closing, the players and the gaffer need to steel themselves for the next four battles, as a shot at the unexpected, however brief it may be, will offer a great experience for the team and fans alike. This weekend will be vital in the realisation of this.

Four games to go. Saturday is the now, is holding on to third the future...?

Up The Well

MOTHERWELL FC: A FAIRLY DRAUGHT FREE TRANSFER WINDOW…

MOTHERWELL FC: A FAIRLY DRAUGHT FREE TRANSFER WINDOW…

It’s February 2nd and Motherwell FC have just closed what was a fairly quiet, but eventful transfer window. A time of year which usually sees a mass panic amongst certain clubs over expected losses of players, a period of excitement for those who usually make some key additions to their squads, or, if you’re a Motherwell fan, a month of hoping not to lose key players, and not expecting to bring many in.

The summer transfer window always seems to be more fruitful down Fir Park way, as the players brought in are done so to shape the season ahead. It is very rare that a winter window signing goes on to make much of an impact at Motherwell. In past years, the likes of Chris Porter, Lukas Jutkiewicz, Nick Blackman, Darren Randolph, Steve Jennings, Tom Hateley, Nicky Law etc have all been summer signings who have had decent short and long term success at The Well. With the exception of Scott McDonald, we’ve never really brought in anyone influential post Christmas.

The likes of Allan Gow, Trevor Molloy, Danny Murphy, something Keegan, Lewis Grabban and a host of other players surplus to their teams mid season, have failed to make much of an impact in the run in. It could be argued that Gavin Gunning bucked that trend last year, but his indifferent displays, may have led him to Tannadice instead of Lanarkshire this season.

However, the one signing we have made permanent as of today, could be one of the most significant in the club’s recent history. Henrik Ojamaa has committed himself to a 2 and a bit year contract, tieing him to the club which has already propelled him in to the SPL spotlight. In just 4 games and 2 starts, Henrik has notched 4 goals and 3 assists, and by unleashing the guns, has become a firm fan’s favourite. In the space of a month, he has become the sparkiest thing at Fir Park for an age.

His tenacity, his strength, his speed, his link up play, has all been spot on so far. He has created a buzz around the club and has lifted the fans, particularly those who have been going to home games all season, out of a slump in confidence in the team. Just short of 2 weeks ago, Motherwell had slumped to the lowly depths of 5th in the table on goal difference. Enter Ojamaa, and we are now 6 points clear in 3rd place, still with a game in hand. 7 points from 9 and 6 of those at home, scoring just as many goals, shows there has been a marked improvement from pre Ojamaa times.

Our mini Christmas slump was enough to get the boo boys out in force, but any Motherwell fan will tell you that December is never a good month for us. In the last 2 season’s we have lost our manager around Christmas time, which has caused a shake up. This season, we suffered a temporary blip in form since losing 3 league games on the bounce. Those games weren’t games we had a right to win.

Hearts away on Christmas Eve was always going to be a toughy, Ibrox (as has been the case for 15 years) was never going to see us bounce back, and Inverness needed a Tade wonder goal to beat us. However, since little Henrik burst on to the scene against Queen’s Park, the bite and grit in the team has been upped, and has turned our home form around in the space of a week.

Early on against Dunfermline, we were down to 10 men, yet dominated the game for spells amd scored 3 great goals. On Saturday, St Johnstone came to Fir Park and with Ojamaa’s 2 goals and a brilliant Keith Lasley strike, we put the 3-0 drubbing at home to the Saints from earlier in the season well and truly to bed. Not only was it a great win, but it pushed us further away from Steve Lomas side in 3rd place.

The Ojamaa factor has seen a higher level of performance from the side and how much of a bearing his introduction to the team has had on his new team mates is open to interpretation. What can not be denied though is that the home fans now have something to cheer about, where earlier in the season they did not.

Estonian flags rippled in the East Stand in homage to Henrik. A” Stop! Ojamaa Time!” banner fluttered alongside a Stevie Hammell tribute and the ever present Craigan portrait. This shows how much he has endeared himself to the home faithful in such a short space of time. He just needs to keep it up for the next 2 and a half years…

The only other major bit of transfer chat was Jamie Murphy turning down a move to Blackpool after the clubs had agreed a fee. It was a bold move by Murph, as many others in his position, may have been all set for the seaside as soon as the opportunity arose. It says much for his character that he considered all of the elements of the deal, before deciding to remain at Fir Park, until the summer at least.

Speculation surrounding the deal ranges from it being a half million pound bid, to £250k, but on the same wage he is on at Fir Park. The fact is that, for himself, Jamie decided that the SPL at this moment is better for him than a move down south. How this effects his performance for the rest of the season, only time will tell. The fact the club had agreed a fee may play on his mind that we were willing to let him go. Perhaps, he sees himself that his overall game needs work and that wouldn’t be developed warming a bench by the Pleasure Beach. Regardless of his reasoning for staying, I’m sure he will be given a rapturous applause come Saturday against Greenock Morton.

This weekend’s Scottish Cup game is one for the nostalgists, as it brings back memories of the 1991 Quarter final which Motherwell eventually won on penalties. While there is perhaps a different kind of gulf between the sides some 22 years on, Morton will be right up for it, as I would hope will McCall’s men. Having made it all the way to Hampden last year, only to come up short in the final, the likes of Jennings, Randolph, Humphrey, Hammell, Lasley and Craigan especially, will be wanting to get back there more than ever. A win on Saturday will put us in with a great shout and will lift the team and fans in what has already been a decent season.

Third place is pretty much as good as it is going to get in the SPL these days, and with Ojamaa inspiring confidence, the rest of the side back to playing entertaining attacking football, and Darren Randolph only getting beat by wonder goals it seems, then I’m confident that we can eclipse the top 6 finish and Cup Final disappointment of last year.

But for now, I’m looking forward to seeing what Saturday brings. Hopefully it will involve a pyow pyow or a bang bang or two.

Up The Well!

MOTHERWELL FC: HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY WELL-Y CHRISTMAS

Yes, the halls are decked, Wenceslas is enjoying Steven's feast and little drummer boys have gifts for you, right up in there bums! It's Christmas week and the giving of gifts has begun!

What's that SPL/SFA? You want to give Steve Jennings a gift? Quite right, after all he did get punched in the belly off of Jim ( Only one leopard print jacket away from getting a gig on The Crystal Maze) Goodwin at the weekend, and after all your attempts to suspend him in the last 12 months, I would say he deserves something from you. Oh, wait, it's an offer of a 2 game ban for touching Goodwin in the face, after almost having his legs taken off at the knee? I wouldn't bet on him appreciating the gesture....

Despite my facetious little sketch there, I do find it rather diabolical that Jenno has been taken to task for his involvement in Saturday's melee. He was booked at the time, which was more likely for the hack on McLean than for anything else, but for him to incur the same charge as Goodwin is ridiculous. I am all in favour of the fast track disciplinary system, when it is used to good effect for the purpose it is fit for, and I can see why Jennings has been collared, as the rules state you can't lift your hands to an opponent, BUT, Goodwin's clear stomach buster was intended to be far more than a wee scrunched face.

Aluko and Pawlett have rightly been carpeted for diving, while Gary O'Connor got away with the exact same thing. With Pawlett, I'd imagine his red card will be appealed and he will get banned for the dive, which is a ridiculous state of affairs as well. I just think they need to find a line and stick to it. Fast tracking is all well and good, but it is resulting in players getting harsher sentences than they would merit if caught in a game. The punishments are not fitting the crime. Santa, if you are listening, please give the SPL/SFA a clue and some consistency, I'd imagine they'd be thankful of it.

This time of year usually brings with it Claret and Amber gifts galore. In my younger days, I could always bank on getting that season's away kit off my Aunt Helen, which was a tradition for many a year. I remember getting the luminous Shivute kit and going up the park after Christmas lunch to play football in the dark, to see if it would glow. It didn't, it got absolutely mockit. That tradition seems to have carried on with my nephew Aiden, who will no doubt be enveloped in the Lucky Silver kit come Sunday morning, as well as a host of other Well related goodies.

The range of stuff in The Well Shop just now is actually pretty sweet and I'm sure many Well fans will awake to some Puma made garments on Christmas day. While not a massive fan of trackie tops, I am quite impressed with the fare we have, even the cheekily named "Hampden" white tracksuit. Other than the kits for this season, the claret post match polo is probably the nicest bit of Well wear I've seen for a while. (Mum, if you're reading this...medium). I'll probably have a rake around in there before shooting off to Tynecastle on Saturday morning.

The Club has got in on the festive spirit by putting on free buses for the Supporters Association to make the trip to Edinburgh, which is a great move. Our away performances have been far superior to our home form, and the noise of the lads who regularly travel is fed upon by the team. By incentivising a few hundred more fans to travel East, we can hopefully treat them to a fine display at a stadium we do not always get a result in. I have only been to Tynie once before,and it ended in a 2-0 defeat with Kevin Christie being sent off. Hopefully Christmas Eve will give us a festive away win.

Finally, here's my Motherwell Santa list for this year.

7 points from the next 9, (Hearts, Dunfermline, Rangers...)
Another Scottish Cup run, with more than the Elgin game at home.
Inverness to make the Top Six for another weekend in the Highlands.
To not lose any key players in January.
Bring in quality where needed in the window.
To stay 3rd for the rest of the season, if not higher....

Not much to ask for is it?

Merry Christmas folks and have a Happy New Year when it comes! The Podcast will be back better than before in the New Year and will be looking for contributions from my readers, so keep your eyes and ears peeled in 2012.

Up The Well!

MOTHERWELL FC: ALWAYS LOOK ON THE....

Agenda, stance and perspective are a wonderful thing. As the year looks to slip away under the snow dirfts and general #Bawbaggery of the weather, I've become rather contemplative about what 2011 has thrown up for me. If I look at it from one stance, it's been a bit of a shiter of a year.

This ranges from the mundanity of having to commute for over an hour each way, each day to work and putting weight back on which I'd tried hard to banish forever, to more serious matters. The more serious matters being having to move out of a flat which wasn't too great to begin with, due to what the Beano or The Dandy would describe as a dastardly villain.

Watching an episode of Glee used to end with me feeling a bit dirty as it was a guilty pleasure, but only one of them ended with my downstairs gem of a neighbour "allegedly" setting fire to my abode. Apparently, in a Spinal Tap like way, you can't fingerprint scorch marks. Anyways, that was probably the primary low, exacerbated by the stress of trying to find a new place to live. On top of this, saving for our impending wedding has not gone quite as to plan as we would have hoped, and earning less than I know I could be in my current job has put a dampener on my exponential spending. Indeed, to top the year off, I failed at the second hurdle to get a job, that I hoped would set up 2012 as a year to remember.

If I was a pessimist, I would look at that year and give a good old Ron Simmons style "DAMN!". However, that is one perspective. Another perspective could be that 2011 has been a pretty darn good year.

I moved back home in to the welcoming arms of my family, who I needed for a lot of support during previously mentioned times. I have a steady job, which, while I am looking to find something that gives me a better wage, is a job which pays me enough to let me get by and afford some luxuries. I live in a cracking wee house with the woman I love, which we are slowly but surely making a home. We went to Canada in April which was amazing and have recently purchased our first car, which I can drive, having passed my driving test 8 years after failing due to someone else's incompetence. I have grown within my job, to a level where I can do it to a decent level, and have also gained part time work with the football club that is closest to my heart.

And this is where the football stuff kicks in. Throughout the good and bad of the last 12 months, there has been one constant (other than my Mrs), the like of which I haven't seen in the 17 years I've been going to Fir Park. Motherwell Football Club have had one of the most successful 12 months I have been grateful to be a part of.

When Stuart McCall took over from Craig Brown 52 weeks ago, the club was in a bit of a suspended state. Having given his word that he would stick by us, Pa Broon left to count corner kicks in Aberdeen. When McCall came in, many had trepidation over his appointment, but a year on, there is no doubt he is Mr Right, not just Mr Right Now, as perhaps Brown and Knox had been. From December to May, Stu Mc took us to Hampden twice and gave us a fantastic run in the Scottish Cup, culminating in our first Scottish Cup Final in 20 years. The result was dissapointing, and some thought the ceiling had been hit too early. However, since the arse end of July, he has kept us in the upper echelons of the SPL, thanks to the team ethic he has instilled at the club.

This has been aided by the experienced core of our team. Messrs Craigan, Lasley and Hammell have been in outstanding form this season, bringing on the players around about them. The tenacity of players like Jennings, Hutchinson and Murphy has been evident in varying forms throughout the year, and the signings of Nicky Law, Omar Daley and Tim Clancy have had impacts that have spurred the team on to some outstanding performances as well as hard ground wins.

Pundits always say the sign of a good team is when they can get a victory when they don't play at their best. The games this season at Inverness and Aberdeen are examples of that. Tom Hateley's late winner against Caley was one of the most joyous goals I have ever seen scored by a Well player, as it signified the fight that the team has. Having lost only 4 games all season, 3 to the Old Firm, no 'Well fan should have reason to gripe.

But they will. There is always something, whether it's Michael Higdon's weight/jumping/running/ability being questioned, Chris Humphrey's hot and cold blowing or whatever they muster up in the chat rooms, there will always be a negative to cuddle all of our positives. But that's where perspective kicks in again.

Everyone has the agency to look at things from whatever angle they want, and while sometimes things get a bit heavy, other times they are purely majestical. So, when the time comes to put 2011 to bed, in some ways I'll be glad to see the back of it, and in others, I'll be wishing it could stay up a little longer.

Mon The Well and Mon 2012, give me your best shot!