2017/2018 - the best in years

[LawSteelman]

I have loved this season, loved it. And I love this current crop of players and manager. We are not awash with quality and indeed we can be absolutely turdig to watch, but the character, bottle and connection with the fans they have is tremendous to see. We have stepped up to the plate in big games all season long and it's brought us a season to remember...and it could get better yet!

This is what Cup runs do for you and why they are crucial to clubs like us. In the years under Stuart McCall when we had players of, let's be honest, a significantly better quality and were finishing 3rd, 2nd and 2nd we did well in run of the mill league matches and qualified for Europe. Commendable, no doubt, but our Cup record in that time was abysmal and we just didn't turn up in those types of games time and time again. I said then that I would gladly swap that for a bottom six finish and doing well in the Cups because that would be so much more enjoyable and this season has proved that view correct.

No one, but NO ONE is telling me that the 'Champions League' tie against Panathanaikos in 2012 where we lost 5-0 on aggregate was on a par with yesterday, or the Rangers League Cup Semi, or the Aberdeen & Hearts Quarter Final wins. You can feel the mood around the club lifted this season thanks to having a team who is able to raise their game and be a 'Cup team'. The atmosphere and celebrations in Club 100 and in the Electric Bar yesterday were out of this world and I can't stop smiling when thinking about it.

To think just over a year ago when McGhee was in charge and we were losing 7-2 to Aberdeen I felt like chucking it altogether. Well fast forward 14 months and look where we are. We have a manager and a squad who look like they are loving life at the club and the feel good factor is there for all to see.

[jwok]

Well said. I doubt if any will disagree with your thoughts.

[wellin]

I have loved this season, loved it. And I love this current crop of players and manager. We are not awash with quality and indeed we can be absolutely turdig to watch, but the character, bottle and connection with the fans they have is tremendous to see. We have stepped up to the plate in big games all season long and it's brought us a season to remember...and it could get better yet!

This is what Cup runs do for you and why they are crucial to clubs like us. In the years under Stuart McCall when we had players of, let's be honest, a significantly better quality and were finishing 3rd, 2nd and 2nd we did well in run of the mill league matches and qualified for Europe. Commendable, no doubt, but our Cup record in that time was abysmal and we just didn't turn up in those types of games time and time again. I said then that I would gladly swap that for a bottom six finish and doing well in the Cups because that would be so much more enjoyable and this season has proved that view correct.

No one, but NO ONE is telling me that the 'Champions League' tie against Panathanaikos in 2012 where we lost 5-0 on aggregate was on a par with yesterday, or the Rangers League Cup Semi, or the Aberdeen & Hearts Quarter Final wins. You can feel the mood around the club lifted this season thanks to having a team who is able to raise their game and be a 'Cup team'. The atmosphere and celebrations in Club 100 and in the Electric Bar yesterday were out of this world and I can't stop smiling when thinking about it.

To think just over a year ago when McGhee was in charge and we were losing 7-2 to Aberdeen I felt like chucking it altogether. Well fast forward 14 months and look where we are. We have a manager and a squad who look like they are loving life at the club and the feel good factor is there for all to see.

Yes, well said. It is great to see us getting cup runs again. Getting pumped out of the cup competition at the first time of asking, especially against teams we should have seen off was getting to me. Stephen Robinson has made sure that is not the case this season.

[Handsome_Devil]

Little argument there though I still have no idea why you insist on comparing Europe to cups...it's not one or the other and saying a glorious 3-0 Hampden win is better than a 5-0 Euro loss is so self-evident it was hardly worth typing. If we'd come back from a goal down against Nancy to beat them 3-1 in front of a rocking 11,000 at Fir Park, if we'd got that penalty v Steaua at 1-0 and had a miracle comeback etc that would have been a considerably better day/night than the 5-1 League Cup debacle in 2005. The issue is not Europe not being worthwhile it's that we've always achieved exactly par - with the exception of Stjarnen - which is pretty hard to get really fired up about. If we'd beat Odense and made the group stage there would have been plenty of buzz around the club.

[LawSteelman]

I compare them because to some Motherwell fans, qualifying for the qualifying rounds of Europe is seen as some sort of achievement. It's not and that doesn't come close to giving me the same buzz as yesterday did, or the previous big Cup wins this season did, or the excitement and anticipation of the up and coming Cup Final does. We are never going to do anything of note in Europe, we just don't belong there. But when you get a day like yesterday you know that you are potentially 90 minutes away from winning a major honour. That to me is far more of an achievement than playing some European qualifier against some nomark side who will beat us comfoi over two legs.

[Handsome_Devil]

Each to their own but Europe is an achievement, it's the prize for a good season. The fact we've not fully capitalised on it is a different issue...had we had the current regime in charge in 2012 going into the CL tie I imagine the public approach would have been 180-degree different.