Yep, I'm still here.  Thanks to my mates Ally and GM for prompting me to get the finger out and update the site again.

So, what's been happening?

Today's result: Inverness CT 1, Motherwell 2.

Great result up at Inverness, especially given our makeshift defence and the fact that we went a goal down early in the second half.  Chris Porter equalised on 69 mins before Bob Malcolm scored the winner from a free kick with 7 minutes remaining, ironically on the day his manager slated him in the press for being unfit (see below).

The win moves us into 7th in the table, and a win over Accies next week will mean we'd have a higher points haul than at the same point last season.

Team (4-4-2): Graeme Smith, Lasley, Reynolds, Malcolm, Hammell, Clarkson (Darren Smith 64), Hughes, McGarry (Fitzpatrick 77), Murphy (O'Brien 64), Porter, Sutton.
Subs Not Used: Nielsen, Connolly, McHugh, Page.

Motherwell scorers: Porter (69), Malcolm (83).

Booked: Malcolm.

Attendance: 3,110.

Mark McGhee's post-match comments were as follows:
"We trained in the most inclement weather the day brought and in the worst surface possible because we knew what it would be like today.  We prepared the players' minds all week for this so that the conditions weren't an issue for us.  I didn't want the players coming here thinking that it was too cold or too windy.  We told the players on Monday what the weather would be like and it was exactly as we had told them. We prepared well for it and we got our reward.  We even did a seven-a-side game on Tuesday where the punishment for missing the target was to take off an item of clothing. There wasn't anybody stripped bare but one or two were close!"

On Malcolm's winner, McGhee added:
"I really fancied Bob from that position and with the wind at his back.  It was a great opportunity and I wasn't surprised when it went into the back of the net to be honest.  We are still not at our best so to come here and get three points is a significant result for the lads."

In today's Scotsman, McGhee criticised Bob Malcolm for not doing enough to earn a regular place in the starting eleven:
"I think Bob himself knows that he needs to do more.  I talk to Bob all the time about this. There is no mystery, Bob knows why he is not starting every week.  He also knows I would love him to be starting every week, that I rate him as a player and I want him in the team. But he has to be able to get around the midfield and I've not been convinced that he has been fit enough yet to really do the job that Keith Lasley is doing.  Keith has arguably been our best player, our most consistent player. It's him that Bob would be competing with."

I wasn't at the Kilmarnock game last Saturday, but it sounded like we were looking good for at least a point before Paul Quinn got himself sent off for a professional foul with around 30 mins still to play.

The club's announcement that it will be cutting admission prices for games against the Old Firm has caused great consternation among the 'Well support.  Admission prices in Scotland are ridiculously high, so any initiative that reduces them is to be welcomed.  However, surely any any such reduction had to be across the board, and the fact that we're trying to entice Rangers and Celtic fans to Fir Park seems to be a rather pathetic attempt by the club to justify its flagship policy of moving season ticket holders from the DC Stand for games against the Old Firm, for which the stand remains around two-thirds empty most of the time.  And while its great that adults will now be able to bring a child under 12 free of charge for other games, I don't see how this benefits fans like myself who are season ticket holders and don't have any kids (well, not yet anyway).  In fact, my season ticket has been devalued so much in recent years, what with losing friendlies and cup games, that I might not bother getting one next season, although I'll reserve judgement until I hear what initiatives (if any) the club are offering for season book holders.

What I really don't understand is why this restructuring of admission prices wasn't announced at the start of the season, rather than two months in.  All seems very bizarre to me.

Read what John Boyle had to say about the price reductions, including how Motherwell have been "abusing the fierce loyalty of Old Firm fans", at the BBC website.  Incidentally, does he seriously think other clubs, in particular Rangers and Celtic, will offer a reciprocal agreement for Motherwell fans?  If so, then he's even more out of touch with reality than I thought.

You could say likewise for Mark McGhee after reading this Sporting Life article, in which the 'Well manager says we should be attracting crowds of 8-9,000 every week.

Motherwell will feature twice in live Setanta matches during the month of December.  Our home game with Kilmarnock has been moved to Monday, Dec 15 (magic, eh?) while our derby away to Accies will now kick off at 12.30pm the following Saturday.

Former Motherwell midfielder/waster Brian Kerr has been linked with a move to Hamilton Accies after being freed by Hibs.

The Evening Times has an update on Maros Klimpl (what do you mean "WHO?")

I see Nancy thrashed Feyenoord 3-0 the other night.  Maybe worth a wee outside bet to win the UEFA Cup?