2005/6 Review of the Season (4)

Or so we thought. As it happened, the outcome was never in doubt. We performed admirably at Ibrox and should have at least drawn a game we lost 1-0. However Aberdeen's win over Hibs at Pittodrie guaranteed them the top half finish regardless of what happened elsewhere. Inverness contrived to lose at Livingston. So, we missed out on the top six for the first time in three years.

We had a bit of a hangover going into final five games and we were disappointing in yet another home loss to ICT. This damaged our chances of finishing seventh but what seemed really bizarre was Terry's reluctance to throw in the kids. The ‘same old team' managed a 1-1 draw at Falkirk the following week and it was clear that the season was ending with a whimper.

We contrived to lose to Dunfermline – yes, Dunfermline – at home the next week despite taking the lead through a super Jim Paterson strike. Stepover was forced to watch from the sidelines nearly all season but a few decent performances late in the season were enough to earn him a contract extension. He is definitely a good player but whether or not he will ever be fit enough to be useful will remain to be seen. We finally won a game again when we defeated doomed Livi 1-0 at Almondvale. By this point Butcher had finally decided to chuck the kids in but it was a goal by ‘experienced youngster' Clarkson which settled the match.

The final game of the season could not come soon enough and we finished with a 1-1 draw against Dundee United. Despite missing another penalty Jim Hamilton bundled home the rebound to finish on a pleasing 11 goals for the season. Ultimately the season was to be one with many ‘what ifs'.

We were clearly better than the teams at the bottom of the league but we did not take nearly enough points to justify being a top half side. If only we could have defended better. If only we could have stopped shipping goals in the last five minutes of games. If only Kaiser had put the ball into the stand in the semi. And so on. But importantly it seemed that time had caught up with this side. Leitch had gone to take over as manager of Ross County and there were doubts over Hammell and Corrigan re-signing. Most significantly of all, Terry Butcher was being strongly linked with a move down under to Sydney FC.

The team thanks the fans and Hammell says cheerio...

As we all know now, Butcher is gone, Hammell has announced he will go but Martyn Corrigan has signed on for another three years. The interest does not end there though – Scott McDonald has decided he is too big for Motherwell and wants a move somewhere. Anywhere will do it seems, rather than lusting after a move down south or to the old firm, he has made ‘come and get me' pleas to Hearts and Hibs. We face the problem of trying to keep an unhappy player at the club – but in these situations it is likely the player will win in the end. New manager Maurice Malpas – perhaps the most certain ‘next Motherwell manager' ever will have trouble replacing his pre-Christmas form but for a lot of 2006 he has been a passenger.

So, eighth place and another semi final makes it an okay year in the view of most fans but we could easily have done so much more. And with Butcher gone it may take a while for new man Mo to settle into being the number one. As ever, next season looks interesting already…

Review of 2004/5

Review of 2003/4
Review of 2002/3

Review of 2001/2