The Great Collapse Of 03/04

[TRVMP]

Also, the Airdrie/Polish border thing mentioned on P&B was actually Tam Cowan on BBC's Offside.

[Cet Homme Charmant]

The worst one was the 4-1 at Cappielow against an already relegated Stenhousemuir when we still mathematically had a shot at 2nd place.

 

I always wonder how things might have turned out for Hamilton had we not collapsed the way we did and they played another season in the 2nd division.

I lived in Grenoble at the time and flew over especially for that game, It was of course booked months earlier when we were still flying, to join what i assumed was going to be the big party after the last home game of the season. Man, that whole trip was depressing.

[LargsTON]

Also, the Airdrie/Polish border thing mentioned on P&B was actually Tam Cowan on BBC's Offside.

Tam Cowan certainly repeated the joke but I'm sure it was made elsewhere prior.

[dunning1874]

Tell Him He's Pele have a longer article than the original one in Nutmeg, with more comments from Millar, Weatherson and Maisano: http://www.tellhimhespele.com/that-joke-isnt-funny-anymore/

[cmdc]

I spoke very briefly to one of the players from that era about this. His view was that there was nothing untoward going on (in terms of betting anyway - but probably in terms of professionalism) but that McCormack was sure that there was and became increasingly paranoid about it as the season went on which in turn had an effect on his relationship with some of the players as well as the confidence of some of the more 'fragile' players. He mentioned that Mel, for example, went entirely into his shell as McCormack became (in this player's view) harder and more irrational.

 

Whether that fully explains the extent of the collapse - and that really was spectacular - I don't know.

 

ETA: article and P&B posts look interesting, thanks, will look forward to catching up on these.

[Jamie_M]

Looking forward to 'The Great Collapse of 16/17' articles.

[cmdc]

Looking forward to 'The Great Collapse of 16/17' articles.

 

Then you'll love mine on The Great Regression to the Mean.

[bob_the_builder]

My view of it was always just a bunch of young players, who acted in a very unprofessional manner with regards to drinking, let the club down.

 

After reading that article (assuming what was said is true) then it's another black mark on Rae's tenure of the club.  The club, be it Rae, Cowboy or both should have publicly backed the players and challenged the media/fans/whoever, to prove there was any substance to the rumours.

 

Actually believing the rumours and trying to get our 4 most influential players to admit it when they had done nothing wrong, is unforgivable.  It effectively ruined any chance of salvaging that season.

[SpoonTon]

There are some on here who still believe the rumours, which days an awful lot about how much they respect and trust the source. I have no idea where the rumours started, and have never been given any reason to believe them, but obviously there are some who believe it's a strong enough source to believe.

 

Whatever happened, it obviously had a big impact on the team in the final run in. Without the team losing it completely in those final few games, I think we would have still won promotion.

[TRVMP]

I spoke very briefly to one of the players from that era about this. His view was that there was nothing untoward going on (in terms of betting anyway - but probably in terms of professionalism) but that McCormack was sure that there was and became increasingly paranoid about it as the season went on which in turn had an effect on his relationship with some of the players as well as the confidence of some of the more 'fragile' players. He mentioned that Mel, for example, went entirely into his shell as McCormack became (in this player's view) harder and more irrational.

 

Whether that fully explains the extent of the collapse - and that really was spectacular - I don't know.

 

ETA: article and P&B posts look interesting, thanks, will look forward to catching up on these.

 

I always liked Mel but he did seem very meek, which is unfortunate. I imagine after that season he had no stomach for full-time football anymore and returned to Canada. This worked out well for him as he now owns and operates a successful landscaping business back in the Vancouver area. Good for him.

[TRVMP]

Actually believing the rumours and trying to get our 4 most influential players to admit it when they had done nothing wrong, is unforgivable.  It effectively ruined any chance of salvaging that season.

 

For Cowboy to have given the rumors some credence is, in my view, forgivable. But I agree that if he made a big song and dance of it and undermined core members of his squad, that is jaw-dropping. A quick "is this true?" would have sufficed.

[Jamie_M]

Then you'll love mine on The Great Regression to the Mean.

You love using that big phrase. I I still don't think you understand that big phrase.

[cmdc]

I always liked Mel but he did seem very meek, which is unfortunate. I imagine after that season he had no stomach for full-time football anymore and returned to Canada. This worked out well for him as he now owns and operates a successful landscaping business back in the Vancouver area. Good for him.

 

Is that right? Good on him.

[EBu]

Until this mythical Source reveals himself and provides solid evidence of wrong doing, it's highly doubtful there is even a smidge of truth about the whole betting scandal. More than likely it was a wind up that's got well out of hand.

 

At the end of the day it's been a bad mix of the players being young, possibly too much booze and as John Maisano said the opposition adjusted their tactics once they played us a few times and we couldn't find a way to combat them due to the inexperience of the squad (Cowboy & DDFR going well off the paranoia reservation didn't help any).

 

Just need SmithsTon to tell us it was all part of Dougie's 13 year master plan to stop us getting to the Premiership.

[TRVMP]

Is that right? Good on him.

 

http://www.truenorthlandscaping.ca/about-us

 

A bit economical with the truth about the level he actually played at in Scotland but there you go.

[cmdc]

http://www.truenorthlandscaping.ca/about-us

 

A bit economical with the truth about the level he actually played at in Scotland but there you go.

 

Ta. Vancouver is a terrific city/area.

[TRVMP]

Tell Him He's Pele have a longer article than the original one in Nutmeg, with more comments from Millar, Weatherson and Maisano: http://www.tellhimhespele.com/that-joke-isnt-funny-anymore/

 

The fucking state of this:

 

“Collectively, though, the team had stopped gelling as a unit when I came back. Before I was injured, we all got on brilliantly off the pitch. That’s well documented. We all hung out together. On the pitch, we played off the cuff. Cowboy was a good football person and had us organised, but we were good players – really good players – at that level. The fact we hung out together made it work all the more.

 

“Then, without warning, the club put an alcohol ban on us. It was basically said that if we were seen in a licensed premises, we would be sacked. In my opinion, that was one of the things that really hindered us. We had guys travelling from Glasgow to play for Morton. They would stay with the lads who lived in Greenock all weekend. It wouldn’t all be partying. We’d go for a game of golf on the Sunday, for example. It was just real mates stuff, real bonding.

 

“Yes, there were some drunken nights, but that wasn’t all the time. The drink ban put paid to those weekends. As a group, alcohol and socialising never affected our training or our match days. Look at the top clubs over the years, the old Liverpool and Man United teams. I’m not saying it’s right, but they all socialised that way and had a togetherness that won them trophies and titles. We were on the way to achieving our own up until Christmas 2003.”

The old Liverpool and Man United teams were from a completely different era. "The team that drinks together, wins together" was already dead as a concept by Christmas 2003. There's nothing wrong with golfing etc. together but if the guys from Glasgow are staying with Greenock-based players on Friday night they should be nowhere near a pub, and they also shouldn't be out late after a 3pm game on the Saturday to allow time to recover. This is the difference between part-time and full-time football.

 

I understand footballers are young lads who want to enjoy themselves like anyone else but during the season, and especially at weekends, they need to be realistic about it, and it looks like even 15 years later Weatherson can't accept that.

[dunning1874]

For Cowboy to have given the rumors some credence is, in my view, forgivable. But I agree that if he made a big song and dance of it and undermined core members of his squad, that is jaw-dropping. A quick "is this true?" would have sufficed.

 

What makes it all the more staggering is that after that complete collapse of trust to the extent that the four of them were routinely being pulled out for interrogation by McCormack and Rae, the following season Weatherson, Williams and the Maisanos all remained at the club with McCormack as manager. How on earth could Rae expect the manager and squad to be capable of having a good working relationship in the aftermath of that?

 

There was absolutely no prospect of the atmosphere at the club turning round and allowing everyone to properly focus on football while that was hanging over them: either McCormack or all four players had to go that summer, and giving McCormack a new contract was an outrageously stupid decision.

[TRVMP]

What makes it all the more staggering is that after that complete collapse of trust to the extent that the four of them were routinely being pulled out for interrogation by McCormack and Rae, the following season Weatherson, Williams and the Maisanos all remained at the club with McCormack as manager. How on earth could Rae expect the manager and squad to be capable of having a good working relationship in the aftermath of that?

 

There was absolutely no prospect of the atmosphere at the club turning round and allowing everyone to properly focus on football while that was hanging over them: either McCormack or all four players had to go that summer, and giving McCormack a new contract was an outrageously stupid decision.

 

Yep, agreed. Madness.

[bob_the_builder]

What makes it all the more staggering is that after that complete collapse of trust to the extent that the four of them were routinely being pulled out for interrogation by McCormack and Rae, the following season Weatherson, Williams and the Maisanos all remained at the club with McCormack as manager. How on earth could Rae expect the manager and squad to be capable of having a good working relationship in the aftermath of that?

 

There was absolutely no prospect of the atmosphere at the club turning round and allowing everyone to properly focus on football while that was hanging over them: either McCormack or all four players had to go that summer, and giving McCormack a new contract was an outrageously stupid decision.

 

Yep, it's just further proof that Rae had no place running a football club.  

 

Prior to the collapse I honestly can't say (in my lifetime) there was a better time being a Morton fan, the atmosphere among the fans was magic!  To remain quiet and allowing the rumours to fester and destroy that goodwill among the fan base and playing squad was criminal.