Before the play-off win over Rangers, Motherwell fans were largely split into two camps over Ian Baraclough. There were those who felt he had not yet had sufficient chance to prove himself one way or the other and those who had seen enough to condemn him.
A happy man!
Virtually no one was completely convinced he was the right man for the job.
But football is a results driven business. You can make the right decisions, be undone by a deflection and sacked. You can make other decisions which produce goals from three deflections, a free kick, a breakaway and a penalty in a two-legged tie and you're a legend.
Of course the slightly fortuitous nature of our goals over Rangers does not detract from Baraclough's achievement of cuffing that mob home and away in a tie which almost nobody, including our own fans (and certainly this columnist), gave us a chance of winning.
He had one job to do when appointed in November and though there were bumps on the road, questionable performances, an appalling away record and dubious signings, he got it done. End of story, end of discussion. We're gearing up for a 31st consecutive season in the top flight.
And not only did he meet his target, he delivered us one of the best four-day spells in our entire history with back to back victories over the most successful team in Scotland and a perennial nightmare opponent.
Not since the 1961 Scottish Cup, more than 50 years ago, had we beaten Rangers in anything other than routine league game. And even that glorious triumph, immortalised in the 5-2 Copland Road song, was ruined by a needless defeat to Airdrie in the next round.
Baraclough led our team, bruised and battered after the worst season in years, to an Ibrox victory full of confidence and conviction and then followed it up by a repeat thrashing at Fir Park to confirm our place in the Premiership.
The wordsmiths of the East Stand, used to dipping back to the 1960s for inspiration, are no doubt already arranging the words 'Motherwell, Rangers, six, one” to a melody.
But while one or two results can buy a player, manager or team a lot of credit, harsh decisions must soon be made. Baraclough deserves the chance to survive beyond the autumn but many of those on the field today will not because two good performances cannot be used to overlook a season of negligence.
Stephen McManus, for example, looked every bit the Champions League player and international he is against Rangers in stark contrast to his displays the rest of the season. Louis Laing combines wonderful tackles with thoughtless errors and George Long, a hero of Ibrox, was liability for most of his Motherwell career before the play-off.
We need to find a solution for Keith Lasley, the ageing warrior, who delivered on his promise that Motherwell would not be relegated. Under contract for next season, he does not deserve to be hung out to dry as he was this term – his leadership and ageing legs must be managed with rotation or from the bench.
Will Stephen Pearson be able to be perform his box to box game week in week out with tattered hamstrings and was this year an aberration in the career of the usually healthy Stevie Hammell or is it the beginning of the end for our legendary left back?
Baraclough deserves huge credit for what he did up front. He backed Lee Erwin and was rewarded with a string of magnificent performance but he is the subject of much interest from elsewhere. John Sutton, the goal guarantor and penalty expert from the bench, is surely only useable in a side which can afford an out and out poacher while bigger clubs than ourselves must consider Scott McDonald a brilliant free transfer.
With only a handful of players under contract, Baraclough has room for manoeuvre. In the transfer market he has a record which is mixed but, in the haste of the January chaos, is one which can now be viewed favourably.
Marvin Johnson, unbelievably signed for a fee, has more than repaid the initial outlay but equally strong is Baralcough's action to those who don't cut it – the signing and subsequent ditching of Nathan Thomas shows a clinical attitude, and humility, reminiscent of Tommy McLean, while we can all be thankful Hammell's recovery has reduced Anthony Straker to reserve status.
Newly promoted Hearts are unlikely to be fighting the drop next season but with Ross County, Killie, Hamilton and Partick still on board, there is no shortage of similar teams we can look to jump. And St Johnstone and Inverness will look to us knowing a fall can happen pretty damn quickly.
Motherwell's primary league objective for 2015-16 may depend on the generosity of Les Hutchison – if there were ever two games to make a conservative billionaire get carried away than surely we have just played them – but we can hope to be at least competitive given our strong home record to end this campaign.
And regardless of our league goals, our long suffering fans who dream of cup success could finally be in for some excitement. It was under Baraclough that Sligo Rovers won the ridiculous Irish Cup final of 2013 and the play-off shows – unlike Stuart McCall – he can seize the do-or-die day.
Motherwell underperformed in the cups under McCall's leadership and while top three finishes were appreciated, there was the lingering feeling of a chance missed under his tenure. Baraclough has more than earned the chance to prove he can now deliver us true success.
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