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Given our current form, both players and fans should have every confidence that we can avoid the drop. Supporters of Livingston and Dundee United will be following our results closely and will hope that we stumble.
The current SPL rules suggest that there will be no movement into the SFL if either Falkirk or Inverness win their league. The rule book states that they have to have a ground which meets the 10 000 seat rule by the end on March. Neither team can meet such a criterion.
However, there may be a legal loophole. It has come to light that the SPL failed to notify the Office of Fair trading of the rules. Football lawyers now rub their hands with glee at the prospect of a challenge to the current framework.
As Ewing Grahame points out in today’s Herald, “Several SPL chairmen are concerned that their organisation's constitution is far from certain to be upheld in court, should a challenge be made.”
"I don't want to make an issue of this," said Campbell Christie of Falkirk, "First of all, we're committed to the team doing as well as possible and, secondly, work on our new ground begins in the New Year. However, we'll take stock of all the issues and see where we are by the end of March before deciding what to do next.”
“What to do next” could be to take the SPL to court.
Almost every football fan would have sympathy for any team which wins its league only to be prohibited from promotion because of a technicality. But if Motherwell do finish in last spot the serious financial consequences of the drop would force the club to try to retain SPL membership by any means.