Latest News

Match and ticket information for the League Cup 3rd Round tie against Greenock Morton can now be confirmed.

The fixture will go ahead on Tuesday 22nd September (kick-off 7.45pm) at Cappielow Park.

Motherwell have been allocated the ‘Wee Dublin’ end terracing behind the goal, which can host up to 3,600 supporters.

Tickets for the match will be available on the gate on the night priced at the following:

• Concessions are listed as 60 and over and full time students with a valid matriculation card.
• Juveniles are listed as 15 and under.

The UK’s leading car supermarket, which is based in Mount Vernon, has agreed to continue to support the Steelmen for the 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.

Motorpoint has provided the Steelmen with a number of branded vehicles including a Fiat Ducato 3.0 Maxi Minibus to transport the players between locations as well as Fiat Doblo and Renault Trafic vans. The company has also installed a new club crest on the front of the Davie Cooper stand.

Under the terms of the partnership Motorpoint, a Sunday Times Top 100 Company to Work For, has installed its branding in the North and South stands of the stadium as well launched a co-branded email advertising campaign with the club’s fanbase. It will also be giving away tickets for all home games via its social media channels and hosting a Manager’s Press Conference with Ian Barraclough in the near future at Motorpoint Glasgow.

Adam Gilmore, General Manager of Motorpoint Glasgow, said: “We are delighted to continue our relationship with Motherwell Football Club for the next three seasons. The Steelmen are a fantastic community-based club and we hope that our on-going support will prove beneficial to the team both on and off the pitch.”

Alan Burrows added: “We are absolutely thrilled that Motorpoint has agreed to continue its partnership and look forward to continuing our longstanding and fruitful relationship between the country’s leading car supermarket and Motherwell Football Club.”

Motorpoint, which is based on Hamilton Road in Mount Vernon, has been an Official Partner of Motherwell Football Club since 2010.

Along with Keith Campbell, Motherwell FC’s new head of marketing, Douglas Dickie, ‘Well Society board member and Craig Hughes, Society General Manager, I visited Hearts to find out a bit more about how they have improved over the last couple of years since administration.

Clearly, Ann Budge is a fundamental factor in the club’s recent success. In their thousands, the fans have rallied round her board’s clear improvement plan, which involves fans pledging at least £10 per month to support the Foundation of Hearts.

It also involves a team of, mostly business, people who have the necessary expertise and ability to implement the plan, with the approval and support of the fans. The chairman of the Foundation is also a non-executive member of the Hearts’ board.

According to the Foundation, its aim is to ‘work in partnership with Ann Budge and her team to ensure that the rebuilding of the club can proceed effectively, supported by the vital financial contribution of Foundation members.

Within the agreed (repayment) schedule, we aim to see the ownership of the club transferring from Ann Budge to the Foundation, thus delivering the central objective of fan ownership at Hearts.’

We have a fairly similar situation here at Motherwell. Since Les Hutchison became effective owner, he has provided the club with substantial interest-free loans as a philanthropic helping hand towards improvements.

He has provided considerable business acumen in helping the club develop a clear strategy and operational plan to take it forward in a financially sound, sustainable way. The club is also engaged in a rebuilding programme in partnership with the ‘Well Society.

And when the club repays the loans, ownership will transfer from Les Hutchison to the society, thus delivering the objective of fan ownership at Motherwell.

The progress we have made is often compared with the Foundation of Hearts. While there are clear similarities between us, there are significant differences, creating many challenges for both the club and society. For example,

• the demographics of both fan-bases could not be more different – one from a small, economically-challenged post-industrial town, and the other from a wealthy, capital city
• establishing the FoH was all about rescuing their club from administration. Despite the reality, there is no perception of jeopardy for the Motherwell fans currently
• we have a relatively small, albeit vocal, support – attendance figures for last season show an average of 4,200 (one quarter of Hearts’ average attendance). Of that, our home support is between 3,000 and 4,000.

In view of these numbers, it’s therefore been a huge achievement already to sign up nearly half of our average gate, ie 1,650 members to the Well Society, including juniors FoH has 8,000 members, which is also half their average home gate. So our sign-up rate as a proportion of our average gate is actually not too dissimilar to Hearts’.

This gives us a lot of optimism that the society can achieve its initial target of recruiting 2000 adult members and support the club’s improvement strategy and plan!

The joint club-society team learned a lot from our visit to Tynecastle. The model there is a very good example of how a close partnership between the football club and the fans’ representative organisation can work together to achieve success on and off the field.

We are extremely grateful to Ann Budge, the directors of Hearts and the FoH for their extremely generous support. We would want to thank, in particular, Brian Cormack, chairman of FoH, for his most helpful advice.

I am, as ever, extremely grateful to you, the Motherwell fans, for your continuing support.

Brian McCafferty
Chairman

Motherwell FC is delighted to confirm the signing of Manchester United midfielder Liam Grimshaw on loan until January.

Liam, 20, is the current skipper of the United Under 21 team and is a versatile centre midfield player. He can also play at fullback and centre-back and made his MUFC Senior Academy debut against Manchester City in 2012.

His subsequent form was so eye-catching that he received a first-ever England call-up, to the Under-18s for a match against Italy, and captained an Academy XI in a friendly at Loughborough University before taking on the armband regularly.

Grimshaw was also named captain for United’s first foray into the UEFA Youth League and was, later that season, shortlisted for the Reserve Player of the Year award for his contribution as he made 20 appearances during their title-winning campaign.

He has again kicked off this season as the Captain of the United U21s team in their 1-1 draw with Leicester.

‘Well had to fend off some late competition from the English Championship to sign the player, who will wear the number 4 shirt during his stay at Fir Park.

[pullquote]First of all I’ll be looking to get into the side, then I’ll be looking to play as many games as possible and try to improve as a player.[/pullquote]

Speaking to MFC TV, Grimshaw said: “I’m looking forward to it and it’s a new experience for me as I’ve only ever played at Manchester Utd my whole career.

“First of all I’ll be looking to get into the side, then I’ll be looking to play as many games as possible and try to improve as a player.

“I’ve played a few positions for Man Utd, starting at centre back then right back but I prefer midfield. I like to get my foot in and pass the ball simply.

“I’ve watched a few games in Scotland and know it’s a good standard and can’t wait to get playing.”

‘Well boss Ian Baraclough added: “We are delighted to get Liam in and we hope he will add further strength to our midfield.

“He is a player we have watched regularly and have been patient trying to get him confirmed. Although he is young, he has been schooled at an excellent club and he’ll add some steel in the middle of the park.

“He’ll compete with the likes of Stephen Pearson, Keith Lasley, Jack Leitch, Jake Taylor and some of our young talent in the Under 20s for a starting spot, which gives us some decent competition.”

Extended highlights from The Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium where Rangers and Motherwell play out a 2-2 draw in the Development League.

Stephen Craigan talks to MFC TV following this evening’s 2-2 draw with Rangers in the SPFL Development League.

Motherwell and Rangers U20s shared the spoils tonight, with a 2-2 draw at Dumbarton.

Stephen Craigan’s side had a youthful look to it, with six changes from their last outing, a 2-1 defeat to Aberdeen.

In goal PJ Morrison made his 20s debut, replacing the injured Brett Long while the other notable inclusion was right back Craig Reid who made his comeback from injury after five months out.

‘Well started brightly and very nearly made the breakthrough just seconds in.

Ryan Watters broke quickly from the centre and combined with Adam Livingstone who played in Jack McMillan. His cross was met by the head of Cadden but Kelly got down quickly to his right to make the save.

That was a statement of intent from Cadden, though, as he got his name on the scoresheet in the 8th minute.

He took a touch past the onrushing Halkett inside his own half and from there he seemed to have all the time in the world to drive into the box and put it past Kelly, who perhaps should have done better.

However, that lead would prove to be short lived as in the 17th minute, Gers were level.

Josh Jeffries received a clever short corner and skipped past Leitch. His low ball in found centre-back David Brownlie who duly dispatched it past Morrison.

‘Well had struggled to test Kelly in the Rangers goal and found themselves through Jordan Thompson who curled in a spectacutlar free-kick from 25 yards.

This would prove to be the final bit of goalmouth action until into the second half.

Jack McMillan and Adam Livingstone looked impressive going forward and combined well again down the left wing. The ball was crossed for Dylan Mackin but is was just an inch too far in front of him and as he stretched, could only scoop the ball over the bar from six yards.

Motherwell seemed well in control of the second half without really testing Kelly but finally got their reward 18 minutes from the end.

Substitute Jake Hastie was sent through on goal by Mackin and showed good pace and strength to see off two Rangers defenders. He got a bit of luck as the ball ricocheted  off his shin and fell into the path of Ryan Watters who cooly slotted into the net from 10 yards.

As the full-time whistle blew, both sides would probably feel a draw was a fair result.

Motherwell: Morrison,  Reid (Maguire 82), Hall, Ferguson, McMillan, Watters, Cadden, Campbell, R. Leitch, Livingstone (Hastie 71), Mackin

Motherwell unused subs: Potts, Turnbull, Moore

Motherwell Under 20s are back in action on Tuesday night when they take on Rangers at Dumbarton.

The Steelmen have won one and lost one of their SPFL Development League games thus far.

Rangers, who have played a game more, are unbeaten having won two and drawn one, leaving them sitting second to top-of-the-table Celtic.

The game will take place at Dumbarton’s heaper Insurance Direct Stadium and kick-off is 6pm.

Extended highlights from Fir Park as Louis Moult’s first half penalty gives ‘Well all three points against Kilmarnock.

Action pictures from today’s 1-0 win over Kilmarnock at Fir Park.

Snaps courtesy of SNSPix.

[svgallery name=”kilmarnock29082015″]