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Motherwell starlet Jamie Semple has been included in the 2016 Scotland Victory Shield squad.

15-year old Semple, who was a second half substitute for the Under 20s against Hibernian yesterday, is a pupil at Braidhurst High School and will form part of the 21-man group for games against Northern Ireland (30th Oct), Wales (1st Nov) and Republic of Ireland (4th Nov).

Jamie currently plays with the Motherwell Under 17s squad, led by current ‘Well players Keith Lasley and Stephen McManus, and was recently involved in the Scotland Under 16s squad’s double header with France at the Oriam in Edinburgh last month.

[pullquote]The onus is on Jamie, and the other young lads, to keep working hard, keep doing the right things and pushing themselves as much as they can to be the best people and footballers they can be.[/pullquote]

Academy Director Scott Leitch said: “We’re delighted Jamie has been included in the squad, he deserves it.

“We believe we have a host of talented players at that level and indeed, during the summer we had Jamie Stevenson, Sam Duncan and Kyle Connell in the large Scotland squad get togethers, so the direction of travel for the Academy is good.

“The onus is on Jamie, and the other young lads, to keep working hard, keep doing the right things and pushing themselves as much as they can to be the best people and footballers they can be.”

Pictures: Youth Football Scotland

Motherwell FC can today confirm the signing of a very special new player.

Robbie Boyd put pen to paper on a one-year deal after he won the opportunity to officially sign for Mark McGhee’s side as a prize at a sponsors dinner.

And it was a huge moment for the youngster, who admitted this is one of the biggest moments of his life.

Robbie said: “This is just something I’ve dreamt of since the age of six when I played football in my back garden and still do today.

“It’s great to be sitting here finalising this and this interview is something I used to practice as a wee boy after I imagined scoring a hat-trick against Accies.”

Boyd will wear the number 48 jersey this season, and admitted that signing for his boyhood club is a dream come true for him and his family too.

He said: “I’m over the moon to be honest and it’s hard to properly put it in to words.”

He added: “Me and my family have been season ticket holders for the last three years and now to be a player is something I never thought would happen. They say never meet your heroes but they don’t say anything about playing against them and competing for a place in the starting eleven!”

Extended highlights from Excelsior Stadium as the Under 20s lose 0-3 to Hibernian in the Development League.

U20s boss Stephen Craigan admitted he was disappointed with his sides performance this afternoon, after they lost 3-0 at home to Hibs U20s.

But despite the result, the manager touched on the positive start to the season the youngsters have enjoyed.

Craigan said: “I’m disappointed but that’s the highs and lows of an under-20s manager. We’ve probably lost two of our most influential players in Jack McMillan and Ross MacLean.

[pullquote]I’m disappointed but that’s the highs and lows of an under-20s manager. We’ve probably lost two of our most influential players in Jack McMillan and Ross MacLean.[/pullquote]

“Ultimately that’s the aim though, to go to the first team, so it’s about people taking opportunities and filling gaps and they haven’t done that today, but I’m not pointing the finger at the boys who came in because they have to wait a little bit of time to settle and try and put some consistency in to the game.”

He added: “I didn’t think it was a 3-0 game to be honest but we tried to open up and chase the game but we lacked that bit of penetration in the final third. Our wide players maybe didn’t have enough movement or involvement at times but that can happen so we won’t over analyse it.”

The 20s came into the game on the back of a five match unbeaten run, but couldn’t find their rhythm and suffered their first loss at home this season.

[pullquote]We felt that we were in good shape coming in to the game but we fielded a young team as well so putting all of those things together it was always going to be a difficult task for us.[/pullquote]

He said: “We felt that we were in good shape coming in to the game but we fielded a young team as well so putting all of those things together it was always going to be a difficult task for us.

“At times I just expected a little bit more because they have set the standards this season.”

He added: “It’s been a strong start though, so it’s about them trying to push on now. I’ve said it before but I feel physically we’re at our max, we’re covering good distance, we’re getting good sprint distance and our fitness is good, it’s just now about what we do with the ball and it comes down to the individuals improving what they do with the ball.”

Motherwell U20s suffered just their second loss of the season, falling 3-0 to Hibs at the Excelsior Stadium this afternoon.

A brace from Jamie Murray and a first-half Liam Fontaine strike wrapped up the points for the visitors, on an afternoon when Stephen Craigan’s side failed to hit their usual heights.

Hibs had some experience in the squad with the likes of Alex Harris, Liam Fontaine, Neal Eardley and Otso Virtanen in their eleven.

Jake Hastie and David Ferguson were included in the starting line-up as the Northern Irishman looked to extend his sides unbeaten run and finally record a victory over Hibs.

But the manager was without Ross MacLean and Jack McMillan, who started for the first team at Parkhead on Saturday. They were replaced in the starting eleven by the returning Luke Watt and Dylan Falconer.

And it was those two who combined for the game’s first chance; a stinging cross from Watt flicked narrowly over the crossbar by the head of front man Falconer.

Fraser Murray had the visitor’s first chance in the 20^th minute, looping a header high and wide at the back post.

Ollie Shaw tested PJ Morrison three minutes later, turning and smashing a low, hard shot on target from just inside the box, but the ‘Well stopper got down quickly to gather it with ease.

And they soon had the lead after some good play down the right from Alex Harris. The speedy winger charged past Armstrong in to the box and played a low ball across the face of goal. Murray collected it and squared it back across to Fontaine, who made no mistake from eight yards.

Searching to get a quick leveller, David Ferguson forced a good save from Virtanen on the half hour mark, controlling the ball in the box from a corner and lacing a powerful shot at goal, but the keeper did well to palm it away from danger. Then, shortly after, Davie Turnbull flashed a shot wide of the post when it fell to him on the edge of the box.

The amber clad youngsters looked bright at the start of the second half, playing some neat attacking football, particularly in the wide areas.

Dylan Falconer showed off his blistering pace and agility down the right flank, but was unlucky to lose the ball on the edge of the opposition box.

Hibs made the first change of the afternoon, replacing Liam Fontaine with Jamie Gillen. And just a couple of minutes later, the substitute got on the end of a good cut-back, but his side-footed effort soared over the crossbar and out for a goal kick.

Dylan Falconer sent in a good, curling deep cross towards the back post, but neither Mackin or Hastie could make it count. Down the other end, Fraser Murray sent a shot from the edge of the box off target in what was a big chance for the visitors to double their lead.

With little over 15 minutes left to play, Davie Turnbull nearly pulled the Steelmen level, taking a touch after Hibs failed to clear it and sending a left footed effort from just outside the box agonisingly over the crossbar.

The Hibs stopper then produced a cracking save to deny Turnbull from a free kick, getting down well to his left to turn the youngsters set-piece wide of the post.

But soon enough, Hibs had two, and it was a cheap goal to concede. Alex Harris got away from Allan Campbell in midfield to get to the by-line and cut it back to Fraser Murray, who turned it in from two yards on the second attempt.

16-year old Ghanian-born Italian Alfredo Agyeman was introduced to the action in the 86^th minute, replacing Dylan Falconer and a minute later it was 15-year-old Jamie Semple’s turn to come on – he replaced Jake Hastie.

However, they were powerless to stop the tide of the match as Hibs wrapped the game up with a third goal in the last minute, with Fraser Murray grabbing his second of the game, lashing a loose ball into the roof of the net from eight yards out.

Motherwell: Morrison, Watt, Armstrong, Maguire, Ferguson, Campbell, Falconer (Agyeman – 85mins), Turnbull, Mackin (Scott – 81mins), Hastie (Semple – 87mins), Fry

Subs Not Used: Pettigrew (GK), Watters, Livingstone, MacDonald

Motherwell FC is working with Suicide Prevention North Lanarkshire to raise awareness of one of the biggest killers of men in the community.

First team and youth players sat through a group talk yesterday, highlighting the issues people face on a daily basis and what the club can do to help tackle the problem.

Craig Samson believes that anything the club and players can do to help is a huge step forward.

[pullquote]Suicide is something that has touched me and my family and all you can say is that there is people you can talk to, there’s people there that will talk to you.[/pullquote]

The ‘keeper said: “Suicide is something that has touched me and my family and all you can say is that there is people you can talk to, there’s people there that will talk to you.

“Don’t ever feel as if you are alone and people are judging you. You can always speak to somebody, whether it’s in your family or outwith, there will always be someone there to help you out.”

He added: “I think that’s an important message to the people that are listening as well, you can’t just dismiss it if someone does come to you. Hopefully you can help them but if not you can pass it on to people who will know what they’re talking about.”

Fans and people in the community now have the chance to raise their own awareness, with the same course available from next month.

[pullquote]We are asking the fans to come in and do the same training on 22nd November to make sure that they are aware and so they know that their club is very much suicide aware as well.[/pullquote]

The Club will be holding the first Suicide Prevention Awareness Training at Fir Park on Tuesday 22nd November, starting at 6.30pm.

To register your attendance, please call 0800 073 0918 or go online at www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/safer

Lynne Cruickshank, who is running the course, is urging anyone to attend.

She said: “We are asking the fans to come in and do the same training on 22nd November to make sure that they are aware and so they know that their club is very much suicide aware as well.”

If you need support right now, call the Samaritans on 116123 or Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87.

U20s boss Stephen Craigan believes his side are in better shape going in to tomorrows Development League clash with Hibs than the last time they faced.

A 3-1 loss away to the Edinburgh side at the start of September is the only loss the U20s have suffered this season, and a good run of form has followed.

Speaking to MFC TV earlier today, Craigan said: “We felt we were in good shape the last time we played Hibs. They were good on the day and we didn’t reach the levels that we’re used to, but our run of form has been good since then so it’s really about the players maintaining that.

[pullquote]We always talk about working hard for consistency and that’s probably how consistency comes, by working hard and by replicating what we do.[/pullquote]

“We always talk about working hard for consistency and that’s probably how consistency comes, by working hard and by replicating what we do.”

He added: “We’ve got to make sure that continues tomorrow. We don’t want to be slipping up or being poor in possession and sometimes we might come up against a better side or better individuals and that’s fine we can deal with that, but I just want the players to try to continue and maintain their form of how we’re trying to play, the intensity we’re playing with, the way we’re playing in the final third, the way we’re creating chances and the way we’ve defended recently as well.

“I’m convinced if we keep that going we’ll get a positive result. We have good players, we have a few missing because they started for the first team on Saturday, so that gives some boys an opportunity because some have been waiting a while now for their chance.”

[pullquote]There has to be an opportunity for progress and we saw that in the under-20s dressing room last season with Chris Cadden and Ben Hall and that gave the others a bit if a lift, they supported them as if it was one of their own going to play for the first team.[/pullquote]

Craigan will be without a number of his first choice players after Ross MacLean, Jake Hastie, Jack McMillan and regular U20s starter David Ferguson all got game time at Parkhead, and the manager knows this will benefit the entire squad.

He said: “More than anything it gives the young players a lift in the under-20s dressing room because a few of them went along when some tickets became available a little later on on Saturday and they went to Parkhead to watch their team-mates and that’s the kind of bond we want to build.

“But most importantly there has to be an opportunity for progress and we saw that in the under-20s dressing room last season with Chris Cadden and Ben Hall and that gave the others a bit if a lift, they supported them as if it was one of their own going to play for the first team.”

Dougie Arnott may be small in stature, but he was always up for the fight as a player. It was that determination and pride in the claret and amber jersey that saw him carve out a wonderful career with Motherwell.

Having previously played with amateur sides Motherwell Miners and Pollok Juniors, Dougie was a relatively late arrival to senior football, approaching his mid-twenties when he was snapped up by Tommy McLean in October 1986.

However, Arnott would have to bide his time before fully establishing himself in the side. In the latter part of the 1988/89 season, he earned his first sustained run in the team and scored his first goal for the club against Celtic in a 2-2 draw.

The striker would go on to develop quite the habit of netting against Rangers and Celtic earning the moniker ‘The Hammer of the Old Firm’. Indeed, one-time Motherwell manager Terry Butcher reflected woefully on more than one occasion about how much of a nuisance Dougie was to play against.

Arnott of course played his part in helping Motherwell win the Scottish Cup in 1991, memorably netting twice in the 4-2 Semi Final victory over Celtic. That season would perhaps be the pinnacle of his time in claret and amber, netting 18 goals across all competitions and scoring doubles against both Rangers and Celtic.

Across his twelve seasons at Fir Park, Dougie played with a variety of quality strikers such as Nick Cusack, Iain Ferguson and Paul McGrillen but it was his partnership with Tommy Coyne that perhaps lingers longest in the memory as the two combined to great effect, securing 3^rd and 2^nd place finishes and Motherwell’s first ever European qualification through the league.

Eventually, age and an increasing number of niggling injuries caught up with Dougie, limiting his appearances in later seasons culminating in his release in 1998. But still well capable of playing to good effect at a high level his affection for Motherwell was such that he declined all offers and chose to retire from football.

Dougie’s sterling service was later rewarded with a belated, but richly deserved testimonial match.

Extended highlights from Celtic Park as Motherwell lose 2-0 to Celtic.

Images from today’s 2-0 defeat to Celtic in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Snaps courtesy of SNSPix

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