Latest News

Motherwell FC can today confirm that negotiations between the ‘Well Society and Les Hutchison have been successfully concluded and the club has now transferred into fan ownership.

You will recall back in January of 2015, after fourteen years, John Boyle sold his majority shareholding in the club to Les Hutchison for £1 (as a guarantor) to instigate the transition to fan ownership.

At the recent Well Society Annual General Meeting and subsequent Q&A session, the Society Board reported that they would only agree to terms and conditions that would allow them to take ownership and at the same time maintain the sustainability of the club.

The basis of the now signed agreement is that the Society would purchase Les Hutchison’s 76% shareholding for the £1 he purchased it for, and the club will be responsible for repaying any outstanding money.

As well as governance of the operation, the on-going responsibility of the Well Society will be to generate additional income for the running of the business through the monthly direct debit payments of £10 or more, a cornerstone for financial stability over the coming years.

The Society wish to acknowledge and to thank Mr Les Hutchison for his valuable input to the club in terms of financial support and business experience, and for assisting in our drive towards fan ownership.

They would also like to thank Mr John Boyle for his huge service over the years as majority shareholder and continuing support and assistance in concluding this successful transfer agreement.

And finally, to the loyal, dedicated, passionate Motherwell supporters, without whom, none of this would have happened.

[pullquote]This is a historic day for all involved with the Motherwell FC, and we are delighted that the outcome we all wanted as members of the Society has now been achieved.[/pullquote]

Jim McMahon, Motherwell Football Club Chairman and a founder member of the Society commented: “The last two years have been dramatic and challenging for the club.

“Having triumphed in the play offs we all hoped that the next period would be more settled and allow us to move gradually to fan ownership over the five year timescale envisaged.

“Instead the opportunity arose almost immediately and it is a credit to the Well Society that they have been able to deal with the abrupt change. I agreed to act as Chairman during that transition and it is an honour to serve the club that I have supported all my life.

“I appreciate there have been different views expressed in meetings, online and on social media about the validity of fan ownership, but it is now up to us to make this work – for our part, we will aim to become more open, change the governance structure and listen to all and any ways to help. This is a real chance to do something special”

Douglas Dickie, Well Society Joint Chair, said, “Our aim of fan-ownership has been, at times, a challenging road, but it has been achieved by a great amount of effort by Well Society members, fans and volunteers.

“It has also been made possible by a number of people who have given their expertise and commitment over a period of time to reach a satisfactory conclusion to our goal. We are now entering a new phase in our history.

“Fan ownership has responsibilities and we all need to realise that continued and growing financial support from all fans will be required. Together we can maintain, strengthen and be proud of the qualities and values of this great Community Club. The future is what we make it!”

To read the ‘Well Society update, click here.

Striker Louis Moult is “excited” to get back to action on Saturday and admits that he enjoys matches in quick succession.

Speaking to the press this morning, the forward echoed his managers feelings that the season has been rather stuttered with all of the breaks so far.

But he hopes the Steelmen can find their rhythm with another match so soon after Wednesday’s defeat.

Moult said: “I think it’s a blessing in disguise that we have a match coming up so quickly.

[pullquote]It feels like this season has been stop/start and personally I was injured at the start then we’ve had a game, then a weekend off with international breaks.[/pullquote]

“It feels like this season has been stop/start and personally I was injured at the start then we’ve had a game, then a weekend off with international breaks and then what happened with the Aberdeen game another weekend off too.”

He added: “I’m really excited that we have a game on Saturday, so soon after Wednesday.”

With December offering the striker a number of games in quick succession, this is something that Moult admits he prefers.

[pullquote]It is nice to get a break once in a while but when you get a chunk of games together and a run of goals together it does help.[/pullquote]

He said: “I certainly prefer it, but I’m used to it from my time down south where games came thick and fast.

“It is nice to get a break once in a while but when you get a chunk of games together and a run of goals together it does help.”

The 24-year-old also hopes he can grab a goal soon after a run of games without finding the net.

He said: “Things started with my goal against Ross County and then the four against Hamilton.”

He added: “As unbelievable as that was we’ve had some difficult games after that and it’s been stop/start like I said, but hopefully we can get some rhythm going now and get something from the game on Saturday.”

‘Well boss Mark McGhee insists his side are determined to put things right after suffering a disappointing loss on Wednesday night.

And with Ross County next up for the Steelmen at Fir Park, the manager is hoping for a much needed positive result.

But it has been a tough recent run for the Fir Parkers, including clashes with Hearts and Celtic, and McGhee admits performances have been better than results suggest.

He said: “I actually think that up until that second half in the Inverness game our form has been good in terms of performances, just results haven’t been.

[pullquote]Points, league position and stuff – I think it’s all irrelevant at the moment. We’ve got 23 games to get ourselves in to the top six.[/pullquote]

“It’s only a couple of weeks ago that had we beaten Hearts we could have gone second and that’s the nature of this league, so from all that perspective – points, league position and stuff – I think it’s all irrelevant at the moment. We’ve got 23 games to get ourselves in to the top six.”

He added: “As far as the other night goes, my concern is more or less always about performance cause you can actually play really well and get beat, so the performance is the overriding thing.

“The second half performance, certainly in the last half hour after we conceded the first goal was poor.”

[pullquote]We’re determined to put things right and play well for an entire 90 minutes, which is where we went wrong the other night.[/pullquote]

Looking forward, the boss is hopeful of bouncing back to winning ways and admits the squad will be able to click in to gear soon.

He said: “We’ve got a mixture here of very good experience, ability and also of good, energetic young players.

“We’ve got another home game against a team who are in the same area as ourselves and they’ll have watched us against Inverness the other night and will perhaps fancy their chances tomorrow.”

He added: “We’re determined to put things right and play well for an entire 90 minutes, which is where we went wrong the other night.”

The eighth issue of the Steelmen matchday magazine is on sale ahead of tomorrow’s league clash with Ross County at Fir Park.

Here, we take a look at what can be found inside the 68-page programme.

Centre-back Stephen McManus will be key as Mark McGhee’s side look to bounce back to winning ways after Wednesday’s defeat, with his experience hugely important to the squad.

Regular pieces including the pre-match column from manager Mark McGhee and club captain Keith Lasley, along with ‘5 Fast Facts’ and ‘Getting to Know You’ – where Stevie Hammell is profiled – all remain in the eighth issue.

The all-new feature exclusive to the programme called ‘Well in Numbers’, where feature writer Andrew Paterson looks at some of the key numbers in Motherwell history, continues as well.

‘Future Steel’ is an inside look at the next generation of players waiting patiently to break in to the first team and this week, 19-year-old Dylan Mackin is profiled.

As part of the clubs aims to work closely with the Motherwell FC Community Trust and The ‘Well Society, regular updates are included in the programme.

This week’s main features on tonight’s opposition remain, including an in-depth look at Ross County as well as this season’s new ‘Tactics Board’, where we profile Jim McIntyre’s starting eleven.

Our match reports section looks back on the Fir Parkers 3-0 loss at home to Inverness on Wednesday night.

An update on Stephen Craigan’s U20s side is included too, reporting on the youngster’s results against St Johnstone, Dunfermline and Hibs and Ross County.

Get all the latest from the Ticket Office as well as an in-depth look at tomorrow’s match-officials.

All this and more is available for £3 and is on sale from the Club Shop as well as the usual sellers located in and around the ground pre-match.

You can also order back editions or take a subscription to the magazine for the rest of the season by visiting the website of our publishers, Curtis-Sports.

Referee for Saturday’s Ladbrokes Premiership match against Ross County at Fir Park is Nick Walsh.

And it marks the referee’s second ‘Well appointment of the 2016/17 campaign, after he officiated the Betfred cup 3-1 victory over Annan Athletic back in July.

The young official took charge of his very first Premiership game last season, and it involved this afternoon’s visitors – a 1-0 victory for Ross County at home to Partick Thistle.

However, in his days as a fourth official, Walsh sent McGhee to the stands which resulted in a one match ban for the manager.

His assistants this afternoon are Kylie McMullan and Willie Conquer, with Andrew Dallas on Fourth Official duties.

Extended highlights from Fir Park as Motherwell lose 0-3 to Inverness CT in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

‘Well boss Mark McGhee admits a poor second half performance cost his side against Inverness CT tonight.

But in a tightly contested league, the ‘Well boss admits that bouncing back to form is key as his side look to put tonight’s disappointing result behind them.

Speaking to MFC TV after the match, McGhee said: “One of the things I look at is performance because we can lose games and play well.

“Tonight wasn’t like that and I think the second half was as poor a 45 minutes as we’ve had since I came back to the club.”

[pullquote]Tonight wasn’t us. After the first goal we seemed to become disjointed, we lost our cohesion and from where I was standing I found it hard to see just how we were going to get back in to the game.[/pullquote]

He added: “Tonight wasn’t us. After the first goal we seemed to become disjointed, we lost our cohesion and from where I was standing I found it hard to see just how we were going to get back in to the game.

“We were second best at the back, their centre-forward gave us a difficult night, as difficult a night as I’ve seen anyone give McManus and Heneghan this season.

“In midfield their movement and their passing and their variety of play we couldn’t live with and at the back they totally dominated our centre forwards – we lost out in every department.”

He added: “Having said that, the likes of Richard Tait and the young players Jack and Ross you can’t really fault them.”

Images from today’s 0-3 defeat to Inverness Caley Thistle in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Snaps courtesy of SNSPix

[svgallery name=”inverness261016″]

[tab:Match report]

Motherwell slumped to a 3-0 home defeat as former ‘Well hero Richie Foran made his first return to Fir Park as manager, taking a hard-earned three points back to the Highlands.

While Caley’s defence was solid throughout, second half lapses in the home box gave Foran’s men two goals and the initiative after a drab first half.

After their impressive debuts at Celtic Park, Ross McLean and Jack McMillan kept their places in the starting line-up. The only change was up front where Ryan Bowman was the preferred partner for Loius Moult, Scott McDonald having to settle for a place on the bench.

The first goalmouth action came within two minutes when Craig Samson was asked to clutch Ross Draper’s glancing header. Remarkably that was the first and only save from a dull and pedestrian first half.

Neither side controlled the game and as a result passing and openings were patchy.

The first half chance that came Motherwell’s way arrived in the 18^th minute. Moult’s cross missed Bowman in front of goal but Craig Clay latched onto the loose ball only to smack it wide of target.

A short period of play around the ICT goal forced the next chance. McMillan drilled the ball in to Bowman, who laid the ball off for Moult but his angled drive hit the side netting.

Inverness rarely threatened although McMillan, as the back marker, did well to match and block Aaron Doran’s run as the visitors broke upfield from Tait’s corner.

Two minutes from the break the Fir Parkers came close to breaking the stalemate. Chris Cadden’s 20 yard drive for goal took a deflection into Moult’s path but before he could direct the ball towards goal Brad McKay whipped the ball behind his own goal.

Thankfully, ‘Well picked up the pace from the start of the second half. And within a minute Owain Fon Williams was forced into his first save palming the ball beyond his post to prevent Josh Meeking’s touch sending it into his own net.

From McLean’s corner Moult jumped in front of his marker only to see his header from four yards rise over the bar.

‘Well looked intent on keeping the pressure on the visitor’s defence but it was the home defence that was caught out when Thistle nicked the lead after 57minutes. A cross into the six-yard box should have been cleared but the ball found its way to Carl Tremarco at the back post who lashed the ball high into the net off the underside of the bar.

Six minutes later McDonald replaced Bowman.

That had little effect and as ‘Well toiled to get in behind the organised ICT defence the Highlander’s broke upfield in the 70^th minute to grab a second and kill the game.

Former ‘Well midfield man Iain Vigurs floated a corner into a packed six yard box and with nobody in claret and amber able to clear, Losana Doumbouya thumped the ball down the middle of the goal to make it 0-2.

Mark McGhee immediately sent on James McFadden and Lionel Ainsworth. And with his first touch Ainsworth’s free kick found Moult but after heading the ball past the diving Fon Williams, the assistant’s flag for offside quickly killed any celebration and thoughts of a comeback.

Seven minutes from time Motherwell’s misery was compounded when Liam Polworth’s 22 yard drive skimmed past the diving Samson to round off a disappointing evening for ‘Well fans.

[tab:As it happened]

 Lewis Irons at Fir Park

FT: Motherwell 0 – 3 Inverness CT
A very disappointing 90 minutes here at Fir Park.

90′ | 0-3
Three minutes added on

89′ | 0-3
Final ICT sub, Doumbouya off for Boden

87′ | 0-3
ICT sub, Raven on for Meekings

86′ | 0-3
Tremarco booked for a foul on Tait.

83′ | 0-3
Goal – Polworth fires into the bottom corner to make it 0-3 to ICT.

81′ | 0-2
Great chance for Doumbouya but somehow McManus gets a touch on it and it goes out for a corner.

MATCH ATTAX | Young ‘Well fans vote now for your Man of the Match. Tweet #MatchAttaxMOTM with your choice, name and age.

77′ | 0-2
Moult heads in an Ainsworth free-kick but is ruled offside.

75′ | 0-2
Double Motherwell sub, McFadden and Ainsworth on for Clay and MacLean

67′ | 0-2
Goal – It’s 0-2 to Inverness CT, Doumbouya firing home after a corner landed at his feet.

63′ | 0-1
Motherwell sub, McDonald on for Bowman

61′ | 0-1
ICT sub, King on for Doran.

57′ | 0-1
Goal – Cross in from the right travels right though to Tremarco whose shot from close range goes in off the bar

47′ | 0-0
Moult has a free-header but he is a bit under it and it goes over. Good chance to open the scoring.

Both sides back on the pitch, second half is underway. COYW!

HT: Motherwell 0 – 0 Inverness CT

A goalless first 45 here at Fir Park.

One minute added on.

44′ | 0-0
Cadden tries his luck from range and its deflected into the path of Moult but McKay does superbly to recover and sweep it clear.

42′ | 0-0
Tait whips in a great ball with his left foot which Clay and Moult both seem to go for and it goes out for a goal kick.

38′ | 0-0
Doumbouya appears to handle it into the path of Vigurs who curls his shot well over the bar.

32′ | 0-0
ICT break and from McKay’s cross Doumbouya powers his header goalward but thankfully it is wide of the post.

29′ | 0-0
Chance!! McMillan’s cross is prodded into Moult’s path by Bowman but the hitman can only hit the sidenetting!

21′ | 0-0
Corner Motherwell…..Tait’s delivery is plucked out the air by Fon-Williams.

19′ | 0-0
Chance! Clay picks up a loose ball at the back edge of the penalty box but can’t get his effort on target.

18′ | 0-0
Long range effort from Polworth which never looked like troubling Samson and flies well wide.

12′ | 0-0
Thankfully both are up and able to continue, with Tremarco getting the head bandage on.

11′ | 0-0
Nasty clash of heads there between Tait and Tremarco. Doesn’t look good for the ‘Well man.

9′ | 0-0
MacLean curls in a great little ball between the two centre backs but Fon-Williams reads it and gets in ahead of Bowman.

6′ | 0-0
From that corner, Doumbouya rises highest but heads wide of the post.

6′ | 0-0
Polworth’s deflected shot has Samson scampering along his goal trying to prevent the corner but the ball trickles out.

2′ | 0-0
Here’s a chance for ‘Well as they win a free-kick wide on the right…Tait whips it in but Heneghan can’t get his header on target

2′ | 0-0
Early opening for ICT as Tremarco clips in a ball which Draper does well to get on the end of. Routine stop for Samson though.

Pre-match pleasantries over, it’s time for action as Lasley gets the game underway. COYW!!!!

Out come the teams from the tunnel, usual colours for both sides.

[tab:Reaction]

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee:

Inverness CT manager Richie Foran:

[tab:Man-of-the-match]

[poll id=”292″]

The seventh issue of the Steelmen matchday magazine is on sale ahead of tonight’s league clash with Inverness Caley Thistle at Fir Park.

Here, we take a look at what can be found inside the 68-page programme.

Craig Clay took a risk when he signed for Motherwell on a temporary trial basis in the summer, but since being offered a two year deal after proving his worth to manager Mark McGhee, he has become a regular starter. In the feature interview, the midfielder talks about his time so far, his aims for the future and looks at tonight’s opponents Inverness CT.

Regular pieces including the pre-match column from manager Mark McGhee and club captain Keith Lasley, along with ‘Goal Zone’, ‘5 Fast Facts’ and ‘Getting to Know You’ – where Lionel Ainsworth is profiled – all remain in the seventh issue.

But there is also an all-new feature exclusive to the programme called ‘Well in Numbers’ where feature writer Andrew Paterson looks at some of the key numbers in Motherwell history.

‘Future Steel’ is an inside look at the next generation of players waiting patiently to break in to the first team and this week, 18-year-old Jake Hastie is profiled.

As part of the clubs aims to work closely with the Motherwell FC Community Trust and The ‘Well Society, regular updates are included in the programme.

This week’s main features on tonights opposition remain, including an in-depth look at Inverness Caley Thistle as well as this season’s new ‘Tactics Board’, where we profile Richie Foran’s starting eleven.

Our match reports section looks back on the Fir Parkers 2-0 loss away to Celtic, where Mark McGhee took positives from his sides performance and the inclusion of a number of young players at Parkhead.

An update on Stephen Craigan’s U20s side is included too, reporting on the youngster’s results against St Johnstone, Dunfermline and Hibs.

Get all the latest from the Ticket Office as well as an in-depth look at tomorrow’s match-officials.

All this and more is available for £3 and is on sale from the Club Shop as well as the usual sellers located in and around the ground pre-match.

You can also order back editions or take a subscription to the magazine for the rest of the season by visiting the website of our publishers, Curtis-Sports.