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    Christmas lunch a hit with elderly guests

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    Gers up next for ‘Well U20s

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    Aberdeen match abandoned

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    Moult receives award from fans

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    Aberdeen: A closer look

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    Muir in charge at Pittodrie

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    Tait: Build on clean sheet

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    McGhee: We need to be clinical

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    TV: Highlights from Fir Park

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    McGhee: Disappointed not to win

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    Christmas lunch a hit with elderly guests

    The Motherwell FC Community Trust held a Christmas party for more than 20 elderly people from a local care home.

    Providing guests with a turkey dinner, gifts and music, the trust oversaw a successful afternoon in Fir Park’s Centenary Suite.

    And for event organiser Carly Slamin, it was a pleasing moment seeing the guests from Ravens Court Sheltered Housing enjoy themselves and get in the festive spirit.

    She said: “It’s lovely to be able to put on a lunch for people who may need some cheering up at Christmas time.”

    “The lunch day was great, the look on the people faces when they received a gift was amazing to see and it has made myself and the Community Trust delighted to be able to make someone’s day through a small gesture.”

    Carly hopes to see more positive work like this take lace between the football club, the trust and local care home Ravens Court.

    [pullquote]We’re hoping to build on our relationship with Ravens Court sheltered housing in the future through offering different activities in the Motherwell community and involving them in our Memory Well project.[/pullquote]

    She said: “We’re hoping to build on our relationship with Ravens Court sheltered housing in the future through offering different activities in the Motherwell community and involving them in our Memory Well project.”

    Community Trust general manager Dawn Middleton added: “This afternoon is exactly what the Community Trust was set up to do, to engage with all sectors of the community, coming three days after we had over 100 young people at a Christmas party, we’ve now got over 20 from the other end of the age spectrum.”

    She continued: “The credit has to go to Carly Slamin for all of her hard work in setting it up, her liaison with Ravens Court, her liaison with catering staff, making sure music and everything was in place – she’s done a great job.

    [pullquote]This afternoon is exactly what the Community Trust was set up to do, to engage with all sectors of the community, coming three days after we had over 100 young people at a Christmas party.[/pullquote]

    “Particular thanks has to go to the SPFL Trust for their funding through the Festive Friends Initiative to enable this to happen.

    “One of the key aims of this project is to focus on people who don’t necessarily have family and friends to share Christmas with.

    “This is hugely important and an opportunity that Motherwell Football Club can offer; for people to come along and be part of the club at this time of year.”

    Ravens Court Sheltered Housing not only care for elderly people but also people with illnesses, and those staying in their care range from the age of 23 up to 94.

    Margaret McLaughlin, Housing Co-ordinator at Ravens Court said: “A lot of the elderly people staying at Ravens Court have family but a lot are also a bit isolated and don’t get a lot of visits.

    [pullquote]It’s nice to be working beside Motherwell Football Club who we’re really close to because we actually have a lot of Motherwell supporters so it’s lovely that the club have invited us here to celebrate Christmas.[/pullquote]

    “We try to do a lot of things like this ourselves but it’s nice to be working beside Motherwell Football Club who we’re really close to because we actually have a lot of Motherwell supporters so it’s lovely that the club have invited us here to celebrate Christmas – it’s perked everyone up and it gave us all something to look forward to so it’s been lovely.

    “On Christmas day a lot of people don’t go anywhere or their families don’t come and take them home for the day but because we’re 24 hours, we do something for them.

    “Although it’s a celebration for most of the community, it can be a really lonely time for others and we’re aware of that.

    She added: “I’ve actually brought my dad along with me today, he doesn’t stay at Ravens Court but he’s been quite ill and has had to get dialysis so he’s been quite isolated at home and only really gets out for dialysis.

    “He’s been an avid football supporter all his days, he used to lift me over the turnstiles when I was young and I knew that he’d really enjoy this today and he has.”

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    Gers up next for ‘Well U20s

    Stephen Craigan’s U20s take on Rangers U20s tonight in the Development League at the Excelsior Stadium.

    And having not won a match since the start of November, the young Steelmen will be keen to return to winning ways against the Glaswegian side this evening.

    Last week, the U20s slumped 3-1 away to Falkirk after battling through a tiring cup clash with Greenock Morton two days before.

    Goals from Cameron Eadie, Reis Peggie and Scott Shepherd sealed all three points for the Bairns, despite Jake Hastie pulling one back just after the hour mark.

    Rangers, on the other hand, come in to tonight’s match on the back of a convincing 3-0 victory over Dundee, which saw the Gers move to within two points of the Fir Parkers in the Development League table.

    A brace from Zak Rudden and a deflected effort from Liam Burt put Dundee to the sword and extended Rangers unbeaten run to four matches.

    Tonight will be the first meeting between the two sides this season, and manager Stephen Craigan will be keen to oversee his side bounce back to the form they enjoyed at the start of the season.

    The Steelmen’s 16th game in the Development League this season kicks off at 6pm tonight in Airdrie.

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    Aberdeen match abandoned

    Two floodlight failures within eight minutes of play forced Motherwell’s league clash with Aberdeen to be abandoned tonight.

    A power cut to the floodlights above the main stand after five minutes forced a break in play, and as the other lights starting failing around the ground referee Alan Muir sent the players indoors.

    After a 15 minute delay, play was resumed much to the relief of the supporters, especially the travelling ‘Well fans, but that was cut short when the power dropped once more, forcing the officials to call an end to the night early.

    Speaking after the incident, Chief Operating Officer Alan Burrows insisted both clubs will do everything to help the travelling Motherwell supporters when the rescheduled fixture takes place.

    [pullquote]We’ll look to work with the fans – I know Aberdeen have informed fans to keep their ticket stubs for coming back to the next game and in terms of transport we’ll look to see if we can help them in that situation as well, that’s only the right thing to do.[/pullquote]

    He said: “Floodlight failures are one of these things that happen in football, they’re so unfortunate but the people I feel most for are the 100 or so Motherwell fans who have made the trip here on a cold, Tuesday night in December. I thank them for their loyalty.

    “I think we started the game quite well too, we got a few good crosses in to the box and won a free kick in a dangerous area and for the ‘Well fans who have come up here we thank them for their loyalty and their time coming up here, it’s really unfortunate that it’s been cut short.”

    He added: “We’ll look to work with the fans – I know Aberdeen have informed fans to keep their ticket stubs for coming back to the next game and in terms of transport we’ll look to see if we can help them in that situation as well, that’s only the right thing to do.

    On the subject of the managers match suspension, which may potentially be carried on to this Saturday’s clash with St Johnstone, the Chief Operating Officer added: “If bookings that are carried from the game count, then I’d be surprised if the manager carrying out his suspension tonight doesn’t count, but I’m sure representatives from the SFA will inform us soon.”

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    Moult receives award from fans

    Louis Moult was presented his Motorpoint Player of the Month award by Suzanne Clark and son Jack, aged 8, on Saturday. 

    The two ‘Well fans were the lucky winners to present the star with his trophy in front of the crowd at Fir Park ahead of kick off against Kilmarnock on Saturday.

    And that chance could be yours next month once the voting closes for the award for the month of December.

    For your chance to win, follow us on twitter @motherwellfc and keep an eye out on the competition opening.

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    Aberdeen: A closer look

    The Steelmen travel north to take on Aberdeen in the Ladbrokes Premiership tomorrow night.

    And for Mark McGhee, who will serve the final game of his two match ban, it presents an opportunity for his side to extend their unbeaten run following the goalless draw with Kilmarnock on Saturday.

    The Dons come in to the match on the back of an identical result with St Johnstone at the weekend, and will be keen to extend their unbeaten run to three matches.

    Despite some good opportunities throughout Motherwell’s clash with Killie, the Fir Parkers failed to find a breakthrough, and that is something that the manager hopes will improve tomorrow night.

    Speaking to the press this morning, he said: “I think we made enough chances to win the game and I was disappointed with a lot of aspects of it.

    “We have to do better in front of goal. We have to be putting these shots on target and at least making the keeper make saves, but it’s the old adage ‘as long as you’re making chances’ and if we continue to make chances then we know that with the players that we have in the team that we have people who can score goals, like Moult and McDonald, and if we present them with chances eventually they’ll get their goals.”

    On the back of the Dons 5-1 victory over Kilmarnock, McGhee admitted that tomorrow nights clash at Pittodrie will be a big task for his side.

    He said: “We know that we can go up there and lose 5-1 but we also know that on our right day we can go up there and give them problems.

    [pullquote]We have to do better in front of goal. We have to be putting these shots on target and at least making the keeper make saves, but it’s the old adage ‘as long as you’re making chances’.[/pullquote]

    “I said after Kilmarnock’s loss to Aberdeen that we’ve been in the position where we’ve concede five in one game then come straight back and won the next game and that’s the nature of this league.

    “We go up there and, win, lose or draw, we look ahead to the next game.”

    For Motherwell, a win presents the opportunity to leap in to the top six, while Aberdeen can go to within a point of Rangers in second with victory at Pittodrie.

    The Steelmen have a few fitness doubts ahead of tomorrows clash with the Reds, including Chris Cadden, Stevie Hammell, Jack McMillan and Ross MacLean, who broke his toe on Saturday.

     

    Defender Richard Tait hopes to build on the weekend’s clean sheet as the Steelmen take on Aberdeen tomorrow night.

    But the summer signing knows that the trip to Pittodrie will be a challenging one.

    Speaking to the press this morning, the 27-year-old said: “It’s another tough one, none of the games are easy and tomorrow’s is just as hard as any other.

    “The games are coming thick and fast but personally, for me, I like that it keeps us going, there’s not much training and you’re just getting straight in to another game so I’m looking forward to it.”

    He added: “Every game is different, every team you play against is different but every game we go in to against any opposition is the same in the sense that we want to win.”

    The full back praised his teammates going forward and hopes they can get back to their clinical best in the away league clash tomorrow.

    [pullquote]I expect myself to be available for every game and try and play in every game so personally it’s going to plan. I’m enjoying playing and I’m enjoying being in the team so I just need to try and stay there.[/pullquote]

    He said: “We kept a clean sheet on Saturday and we need to try and build on that and get the same outcome as a back four.

    “I’m sure that Sammy definitely wants more clean sheets than he’s had this season and we need to help him tomorrow.”

    He added: “If we keep a clean sheet the worst we can do obviously is draw. Unfortunately on Saturday we had a few chances that normally the boys would put in the back of the net and they didn’t but over the season they’ve scored a tremendous amount of goals and we’ve maybe let them down defensively so, we’ll be trying to build on our clean sheet and I’m sure they’ll be trying to get back amongst the goals.”

    This season, Tait has been one of the consistent players in Mark McGhee’s side, playing every minute of every match so far.

    He said: “I expect myself to be available for every game and try and play in every game so personally it’s going to plan. I’m enjoying playing and I’m enjoying being in the team so I just need to try and stay there.”

     

    Aberdeen have chalked up one victory in their last three league outings and will be keen to return to winning ways in tomorrow nights clash at Pittodrie.

    For Derek McInnes, he will have a near full-strength squad to pick from as his side look to close the gap on second-placed Rangers.

    That side couldn’t find the breakthrough against St Johnstone at the weekend though, with the two sides playing out a 0-0 draw.

    Prior to that, McInnes’ men stormed to an emphatic 5-1 victory over Kilmarnock in what was the first of three matches in the space of seven days for the northern outfit.

    And while they come in to the match on the back of a goalless draw, the prospect of facing Aberdeen at Pittodrie is a challenging one for every club in the division this season.

    In the eight matches they’ve played at home so far, the Dons have lost just once and that was in the shape of a 1-0 defeat against league leaders Celtic, when Tom Rogic fired in the only goal of the game in the same weekend the Steelmen ran rampant at home to Ross County – winning 4-1.

    Goals haven’t been a problem for Aberdeen this season, and the league’s third highest scoring side have found goals from all over the park too.

    Midfielders Jonny Hayes and Niall McGinn sit level with striker Adam Rooney as the clubs top scorers on four goals, while Jayden Stockley and Kenny McLean have three to their names.

    Defenders Andy Considine, Shay Logan and Anthony O’Connor have all found the back of the net, while James Maddison has chipped in with some important performances and a particularly important goal – a last minute free-kick against Rangers to secure all three points.

    Equally impressive is the Dons defensive record. McInnes’ side have only conceded 15 goals in the league – a total only bettered by Celtic.

    This is the first clash between the two sides this campaign after the two sides met on four occasions last term. Aberdeen won twice, Motherwell once and the other match ended in a 1-1 draw.

    It’s an important match for both sides, postponed due to the Dons progression in the League Cup, where they got all the way to the final but lost 3-0 against Celtic.

    With the chance to move in to the top six, it is enough inspiration for Mark McGhee’s side and will be an intriguing encounter at Pittodrie.

     

  • Archive

    Muir in charge at Pittodrie

    Referee for tomorrow’s away trip to Aberdeen in the Ladbrokes Premiership is Alan Muir.

    The 41-year old takes charge of his second Motherwell match of the 2016/17 season, after overseeing the 1-1 draw away to Ross County.

    A penalty from Louis Moult drew the Steelmen level following Liam Boyce’s opener.

    And that match was his first since October 2015 – when the Steelmen lost 1-0 to Celtic at Fir Park.

    Nadir Ciftci’s early goal was enough for the visitors that day as the Glaswegians went on to win the title.

    That was Muir’s only ‘Well match last season, and the time before that was a 2-1 win over Inverness CT at Fir Park back in February 2015.

    Lionel Ainsworth’s 84th minute winner proved to be the difference that day, despite the Fir Parkers being reduced to ten men after Muir showed right-back Simon Ramsden his second booking of the game in the 88th minute.

    Muir took charge on three occasions that season – the other two matches both resulted in 1-0 scorelines.

    The first of the season was a disappointing 1-0 though, as Baraclough’s side slumped to a 1-0 loss to St Johnstone at Fir Park.

    Then came an important 1-0 win away to St Mirren – where John Sutton’s strike was the difference.

    In total, Muir has refereed 23 matches involving the ‘Well since his first back in the 08/09 season.

    When the Scotsman has been in charge, the ‘Well have won on 10 occasions, drawn five and lost eight.

    In those games, Motherwell have scored 27 and conceded 30.

    82 players have gone into the book, 43 were wearing claret and amber, while nine players, five Fir Parkers, including former and current captains Stephen Craigan and Keith Lasley, have been dismissed.

    Muir will be ably assisted by Stephen Mitchell and Stuart Hodge; with John McKendrick on fourth official duties.

  • Archive

    Tait: Build on clean sheet

    Defender Richard Tait hopes to build on the weekend’s clean sheet as the Steelmen take on Aberdeen tomorrow night.

    But the summer signing knows that the trip to Pittodrie will be a challenging one.

    Speaking to the press this morning, the 27-year-old said: “It’s another tough one, none of the games are easy and tomorrow’s is just as hard as any other.

    “The games are coming thick and fast but personally, for me, I like that it keeps us going, there’s not much training and you’re just getting straight in to another game so I’m looking forward to it.”

    [pullquote]Every game is different, every team you play against is different but every game we go in to against any opposition is the same in the sense that we want to win.[/pullquote]

    He added: “Every game is different, every team you play against is different but every game we go in to against any opposition is the same in the sense that we want to win.”

    The full back praised his team mates going forward and hopes they can get back to their clinical best in the away league clash tomorrow.

    He said: “We kept a clean sheet on Saturday and we need to try and build on that and get the same outcome as a back four.

    “I’m sure that Sammy definitely wants more clean sheets than he’s had this season and we need to help him tomorrow.”

    [pullquote]I expect myself to be available for every game and try and play in every game so personally it’s going to plan. I’m enjoying playing and I’m enjoying being in the team so I just need to try and stay there.[/pullquote]

    He added: “If we keep a clean sheet the worst we can do obviously is draw. Unfortunately on Saturday we had a few chances that normally the boys would put in the back of the net and they didn’t but over the season they’ve scored a tremendous amount of goals and we’ve maybe let them down defensively so, we’ll be trying to build on our clean sheet and I’m sure they’ll be trying to get back amongst the goals.”

    This season, Tait has been one of the consistent players in Mark McGhee’s side, playing every minute of every match so far.

    He said: “I expect myself to be available for every game and try and play in every game so personally it’s going to plan. I’m enjoying playing and I’m enjoying being in the team so I just need to try and stay there.”

  • Archive

    McGhee: We need to be clinical

    ‘Well boss Mark McGhee insists his side have to be more clinical in front of goal when they travel up to face Aberdeen tomorrow night.

    After Saturday’s goalless meeting with Kilmarnock at Fir Park, the manager revealed his disappointment in a draw.

    But, speaking to the press this morning, McGhee made sure to highlight the positives he took from the weekend too.

    He said: “I think we made enough chances to win the game and I was disappointed with a lot of aspects of it.

    “But one of the things that happened on Saturday and one of the things that we have to reinforce is that we keep putting young players in.

    [pullquote]One of the things that happened on Saturday and one of the things that we have to reinforce is that we keep putting young players in.[/pullquote]

    “Here we are at 0-0 with 25 minutes to go or so and we put on two young lads to try and win us the game, but we’re also willing to risk losing the game too in that sense.”

    He added: “We’ve got to get these young boys experience by putting them in situations like Saturday where there’s a danger that they could lose you the game and you give them that responsibility and I think they learn from that.

    “We have to do better in front of goal. We have to be putting these shots on target and at least making the keeper make saves, but it’s the old adage ‘as long as you’re making chances’ and if we continue to make chances then we know that with the players that we have in the team that we have people who can score goals, like Moult and McDonald, and if we present them with chances eventually they’ll get their goals.”

    [pullquote]We have to do better in front of goal. We have to be putting these shots on target and at least making the keeper make saves, but it’s the old adage ‘as long as you’re making chances’.[/pullquote]

    On the back of the Dons 5-1 victory over Kilmarnock, McGhee admitted that tomorrow nights clash at Pittodrie will be a big task for his side.

    He said: “We know that we can go up there and lose 5-1 but we also know that on our right day we can go up there and give them problems.

    “I said after Kilmarnock’s loss to Aberdeen that we’ve been in the position where we’ve concede five in one game then come straight back and won the next game and that’s the nature of this league.

    “We go up there and, win, lose or draw, we look ahead to the next game.”

    When asked about team news following a few injuries in recent weeks, the manager clarified that there may be a few stars still missing.

    He said: “A few of the boys never trained yesterday – Scott McDonald never trained, although we expect him to be alright, but Cadden, Hammell, McMillan and now MacLean, who’s broke his toe, will be out for a week or two.”

  • Archive

    TV: Highlights from Fir Park

    Action from Fir Park as Motherwell and Kilmarnock play out a dull nil-nil draw in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

  • Archive

    McGhee: Disappointed not to win

    ‘Well boss Mark McGhee felt his side did enough to win the match this afternoon and was disappointed with a goalless draw.

    Speaking to MFC TV at full time, the manager expressed his desire to see his team go on an unbeaten run after today’s result.

    He said: “I think that we could’ve won it in both halves so I’m disappointed not to have won.

    “It wasn’t a fantastic game, it wasn’t a fantastic performance but we had enough clear cut chances and if you take one of those chances it kind of changes the game, it settles you down, it puts them under a bit of pressure so things usually get better.”

    [pullquote]It wasn’t a fantastic game, it wasn’t a fantastic performance but we had enough clear cut chances and if you take one of those chances it kind of changes the game.[/pullquote]

    He added: “Not getting the goal can make you nervous that they’ll nick something even if it is against the run of play.

    “We kept on to it though – we brought on the two young lads, we still got at them, we got corners, we got set plays, we didn’t make enough of them and when we made the chances we weren’t able to take them.”

    With a number of draws across the division, McGhee hopes that his side can put in a positive showing against Aberdeen on Tuesday night.

    He said: “Somebody will hit a run, somebody will win a few games on the bounce and the way I see it is this is the start of a run – unbeaten today, hopefully now we can go to Aberdeen on Tuesday and stay unbeaten there.

    “We’ve got a good month ahead of us in December, there are a lot of games and games that we’ll be competitive in.”

    [pullquote]The way I see it is this is the start of a run – unbeaten today, hopefully now we can go to Aberdeen on Tuesday and stay unbeaten there.[/pullquote]

    A number of youngsters have been getting game time under McGhee in recent weeks, and today was the same story.

    The boss said: “David Ferguson has been asked to play left back today when he’s a young right-sided centre-back or right back and he’s come in at this level and done well.

    “He’s not been playing too much so I was really pleased by and pleased for him. Ross MacLean was terrific and I was disappointed to see him go off injured and I hope he’ll be ok for Tuesday night.

    “That was a game that might have went either way but we were prepared to put these young boys on and we did that and I think they both did quite well.”