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  • Women

    Victory over Aberdeen in SWPL1

  • Women

    London Pollard signs for Motherwell

  • First team

    Manager reacts to win at Aberdeen

  • First team

    Aberdeen 0-2 Motherwell

  • First team

    Tony Watt is our October player of the month

  • Women

    Aberdeen next up in SWPL1

  • First team

    Manager looks ahead to Aberdeen

  • First team

    Tony Watt // The importance of food banks

  • Club

    Tommy McLean to be inducted to Hall of Fame

  • Women

    Positives to take in SWPL1 defeat at Rangers

  • Women

    Victory over Aberdeen in SWPL1

    Victory over Aberdeen in SWPL1

    Motherwell showed fighting spirit to hold off a late Aberdeen comeback to secure a closely-fought victory at Alliance Park on Sunday.

    Carla Boyce fired the hosts in front early on, before Chelsie Watson doubled Motherwell’s advantage in quick succession.

    Boyce then prodded home the third to give Motherwell a comfortable three goal advantage after 10 minutes.

    Bayley Hutchinson pulled one back for the visitors midway through the first half, but Boyce responded to net her hat-trick and Motherwell’s fourth in the second half.

    Francesca Ogilvie netted a late second for the visitors, before Johan Fraser added a third to give Motherwell a nerve-racking final 10 minutes.

    However, Paul Brownlie’s side stood resolute to record their third league win this season.

    Motherwell would break the deadlock after five minutes. Katie Rice’s powerful strike from the edge of the box ricocheted off the crossbar, and Boyce calmly followed up to earn her first goal in claret and amber.

    The hosts then doubled their advantage minutes later. Rice’s perfectly weighted free kick was misjudged by the goalkeeper, and Watson stepped up to place her strike high into the net past Gail Gilmour from a few yards out.

    The women of steel continued to look threatening in the early stages and would add a third on the 10-minute-mark. Gill Inglis’ curling effort was parried away by the keeper, but only as far as Boyce, who headed home her second of the game.

    The visitors pulled one back midway through the first half. Hutchinson latched onto Nadia Sopel’s long ball, and the forward skilfully chipped Khym Ramsay from distance with an exquisite strike to give the Dons a lifeline.

    With the hosts continuing to dominate possession, Motherwell restored their three-goal advantage on the hour mark.

    Amy Anderson’s floated free kick deflected off the underside of the crossbar and fell kindly to Boyce who rifled her effort low past Gilmour to secure a hat-trick on her first home game of the season.

    With the visitors chasing the game in the second half, Aberdeen netted a quickfire double against the run of play. A quick counter attack left Ogilvie through on goal, and the midfielder coolly slotted her strike past Ramsay.

    Then, less than a minute later, Hutchinson’s low-driven cross was steered past Ramsay by Fraser to give the women of steel a tough final few minutes. However, the Motherwell defence held firm to secure their third league win of the season.

    Motherwell’s valiant display will be a real confidence boost for Paul Brownlie’s side, before they host Glasgow City later this month.

  • Women

    London Pollard signs for Motherwell

    London Pollard signs for Motherwell

    London Pollard has joined Motherwell.

    The striker goes straight into the squad for the SWPL1 home clash with Aberdeen on Sunday.

    “I have been well aware of London’s talent for several years, so to get her signed for Motherwell is a massive signing,” head coach Paul Brownlie said.

    “London is still very young and as with all our youth players our approach is always holistic, they have massive commitments with academic studies and we will continue to support our youth players to provide balance with football and studies.

    “London can play anywhere along the front three and that provides us with more attacking options.”

    Coming through the ranks at Cove Rangers, the 17-year-old burst onto the SWPL1 scene last year at Forfar Farmington, marking her top flight debut for the Station Park side with a double against the women of steel in a 4-2 opening day win in October 2020.

    She added further goals against Celtic at K-Park in December, which was enough to catch the eye of the Hoops boss Fran Alonso, who recruited the pacey forward in May of this year.

    Pollard was on loan at Thistle from Celtic, and looks to be a real talent for the future.

    “I’m so happy to have joined Motherwell,” Pollard added.

    “I want to develop my game further and feel Paul and the coaching staff are able to do just that.

    “I feel this is a place I can flourish.”

    Pollard will wear the number 40 shirt this season.

  • First team

    Manager reacts to win at Aberdeen

    “We were on the floor. We’ve stood up and shown we are ready to fight again. That’s what a Motherwell team should be.”

  • First team

    Aberdeen 0-2 Motherwell

    Aberdeen 0-2 Motherwell

    Kevin van Veen’s clinically-taken double gave Motherwell the win at Aberdeen.

    The Dutch striker’s two goals early in the second half did the damage to ensure the Steelmen ended their barren run with all three points taken.

    Graham Alexander changed three men from the side which lost last time out to Rangers.

    The suspended Stephen O’Donnell was replaced on the teamsheet by Juhani Ojala, with the Finn coming in at centre back and Bevis Mugabi switching to right back.

    Callum Slattery and Connor Shields dropped to the bench, with Maguire and Van Veen their respective replacements.

    Motherwell came north looking for a reaction to that loss but they found themselves under siege from the off at Pittodrie.

    Solholm had to react quick to deny Watkins a free shot at goal from 10 yards early on, before Kelly was called into action soon after with a fingertip touch to turn away Ramirez’s goalbound header.

    Motherwell settled but the Aberdeen attacks continued to come in waves.

    Kelly just about got to a one-on-one with Watkins to clear, shortly before Ferguson slalomed his way through the ‘Well defence to only fire over from the right side of the area.

    Hedges also saw a header from the corner flicked off the line by the head of Ojala, as Motherwell struggled to create any chances of their own in a challenging first half.

    Motherwell though have proven time and again they are clinical when the chances do arrive and that proved to be the case just five minutes into the second half.

    After a period in possession in attack, Goss swung a pinpoint cross to the near post where Van Veen found himself completely unmarked.

    He still had work to do, but picked his spot perfectly to steer the ball across the face of goal and into the bottom-right corner of the net.

    Motherwell were invigorated and were two ahead 10 minutes later.

    A free-kick from the left was met at the back post by Lamie – on as a sub for the injured Ojala.

    His header back across goal found Van Veen perfectly on the penalty spot, and he showed all the composure in the world to half-volley the ball into the net.

    Motherwell switched to five at the back soon after and, against a wave of Aberdeen attacks, stood firm brilliantly.

    They did have Kelly to thank again, with an unbelievable double save from Ramirez’s header keeping the Dons at bay.

  • First team

    Tony Watt is our October player of the month

    Tony Watt is our October player of the month

    Tony Watt is our Paycare player of the month for October.

    The striker netted three goals as the team’s standout performer across the month, a haul which already makes this season his most prolific while playing for a Scottish side.

    Watt makes it three awards in a row, having also been named as the top player in August and September.

  • Women

    Aberdeen next up in SWPL1

    Aberdeen next up in SWPL1

    Motherwell take on Aberdeen next in the final game of the first round of fixtures in SWPL1.

    Kick-off on Sunday 7 November at Alliance Park is at 4pm.

    Tickets will cost £5 for adults, while children go free.

    Tale of the tape

    Motherwell and Aberdeen faced off in the group stages of the SWPL Cup in August, with the Dons coming away with all three points in a tightly contested 1-0 victory.

    The last league meeting came in 2018 in SWPL2, where Motherwell won comfortably 4-0.

    Aberdeen’s victory in August was their first victory against the women of steel in the last four encounters.

    Form guide

    Motherwell and Aberdeen are both locked on seven points after eight games, with an identical match record of two wins, one draw and five losses in SWPL1.

    Aberdeen currently occupy sixth in the table due to a superior goal difference.

    Motherwell returned to action after the international break with a 5-0 defeat against title-chasing Rangers on Wednesday night.

    Prior to that, Motherwell claimed seven points in nine in the league.

    Aberdeen also played on Wednesday night, where they fell to a 5-0 defeat to Glasgow City. Three days earlier, they lost 2-0 to Hibernian.

  • First team

    Manager looks ahead to Aberdeen

    Graham Alexander previews the weekend trip north in the cinch Premiership.

  • First team

    Tony Watt // The importance of food banks

    Unfortunately, many in our local area are forced to rely on food banks to help them eat.

    A host of local organisations do incredible work to ensure those in need can get help and – as a club – we were determined to help by calling on our supporters to bring what they could to a collection ahead of our recent game with Celtic.

    Our fans rallied in huge numbers, providing hundreds of bags of food.

    Charity and helping others is also in the heart of our striker Tony Watt, a local boy who knows he is in a fortunate position as a footballer and is motivated to ensure others get a fair shot at a good life.

    With some late collections from fans and from the playing squad, Tony visited Motherwell’s Maranatha Food Bank to drop off more supplies and find out more about the work going in.

  • Club

    Tommy McLean to be inducted to Hall of Fame

    Tommy McLean to be inducted to Hall of Fame

    Tommy McLean is to be inducted into the Motherwell FC Hall of Fame.

    The last Motherwell manager to lift aloft a major trophy will be inducted at our event on Saturday 13 November. Limited tickets remain available.

    When Tommy McLean switched from Greenock Morton to Motherwell in 1984, he had one major job as manager.

    Help keep the club alive.

    He achieved that, and so much more.

    Relegation from the top division before his arrival had put a hole in the finances at Fir Park. McLean was tasked with the job of not only balancing the books, but trying to get the Steelmen back up as quickly as possible.

    Fees generated by the sales of Gary McAllister and Ally Mauchlen, followed by the further sales of Andy Walker, Tom Boyd and then Phil O’Donnell after McLean departed, have left a lasting legacy at Fir Park.

    The construction of the Cooper and South Stands were part-financed by the glut of cash the youth production line brought in, helping to build infrastructure which is still crucial to today’s incumbents.

    While McLean’s inaugural years at Fir Park were spent trying to secure Motherwell’s very survival, the events which would follow would take even greater significance.

    Winning promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking, but still having to balance the books, the momentum started going in the Steelmen’s direction with the arrival of Davie Cooper in 1989.

    By the time the 1990/91 Scottish Cup campaign started, Motherwell were on a 39-year hiatus from lifting the famous trophy.

    That season, the club had a greater responsibility than ever. It was also carrying the escape for a town set to be decimated by the closure of Ravenscraig.

    With optimism that run could be ended always present in fans’ minds, there was a dark cloud lingering over the town.

    McLean set his men about giving the people an escape.

    To get to Hampden however, an imposing path had to be navigated.

    Aberdeen away in the first match yielded a 1-0 win, before a 4-2 home win over Falkirk. Morton lay in wait in the last eight, with a replay and penalties needed to separate the sides.

    Celtic stood between the men in claret and amber from a place in the showpiece. A 0-0 draw in the first attempt at Hampden meant for another encounter in Mount Florida, with a famous 4-2 win sending ‘Well heading back in May.

    The rest is history, of course, as Motherwell returned home with the trophy with victory over Dundee United on 18 May 1991.

    Remarkably, an even greater achievement could have followed in the 1993/94 season.

    The last Premier Division campaign played with a two-points-for-a-win system, ‘Well were in title contention right to the wire.

    Four points, and a vastly superior Rangers goal difference, was what separated Motherwell from breaking Rangers’ eventual nine-in-a-row Championship charge and cementing a win which would have yielded a whole other set of club legends.

    McLean would leave that summer. Recognition would follow in later years, where he was voted the club’s greatest-ever manager. A place in the Scottish Football Hall of Fame also was bestowed upon him.


    Our Hall of Fame will welcome its new inductees in a special event in November.

    Taking place at the Bothwell Bridge Hotel on Saturday 13 November, the event will induct the classes of both 2020 and 2021.

    The event is priced at £60 for adults and £30 for children aged under 12. Limited tickets are available.

    We will induct both the 2020 and 2021 intake at the event.

    Buy your tickets online here now.

    Current Hall of Famers include George Stevenson, Willie Pettigrew, Phil O’Donnell, Ally Maxwell and James McFadden.

    The delayed 2020 class, who will also be inducted on the night, includes John Hunter, Andy Paton, Joe Wark, Davie Cooper and Steven Hammell.

  • Women

    Positives to take in SWPL1 defeat at Rangers

    Positives to take in SWPL1 defeat at Rangers

    Motherwell showed fighting spirit but would ultimately suffer defeat to Rangers in a tough SWPL1 encounter on Wednesday.

    Brianna Westrup fired the hosts in front midway through the first half at the Rangers Training Centre, before Rachel McLaughlin added a second on the stroke of half-time with a clinical finish.

    Zoe Ness prodded home a third from close range minutes later to give the hosts a comfortable advantage at half-time. Then, in the second half, Kayla McCoy added a fourth, before Lizzie Arnot struck late on to seal a 5-0 defeat for Motherwell.

    The hosts came close to the opener early on with Khym Ramsay performing heroics in the Motherwell goal.

    Nicola Docherty’s floated corner fell kindly to Kirsten Reilly at the edge of the box, who set herself before drilling her effort across the face of goal. But Ramsay reacted quickly to parry her strike wide of the post.

    Rangers would break the deadlock after 22 minutes. Docherty’s deep cross found Westrup unmarked in the box, and the defender’s perfectly timed volley sailed over the head of Ramsay into the back of the net.

    The hosts doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time. Chelsea Cornet’s incisive pass sliced through the Motherwell defence leaving McLaughlin in space, and the forward maintained her composure to coolly slot her strike past Ramsay into the bottom right corner.

    Rangers continued to threaten the Motherwell goal and added a third in quick succession. The visitors failed to clear McLaughlin’s floated delivery and Ness calmly placed her strike past Ramsay into the bottom corner from a few yards out.

    With the women of steel chasing the game in the second half, Paul Brownlie’s side thought they should’ve been awarded a penalty after Carla Boyce’s effort appeared to strike the hand of Demi Vance.

    However, the referee looked disinterested and waved play on despite the adamant pleas of the Motherwell players.

    The hosts continued to press and added a fourth in the dying stages of the game.

    Rangers skilfully broke through the Motherwell backline with a quick counter attack, and Cornet’s low-driven effort was unfortunately deflected past Ramsay into the bottom corner by the outstretching McCoy.

    Rangers sealed all three points in the final minute with a fifth goal. Brogan Hay’s perfectly weighted through ball left Arnot one-on-one with the keeper, and the striker calmly placed her strike nto the bottom right corner to settle the tie.

    Despite the scoreline, Motherwell will have plenty of positives to take into this weekend’s encounter with Aberdeen at Alliance Park after a spirited display.