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  • First team

    Graham Alexander previews Livingston

  • First team

    Livingston match to go ahead as break brought forward

  • Club

    Decision on continuation of matches expected Wednesday

  • Club

    Get your limited edition Motherwell FC branded gin

  • First team

    Celtic and Rangers games moved

  • First team

    Next up: Livingston

  • Women

    Partick Thistle in Scottish Women’s Cup

  • First team

    Manager reacts to win over St Johnstone

  • First team

    Motherwell 2-0 St Johnstone

  • First team

    Sean Goss on getting his ‘buzz’ back for football

  • First team

    Graham Alexander previews Livingston

    The Motherwell boss talks about the enforced shutout of supporters, the early winter break and the task ahead in the final game of 2021.

  • First team

    Livingston match to go ahead as break brought forward

    Livingston match to go ahead as break brought forward

    Our Boxing Day game with Livingston will be played with 500 home supporters in attendance.

    The decision of the Scottish Government on Tuesday to restrict numbers means our next fixture at Fir Park will be played with limited fans.

    On Wednesday, the SPFL board ruled that the match should go ahead.

    Our away games against Ross County on 29 December and St Mirren on 2 January have now been rearranged for Tuesday 18 January and Tuesday 1 February respectively.

    Match tickets for the Livingston game are not for sale. Season ticket holders were balloted for the 500 available seats.

    Watch the match live

    Alternatively, season ticket holders can watch a live stream of the match with Livingston at no extra cost.

    To watch, head to live.motherwellfc.co.uk and hit sign in. Grab your season card too – you’ll need it here to get the customer number written on the back.

    Your username and password are as follows:

    Username: firstname-surname-customernumber

    (For example: john-smith-12345)

    Your password, unless you’ve changed it using the service this season, is your customer number.

    Our streaming service will be exceptionally busy on Sunday.

    To avoid any issues, please test your username and password now.

    If you encounter any issues, act now. Email motherwelltv@streamdigital.tv now for assistance.

    If you leave it late, it is likely we will be unable to respond in time to set you up for the match.

    Watch Motherwell v Livingston on pay-per-view

    Fans of both clubs can buy a live stream of the game from ppv.motherwellfc.co.uk for £12.

    The game is available to purchase in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

    Please note that due to UEFA restrictions, this game is not purchasable if you are in England.

    If you’re a Motherwell season ticket holder who cannot make the match, you can still watch a live stream for free at live.motherwellfc.co.uk.

    International viewers can watch through our subscription service at live.motherwellfc.co.uk. Packages start at as little as £12.50 per month to watch all 38 cinch Premiership fixtures.

    Ticket refunds

    We will advise on refunds on match tickets purchased for the Livingston match ASAP.

    We await confirmation from Ross County and St Mirren on the status of purchased tickets for those matches and will communicate in due course.

    Matchday facilities

    Our Cooper Bar will be closed on Boxing Day.

    Kiosk facilities will not be in operation.

  • Club

    Decision on continuation of matches expected Wednesday

    Decision on continuation of matches expected Wednesday

    A decision on whether to continue with our next cinch Premiership matches is expected to be made by the SPFL board on Wednesday.

    Until then, the club is putting plans in place for a potential ballot of season ticket holders to accommodate 500 fans at our Boxing Day game with Livingston.

    Once a decision has been reached by the SPFL board, we will communicate it immediately.

    If the decision is taken to continue with games in front of a restricted crowd of 500, ballot information will be immediately emailed to season ticket holders.

    The decision of the Scottish Government on Tuesday to restrict numbers due to the Covid-19 pandemic means our next fixture at Fir Park will be played with limited fans, should the SPFL board agree to proceed with games.

    Our forthcoming away matches at Ross County and St Mirren will also be affected.

  • Club

    Get your limited edition Motherwell FC branded gin

    Get your limited edition Motherwell FC branded gin

    Get your hands on a limited edition bottle of Motherwell FC branded gin.

    In association with the Loch Lomond Group, the special bottles are available to buy now for just £30.

    Get yours online now and then collect at Fir Park.

    Our limited edition run is for just 200 bottles, so get in quick to get yours.

    The Motherwell FC limited edition gin is a London Dry Gin style with a berry sweetness from blackcurrants and rowanberries used from the Trossachs.

    Blended beautifully this gin is vibrant and crisp, offers a smooth, fresh flavour which finishes with a delicate berry sweetness.

  • First team

    Celtic and Rangers games moved

    Celtic and Rangers games moved

    Our next cinch Premiership matches with Celtic and Rangers have been rescheduled.

    The game with Celtic at Fir Park, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, will now be played on Sunday 6 February. Kick off is at 1.30pm.

    The fixture was originally scheduled to be held on Saturday 5 February.

    Then, due to Rangers’ progression in the UEFA Europa League, our trip to Ibrox at the end of February will now be played on Sunday 27 February at 3pm.

  • First team

    Next up: Livingston

    Next up: Livingston

    Motherwell play host to Livingston in a Boxing Day fixture in the cinch Premiership.

    Kick-off at Fir Park on Sunday is at 3pm.

    Ticket information

    With the government restricting our capacity to 500 fans, season ticket holders are asked to enter a ballot for the Livingston match now.

    You can enter the ballot for you and your family here.

    The ballot will close at 1pm on Thursday.

    If you attend matches with children aged under 15 who have free season tickets, you can also apply for tickets for them through the ballot.

    A random draw will be held ASAP to determine which supporters will be able to attend.

    All season ticket holders will be communicated with by email once the ballot has been concluded.

    If you are successful, you will be emailed your ticket. Please use the digital ticket option, or use the print at home facility.

    All supporters will be accommodated in the John Hunter Stand with two-metre social distancing between different households.

    Watch the match live

    Alternatively, season ticket holders can watch a live stream of the match with Livingston at no extra cost.

    To watch, head to live.motherwellfc.co.uk and hit sign in. Grab your season card too – you’ll need it here to get the customer number written on the back.

    Your username and password are as follows:

    Username: firstname-surname-customernumber

    (For example: john-smith-12345)

    Your password, unless you’ve changed it using the service this season, is your customer number.

    Our streaming service will be exceptionally busy on Sunday.

    To avoid any issues, please test your username and password now.

    If you encounter any issues, act now. Email motherwelltv@streamdigital.tv now for assistance.

    If you leave it late, it is likely we will be unable to respond in time to set you up for the match.

    Ticket sales

    No additional tickets will be sold for this match.

    Pay-per-view

    Fans of both clubs can buy a live stream of the game from ppv.motherwellfc.co.uk for £12.

    The game is available to purchase in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

    Please note that due to UEFA restrictions, this game is not purchasable if you are in England.

    If you’re a Motherwell season ticket holder who cannot make the match, you can still watch a live stream for free at live.motherwellfc.co.uk.

    International viewers can watch through our subscription service at live.motherwellfc.co.uk. Packages start at as little as £12.50 per month to watch all 38 cinch Premiership fixtures.

    Tale of the tape

    Motherwell have won the last three, and are unbeaten in four, in this fixture.

    A comeback 2-1 win in West Lothian claimed the three points earlier this campaign, with Liam Grimshaw’s first career goal sealing the victory.

    Last time at Fir Park, a Devante Cole double and a strike from Christopher Long secured success in a 3-1 win.

    Form guide

    Livi are unbeaten in their last three matches, beating Hibernian and Dundee United before claiming a late draw at home to Ross County at the weekend.

    Motherwell have won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five. Wins over Dundee United and St Johnstone at home came with a draw at Hibernian, and away losses to Celtic and Dundee.

  • Women

    Partick Thistle in Scottish Women’s Cup

    Partick Thistle in Scottish Women’s Cup

    We’ve been drawn away to Partick Thistle in the third round of the Scottish Women’s Cup.

    The tie is due to be played on Sunday 9 January 2022.

    Information on the venue and kick-off time will be made available as soon as possible.

  • First team

    Manager reacts to win over St Johnstone

    “That performance was everything we worked towards this week.”

  • First team

    Motherwell 2-0 St Johnstone

    Motherwell 2-0 St Johnstone

    A thoroughly efficient performance from Motherwell was enough to see off a stuffy St Johnstone for a third consecutive home win.

    Another early strike, and a first senior goal for youth academy graduate Dean Cornelius, should have set Motherwell up for a comfortable home win and three points.

    But it took a second goal from Kevin van Veen 10 minutes into the second half to settle the Fir Park men and make it three wins without the loss of a goal at Fir Park.

    Motherwell fans, having savoured two fabulous home wins against Dundee United and Hearts in their last appearances at Fir Park, anticipated another fine win and three points to hoist ‘Well into fourth place.

    Conversely, St Johnstone on a miserable run of four consecutive defeats were hoping to give their fans some pre-Christmas cheer and at least a point that could lift them off the bottom of the league table.

    Motherwell made three changes from the side which narrowly lost out at Celtic last time out.

    Barry Maguire dropped out of the squad to be replaced by Liam Donnelly, while Sondre Solholm and Dean Cornelius came into the team at the expense of Jake Carroll and Callum Slattery respectively.

    The goalkeepers saw little of the ball in an untidy opening spell when neither team seemed capable of using the perfect pitch with the ball too often played in the air.

    Then in the 17th minute, Motherwell snatched the lead. Sean Goss whipped in a low cross from the left. When the ball was only cleared as far as Cornelius just outside the area, the 20-year-old chested the ball down before driving it low inside Clark’s right-hand post.

    That seemed to have given the home side a lift and Stephen O’Donnell’s long ball sent Kevin van Veen brushing Liam Gordon aside as his final shot was deflected behind.

    When Donnelly’s corner was cleared beyond the penalty area, O’Donnell met it full on the volley and his stunning shot was destined to test Clark before it was also deflected behind the ‘keeper’s goal.

    Another wonderful touch from Van Veen sent the Saints’ defenders the wrong way but the Dutchman’s finishing drive sent the ball high into the stand.

    As the half hour approached, Callum Davidson’s men were starting to make their presence felt around Kelly’s goal although the keeper’s only catch was cutting out a Glenn Middleton cross.

    Then as the Fir Park side repeatedly failed to clear the ball from their own half a Liam Craig drive from 25 yards whistled narrowly past the post when it looked like it might silence the home crowd.

    Four minutes from the break, ‘Well’s final attack summed up the first half. Watt’s break down the right ended with his fierce low cross into a packed box only for the ball to ricochet from Goss and bounce wide of Clark’s goal.

    There were no changes in personnel at the break but both sets of fans were hoping for a bit more constructive football in the second half and bit more action around either goal.

    Although Saints started the more positive, ‘Well proved more clinical grabbing a second goal after 55 minutes. Solholm, who had an impressive 90 minutes both in the air and on the deck, sent a through ball towards Saints’ box.

    With Jamie McCart and Van Veen in pursuit, the ‘Well striker wriggled clear of the defender, switching the ball to his left foot before poking the ball through Clark’s legs to put the home side in a commanding position.

    With Saints pushing forward in search of a goal to get back into the game, Kelly produced his first save in the 69th minutes, rising to palm Callum Booth’s 15-yard drive over the bar.

    After running the Saints defence ragged for 75 minutes and claiming the fourth goal of the season, Van Veen was replaced by Connor Shields as Graham Alexander was intent on keeping Saints occupied at the back.

    Some eight minutes later the ‘Well boss decided to settle for what he had, reinforcing his defence with the introduction of Jake Carroll for Watt.

    By that stage, though, with Kelly’s goal well protected, the points were firmly in the bag.

    Motherwell: Kelly, O’Donnell, Solholm, Mugabi, McGinley, Donnelly, Cornelius, Goss, Woolery, Van Veen, Watt.

    Subs: Fox, Carroll, Grimshaw, Slattery, Roberts, Amaluzor, Shields.

  • First team

    Sean Goss on getting his ‘buzz’ back for football

    Sean Goss on getting his ‘buzz’ back for football

    Ever been in a lift with Louis van Gaal?

    It’s safe to assume it can be an intimidating experience on the best of occasions. Yet for Sean Goss, it was an occasion which the man himself says caused his “stomach to drop”.

    The venue was the Manchester United team hotel in Chicago in July 2015, just hours before the Old Trafford club’s glamour match with Paris St Germain at Soldier Field.

    A young Goss, brought along on United’s American tour, found himself in the elevator on the way down for his pre-match meal, staring at the imposing figure of his iconic Dutch manager.

    “I was in the lift going down to pre-match and Van Gaal was in there,” the midfielder recalled.

    “He just looked at me and said ‘You will play minutes tonight. Be ready’. My stomach just dropped and I couldn’t eat anything.”

    And indeed he did play.

    In a 2-0 defeat – with goals from Blaise Matuidi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic doing the damage in the first half – Goss would come on to replace Michael Carrick for the final 10 minutes in front of a bumper crowd, seeing the match out alongside the likes of Wayne Rooney, Antonio Valencia and Daley Blind.

    For the boyhood United fan, it was a debut and moment for him, and a special member of his family, to savour.

    “She actually went to every tour game,” Goss told ManUtd.com back in 2015. “She told me afterwards that she booked the time off last year just in case I was in the squad. I had no idea she’d done that.

    “My dad couldn’t get the time off work unfortunately so my mum travelled all round on her own and came to all the games. I kept in touch with her throughout and it was good to know she was there on my debut. She said she was in tears when I came on.”

    It was just one of a series of “pinch me” moments for the now Motherwell midfielder, who joined as a teenager from Exeter.

    “It always feels like a crazy moment in my life when I look back on it,” he said. “At the time I was just trying to concentrate on my football but I was a Man United fan when I was growing up.

    “It all changed when Van Gaal came in. He took quite a liking to me, so I was training with the first team. In that first season, I was lucky enough to go away with them on the America tour.

    “It was so surreal watching these guys when you are growing up, then before you know it you are training with them and playing with them. It’s a crazy experience.

    “The first day I was there and seeing Rooney, Carrick. I remember thinking that they were just normal people, but obviously they were right at the top of their game. Obviously, I was nowhere near that when I was at Exeter. It’s also little moments like seeing Sir Alex [Ferguson] as well.

    “I was lucky enough that my first year was his last, so I got to see he used to be around the place and witness the kind of impact he had. Even the likes of Sir Bobby [Charlton] coming into the changing room after the games. Even things like them knowing everyone’s name. It can sound so simple but it meant so much.

    “Thankfully we won the league that year so I didn’t get to witness any hair-dryer treatment from Sir Alex.”

    Goss’ journey to Chicago and the lift of destiny began in Germany. Born there with both his parents in the army, he spent the first eight years of his life there before coming back to the United Kingdom.

    Soon he was snapped up for the youth ranks of Exeter City, before eventually moving on eight years later to Manchester United in 2012.

    Goss has already admitted it was a massive culture shock, but it would be the start of a five-year learning curve as his footballing education was ramped up.

    After penning a two-year deal with Motherwell at the start of the season, there’s a permanent reminder of those halcyon days in Manchester sitting in the berth next to him in the Fir Park home dressing room.

    “He can’t get enough of Burnley,” joked Goss of Liam Grimshaw, the Motherwell team-mate who was a year above him at Carrington. “That and his horse racing.

    “He was a year above me [at Manchester United]. When I was 15 I remember being at a tournament in Amsterdam, he was at as well. So when I signed as an under-18 he was there. We know each other really well and were always really friendly back then.

    “It’s quite nice that we’re now sat next to each other in the changing room at Motherwell all these years on. It helps massively settling in when you know someone.”

    The welcoming nature is a point Goss goes on to stress as the key factor for bedding in so well at Fir Park.

    The former Queens Park Rangers man has been in Lanarkshire since August but had to wait until last week until finally moving into his apartment.

    It doesn’t take long for the novelty of living out a hotel room to wear off at the best of times, and that’s before introducing bedding into a new place of work, being away from home or Covid-19 into the mix.

    Yet Goss insists his new team-mates have rallied around him in the recent weeks and months, although the thought of sampling some of their home cooking hasn’t been something that he’s called upon.

    “I’m not bad at cooking for myself, to be fair. Grimmy would probably try and make me some pie and mash or a hotpot stew.

    “The first few weeks were quite hard. I only got into my place last week, so I’ve been here this whole time without an apartment. But the lads have been brilliant with me.

    “There’s a coffee club, I love my golf but I’ve not got my winter gear. The boys are always planning something, even in small groups or playing the PlayStation. I think it would have been a lot harder if you didn’t have that kind of group of players. It could have been really quite tough.”

    Of course, this is not Goss’ first experience in Scottish football.

    Back in 2018, he joined Rangers on loan from QPR, going on to make 13 appearances for the Ibrox side. The following year he was back in Scotland, this time in the blue of today’s opponents St Johnstone.

    However, Goss, who later joined Shrewsbury Town, does not reflect on his time in Scotland before as a truly enjoyable experience. Particularly at McDiarmid Park, where the 26-year-old says his love for the game failed to ignite.

    Now an integral part of Graham Alexander’s Motherwell machine, the man born in Wegberg is loving life north of the border.

    “Having a permanent base helps massively,” he explained. “I went to Rangers and it was quite early on in my career of playing week in, week out. That was a big learning curve for me.

    “At St Johnstone, I can’t really put my finger on it. I wasn’t really enjoying my football, I fell out of love with it really. People always say when they try and sell you a club that ‘Aw it’s a real family club’. Motherwell has been the first one I’ve felt that with since I left United.

    “It’s a really tight group here from the players to the staff to the fans, it makes a massive difference. I’m really enjoying every day again.

    “There was a spell where I just wasn’t getting the enjoyment out of football in my career. But that’s now back.”

    Goss has already established himself as a favourite among the Well support. One of the reasons for that may come from his fine dead-ball delivery which has caused defences throughout the Scottish Premiership all sorts of problems this season.

    Indeed, Goss has played a part in 25% of Motherwell’s league goals this season. He is joint fourth in the top-flight assist table with four after 11 games, the same amount as former Fir Park hero David Turnbull at Celtic.

    It is a talent that continues to bring a buzz around Fir Park whenever the former United kid stands over a ball 35 yards from goal.

    “It’s always been one of my strong points,” said Goss. “The season before last I had a few more but about seven or eight headers that hit the post, I was gutted.

    “I’m just buzzing that my delivery can be a real threat. You want the fans to think you score and it gives me a buzz as well when we get an opportunity.”

    Today’s match against St Johnstone heralds the start of a hat-trick of matches that could prove to be defining for Alexander’s side.

    Motherwell sit fifth, level on points with fourth-placed Dundee United, and now have three matches prior to the January break against teams all lower than them in the Premiership. Two of those are at home, starting against St Johnstone this afternoon.

    Livingston, who were beaten in West Lothian, then come to Fir Park on Boxing Day, while a trip to Ross County, who were defeated at Fir Park back in September.

    It is understandable the Steelmen will not be taking anything for granted, but full points could take Motherwell, who are just five points off Hearts in third, deep into the territory of serious contenders for a European spot.

    The frustration from last weekend’s defeat at Celtic Park may well no longer be lingering. A valiant performance, especially in the first half, went unrewarded as the visitors were undone just before the break with a training ground free-kick.

    While not getting carried away, Goss is confident about Motherwell’s credentials and their ability to get back to winning ways swiftly.

    “We’ve shown what we can do in games. It’s about getting that consistency,” said the midfielder.

    “We’ve got a really good squad. We train well and I think we play well, and it shows how strong the squad is that if someone drops out you don’t really notice a difference.

    “We have shown against Aberdeen, Dundee United and Hibs what we can do. We need to show that in every game. Hopefully, that will be reflected in the league table at the end of the season.”

    Sean’s interview is taken from the latest edition of the Motherwell FC match programme. Get yours from sellers around the ground before Saturday’s match with St Johnstone, or buy online here.