| 2 | Celtic | 22 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 18 | 44 |
| 3 | Rangers | 22 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 17 | 44 |
| 4 | Motherwell | 22 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 37 |
| 5 | Hibernian | 22 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 35 |
| 6 | Falkirk | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | -5 | 30 |
Striker Dionne Brown has left the club to pursue opportunities elsewhere.
A late addition within the January transfer window, Brown joined the club following a prolific stint in SWPL2, and sought to add competition within the forward line, but will now leave ML1 in search of regular first-team action.
We thank Dionne for her efforts at Motherwell and wish her well for the future.
Post-match reaction from Jens Berthel Askou on the 1-1 draw with Hibernian at Easter Road.
The manager discusses the performance as well as Jordan McGhee making his long-awaited debut.
Motherwell picked up a point at Easter Road on Saturday afternoon, as Kieron Bowie’s finish cancelled out Tawanda Maswanhise’s opener.
Jens Berthel Askou made two changes, one of which was enforced. Elliot Watt came out the side due to a knock, with Oscar Priestman rotated in. Tom Sparrow also came into the starting 11 in place of Callum Slattery.
Jordan McGhee returned to the matchday squad for the first time since August, as he looked to make his debut for the club. With Watt missing from the squad, and Regan Charles-Cook and Callum Hendry also absent, the Motherwell supporters were filled with even more concern when Stephen O’Donnell had to come off after just 20 minutes. He was replaced by Johnny Koutroumbis.
Both sides were keen to move up the league table going into this match, and with Hibernian knowing a win would mean they leapfrogged the Steelmen, they looked to open the scoring in the first period.
Jordan Obita blazed over the bar on the 22nd minute, in what was the best sight of goal for either side so far in the match. Obita was then involved again just four minutes later when his cross found Élie Youan in the penalty box, but the Frenchman couldn’t convert with his head.
That opportunity seemed to liven Motherwell up as they began to see more of the ball and control the flow of the game. Tom Sparrow did well to nutmeg his opponent before cutting inside and smashing a left-footed effort goalward that Raphael Sallinger had to save.
Just after the half-hour mark, Maswanhise was hacked down outside the penalty box, and from a central position, Elijah Just tried his luck, but Sallinger was equal to the effort.
Maswanhise was growing into the game and becoming a real handful. His amazing run caused the Hibernian backline all sorts of problems; he jinked into the right-hand side of the penalty box, faked a shot and blasted on target with his left foot, as Sallinger was called into action once again.
That was the last big chance of the first half and as the sides returned for the second, it didn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken. With just three passes from Calum Ward’s penalty box, the ball made its way to Maswanhise via Just and Ibrahim Said. The Zimbabwean moved the ball onto his right foot and slotted it low into the bottom left corner.
The 1500 travelling crowd were jubilant as Maswanhise scored his 15th goal for club and country this season. 1-0 Motherwell after 52 minutes.
Said was then fouled on the edge of the box ten minutes later, as the Steelmen smelt the opportunity for a second. Emmanuel Longelo was given the ball, and his left-footed effort only just grazed Sallinger’s crossbar.
Unfortunately for Jens Berthel Askou’s side, that missed chance would prove costly as Bowie found the equaliser from Hibs’ biggest chance of the second half. A cross-field ball found Obita on the left-hand side; he drove forward and played the ball towards Bowie, who will count himself fortunate, as he swiped his left foot at the ball but didn’t connect. Fortunately for him, the ball remained in his possession, and he had the simple task of firing into the net past Calum Ward. 68 minutes, 1-1.
Motherwell, however, continued to work hard and tried to create more opportunities. A short corner was eventually worked to Callum Slattery; his teasing cross found Said, but the Nigerian couldn’t keep the effort on target.
The Steelmen continued to push. Slattery controlled Koutroumbis’ cutback on his chest and let go with his left foot, but the ball was always rising.
Motherwell had one more big opportunity to win the match in stoppage-time. Slattery again found space on the right-hand side and crossed into the box; following Hanley’s half clearance, Maswanhise couldn’t connect with the ball this time. Said managed to touch the ball to Longelo, and the left-back was denied the winner by Sallinger once again.
A strong showing from the Steelmen, who keep up the pace with those at the top end of the table, and they can now focus on Scottish Cup action against Ross County next Saturday at Fir Park.
Motherwell Team: Ward, Sparrow, O’Donnell, Welsh, McGinn, Longelo, Fadinger, Priestman, Just, Maswanhise, Said.
Motherwell Subs: Connelly, Koutroumbis, McGhee, Gordon, Slattery, McAllister, Osong, Ross, Stamatelopoulos.
Motherwell entered the hectic winter schedule brimming with confidence and energy. Taking on Falkirk, Livingston, Dundee United, Dundee, Rangers and Celtic, it could be a season-defining month for the Steelmen.
Extending their unbeaten run in the league to ten matches, going seven games in the league without conceding a goal and answering the critics who questioned whether the side were able to produce a statement win, the Motherwell squad continued to thrive.
By the end of 2025, the feel-good factor had never been higher at Fir Park. And with January just around the corner, the successful December will have done the team no harm.
We are sad to announce the passing of our former Chairman John Chapman at the age of 93.
A lifelong supporter of the club, John joined the Executive Board at Fir Park in 1981, where he served five-and-a-half years before being appointed Chairman in 1987.
At a time when the club was navigating tricky waters from a financial point of view, John began to steady the ship, and by 1990, he had successfully cleared all outstanding debt the club had, securing Motherwell Football Club’s future and stabilising its finances.
His leadership allowed the club to build ambition in a sensible and stable manner, which was highlighted when the club lifted the Scottish Cup in 1991.
Success on the pitch was prominent, but John didn’t stop there and began to devise plans to improve Fir Park for supporters, converting out-of-date terracing into all-seater stands.
Our Chairman for ten years, before stepping down in October 1997, he remained proud of his efforts to stabilise the club he loved so dearly. His dedication and years of service were marked when he was named our Honorary Life President, a title fit for the great man.
John was awarded the O.B.E. for services to the Scottish meat trade in the 1992 New Year Honours list, and his services to Motherwell Football Club will be remembered for years to come.
“The Board and staff at Motherwell Football Club are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our Honorary Life President and former Club Chairman John Chapman O.B.E,” Brian Caldwell said.
“John was a dedicated Motherwell supporter who led the club during a difficult time, but also got to enjoy the fruits of his hard work when we lifted the Scottish Cup in 1991. Fir Park became a far greater experience for supporters due to John’s ideas and plans, with the changes he implemented still important to this very day.
“John visited Fir Park last October for a match, and it was a poignant day to have him back here. He met Jens Berthel Askou and other members of staff, and it was an honour to have him at the stadium. This a very sad time for everyone associated with Motherwell Football Club and we all pass our sincerest condolences to his son Jamie, daughter Deirdre and all of his family and friends. We will support John’s loved ones during this difficult time.”
His quiet and subtle leadership was a mark of a great man, who guided our club to safety and allowed it to thrive under his leadership. It’s with great sadness that we announce his passing, and our thoughts remain with his family and friends during this very sad time.
Rest in peace, John. Thank you for everything you have done for our football club.
Lukas Fadinger says confidence his high in the camp, but the positivity has only came because of the hard work everyone has put in this season so far.
Fadinger has enjoyed playing in the heart of the team this season, and hope the success will continue in 2026.
Manager Jens Berthel Askou speaks ahead of his side’s visit to Edinburgh for the second time this season, as they look to one better against Hibernian this time round in the capital.
Amid managerial vacancies in Scotland, Askou responds to questions about his time at Motherwell so far and how much he has enjoyed his time here.
Jens Berthel Askou gave an update on the fitness of Elliot Watt and Jordan McGhee ahead of Saturday’s trip to Easter Road.
When asked about the fitness of Watt, the Motherwell manager was able to shed some light on his situation.
“After the last game, he had a problem which we are assessing,” Jens Berthel Askou stated.
“We will see tomorrow if he’s ready for the game. We’re still assessing, and we will see over the next couple of days.
“If he’s not playing on Saturday, he’ll be missed, but someone will step into his place. Until we have the final information, we’ll let the medical department get on with it and take it from there.
“Jordan [McGhee] has been training with us now, fully, for about a week. He’s been through two bad injuries, and we’re looking after him and trying to build his fitness. He’s worked extremely hard and is training well. So we’ll see when the time is right, but it’s fantastic to have him back.”
It’s time to vote for your G4 Claims player of the month for December.
Calum Ward, Elliot Watt, Paul McGinn and Stephen Welsh are all up for nomination.
To vote, head over to the Motherwell Facebook page.
Stephen Welsh’s deadline day move to Motherwell was met with delight and excitement from the Motherwell fans. The 25-year-old Celtic defender arrived in North Lanarkshire with experience of playing with the Scottish Champions, winning trophies and ample experience on the big stage.
With a new style, Welsh’s upbringing in the Celtic academy has probably prepared the defender for the possession-based football the Steelmen currently play. And as we move into January, Welsh looks back fondly on his time at Motherwell so far.
“I saw the plan and vision the manager had,” Stephen Welsh explained.
“He explained it all to me in our first conversations, and when you look at the quality on the pitch and the good guys we have in the dressing room, it’s not really a surprise to see it’s working so far.
“I think we’re fully deserving of our league position. The club didn’t get top-six the last couple of seasons; right now we’re on track for that, but we’re not really looking behind us or anything. It’s just looking to see how many points we can get and see how far we go.”
Having played over 60 games for Celtic and scoring his first professional goal against Motherwell, Welsh is more than familiar with the Scottish football landscape, with perceptions and expectations for every Scottish club. So does it surprise him to see Motherwell picking up so many positive results, clean sheets and points, playing the way they do?
“It’s maybe a little bit surprising, but when you have a manager and coaches that implement style and get it over to the players in the right way, you can see how good it is,” the defender stated.
“You can see a few teams in the league struggle, maybe because they don’t have a proper style or way of playing. What the manager and coaches have done is they laid it out to the players; everyone knows exactly what we’re doing. Every single player in every position knows exactly what they should be doing.
“Honestly, if you put a forward player back one position, they would know exactly what they’re doing because we all work together every day. So, you could say there’s maybe a bit of surprise about our league position, but if you’re in the building every day, you’re not surprised. You see training, you watch how hard the boys work and how the manager operates, and it’s just worked.
“It’s been a great few months for me. I’ve loved every minute of it, and I hope it continues. The manager said he signed me because I’ve played this way ever since I was a young boy. I was told when I was young that I needed to play on the halfway line and that I needed to be good on the ball. If you’re not good on the ball, you’re not going to play for Celtic. I feel I’ve managed to bring that into the team.
“We need to be good on the ball, and we need to be brave, and having midfielders like Elliot [Watt], Lukas [Fadinger] and Oscar [Priestman], they always want to be on the ball, which is a dream for a centre-back. But also, the boys around us centre-backs, the full-backs and also Liam [Gordon] and Paul [McGinn] – have been outstanding. They’re probably not as used to being on the ball because they’ve maybe not played this way before.
“You need a manager who is going to come in and implement a style and ensure everyone knows their roles. I always think it’s a bit of a myth in Scottish football that Scottish centre-halves can’t play this way. But see, if they’re coached in a certain way, they absolutely can. We’ve got the forward players who can hurt teams; we’re just missing a few goals just now. That’s all we’re needing; Apostolos [Stamatelopoulos] and Callum [Hendry] have been magnificent for us.
“I’m sure come the second half of the season, their luck will change because we’ve had so many chances. I’d be worried if they weren’t getting any chances. We’re coming in after a game, and Callum and Apostolos are saying they should have scored a couple each! It’s a good sign, and I can see it every day in training; they’ll come good.”
Whilst the demands and expectations weigh heavy on the players individually, their spot in the starting 11 is never guaranteed due to strength and depth within the team.
“We’ve got boys on the bench that’ll come on and change a game,” Welsh added.
“It’s about competition, but it’s also a bit of security. You know that if one of the boys doesn’t have a good game, on the 60th minute someone will come on and change the game. You can see the depth we’ve got, but that comes from the training every day. The boys coming on know exactly the way we want to play, and it can only be a good thing to have the competition. Your position is never secure.”
Welsh arrived on deadline day on a loan deal until the end of the season. And every Motherwell supporter can see the desire and determination from Welsh to influence games in a positive way. The old cliché tells us to never fall in love with a loan player.
But when the defender is a consistent performer, it’s hard not to appreciate him. The interesting thing is, Welsh is also feeling the love for his temporary home.
“I’ve loved every minute so far,” he smiled.
“What helps is you’ve got a good football team, but we’ve got good people around the club too. Outside of training, it’s a great group of people I work with. They all bring positive things to the team, and I think everyone could think of a player who joins on loan and maybe doesn’t give it 100%.
“That simply wouldn’t stand in this changing room. You won’t play, you won’t be involved in matches, and it should be like that. You have to work hard, and that’s how it should be. The football has been great, but it starts with being good mates. On the pitch, you’ll help each other out, and off the pitch, you’re friends.
“The last 12 months have been really good for me. 2024 was a tough year because when you’re not fancied by a manager, it’s not easy. You come into training every day, work hard and nothing happens. There’s not much you can do. I was over in Belgium earlier in the year, and it was similar to here. When I was in there, it didn’t feel like a loan move.
“There were a lot of English-speaking players, which helped, and I was open to going back again because I loved it there. But the manager here phoned me a couple of times, and I understood what the plan was here. At the time, the team just drew every match. And I watched the games back, and I couldn’t believe they hadn’t won a game. I honestly thought they should’ve been right at the top of the table at that point.
“But that’s the level of this league. I think it gets looked down upon, to be honest; every team has got something. We struggled away to Livingston, for example. We managed to get a last-minute winner, but it was anything but easy.”
With over 65 games in a Celtic jersey, numerous pieces of silverware to his name and international experience with the Scotland youth sides, the 25-year-old may be one of the more experienced players in the setup. Despite his age, the defender has endured the highs and lows of football, and that experience could be invaluable when it comes to working with younger players.
“We’ve got some young boys in the squad, so I feel old for sure,” he laughed.
“I think the experienced boys really help. We’ve got McGinn, Gordon and O’Donnell, who play big roles in the dressing room. They’re proper leaders. You’ve got the young, hungry lads, but you’ve got the experienced heads too. The boys are on each other every day in training, which can only be a good thing.
“As long as you listen, especially to the senior players and coaching staff, it’s a massive positive. In the last 10 or 11 games, we’ve been on a good run. But where I come from, and the club I come from, it’s not a good run. It’s the standard. That’s how we should be looking at it.
“We shouldn’t be looking at games thinking we can maybe pick up some points. The next game, we need to win this game. That’s the pressure that comes with that. I know how it feels to go on these runs and go ten or 15 games unbeaten and be up at the top of the table. It’s good to have that experience in the team, and I’ve won some things. That’s the standard for us; it’s not just a good run.
“My target is to keep training every day, preparing for the next game and working towards our next target as a team. You could probably look at the points we had last season; we’re looking to reach that and keep going. I feel like we’ve played the teams ahead of us in the table and deserved more points than we got.
“I firmly believe we’re one of the best teams in this league. We play the best football, we’ve got the best coach and the best defensive structure. We had a good clean sheet run, so it’s not just a myth about our structure. It’s not just luck; it’s by design. That’s the standard now; we need to get better than where we are and look forward.”
