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Bob McHugh struck four times as a strong Motherwell side romped to a 5-1 victory over St Johnstone at a freezing Fir Park.

‘Well were slightly fortuitous to lead 2-0 at half time thanks to McHugh’s bundled effort from a corner, and a penalty after Craig Moore had been wrangled to the ground by Saints keeper Clark.

Craig Thompson struck to halve the deficit for the visitors before McHugh grabbed his hat-trick from 12 yards after great work from Kallum Higginbotham.

The loanee from Huddersfield turned provider once more to set up his strike partner’s fourth, before Steven Hetherington sealed the win with a fine long range effort.

Higginbotham impressed on his first outing in Claret and Amber, as Jonathan Johansson’s fielded a number of first team regulars against the Perth side.

The experience showed from the off, but it was the visitors who should have gone ahead when Craig Thompson pulled his shot wide after Scott Gray picked up on a slack Hetherington pass to play him in.

The warning wasn’t heeded and again Thompson had the chance to put the Saints ahead against the run of play, after Zaine Francis-Angol failed to clear a ball in to the box. The number 9’s effort trundled along the six-yard box though with Hollis beaten.

While keeping the majority of possession, ‘Well failed to create many clear-cut chances, with Josh Watt and Higginbotham firing tamely at Clark. They did however make the breakthrough on 38 minutes, when a corner was knocked down in the six-yard box for McHugh to nudge over the line at the second time of asking.

Three minutes later he had the chance to double his tally, when Clark wrestled Craig Moore to the ground Greco-Roman style to concede a penalty. McHugh stepped up to fire it in to the bottom left corner, despite the keeper getting a hand to it.

The second half saw Saints briefly get back in to the match, when Thompson got his goal at the third time of asking, running through on Hollis before slotting it under the advancing goalie.

The two goal ‘Well lead was restored in style just two minutes later though, when Higginbotham turned is men inside out on the right, before driving a low cross on to the toe of McHugh, who fired high in to the net from ten yards. It was a great strike to cap his hat-trick, but he wasn’t done there, grabbing his fourth of the evening after more good work from Higginbotham.

The Huddersfield man spotted Bob’s run before weighting a great pass for him to roll under Clark to put the ‘Well 4-1 up. The win was made to look even more convincing when Steven Hetherington brought down a clearance 25 yards out, before crashing a powerful shot high in to the net to bring the scoring to an end.

The quality in Johansson’s team selection showed, and Stuart McCall and Kenny Black will have been pleased at the run out and performance of both Higginbotham and McHugh.

Steven Saunders got a solid 90 minutes under his belt as well, giving McCall a bit of a selection headache ahead of Sunday’s SPL match with Saints.

Motherwell: Hollis, Kerr (Murray – 46mins), Francis-Angol (Leitch – 46mins), Saunders, Cummins, Hetherington, Watt (Asghar – 66mins), Carswell, McHugh, Higginbotham, Moore

Subs Not Used: Stewart, Johnstone, McCafferty, Shirkie

Goals: McHugh (38), (42), (52), (73) Hetherington (81)

Bookings: Leitch

Every month this season, Cash Converters will be giving you the opportunity to present your Motherwell Player of the Month with their trophy, and now is your chance to vote for who you think deserves to receive December’s award.

All you need to do is vote for which ‘Well player you think has been the stand-out performer for December and, if you are correct, you could be chosen at random from all entries received, to congratulate our star man in person at Fir Park ahead of the next home fixture.

To cast your vote, simply visit our SPL Facebook page, or by CLICKING HERE.

The link will also give you the opportunity to enter the draw to take part in the next ‘Convert for Cash’, and the chance to sit in the dugout at Fir Park.

For the December Player of the Month – VOTE HERE.

Under 20s boss Jonatan Johansson is looking forward to getting back to football ahead of St Johnstone’s visit to Fir Park on Tuesday.

The youths haven’t been in action for a month since slipping to a 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Dundee in mid December.

With four weeks on the training pitch a mini pre-season under their belts; the former Finnish International striker can’t wait to get the lads out on the pitch again.

[pullquote]Everybody wants to show they are better than the league position they are in and also players are seeing the end of the season and are playing for contracts and first team places.[/pullquote]

He told MFC TV: “It’s a new start and after the break in the league we are feeling fresh.

“Hopefully we use that to perform a little bit better than the first half of the season.

“Fitness is always one thing you can make sure you are good enough to compete and we’ve been doing that the past few weeks. Also we set some targets to not only improve the players but to reduce the amount of goals we’ve been conceding.

“Everybody wants to show they are better than the league position they are in and also players are seeing the end of the season and are playing for contracts and first team places. Hopefully that will make us more competitive.

“If you look at the last few games St Johnstone have played they’ve fielded a few first team players. We haven’t played them this season so it will be interesting and I think it will be a good game.”

-WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVELY ON MFC TV-

Weatherseal, the SPL’s official home improvement partner, today offers Motherwell supporters the chance to meet first team goalkeeper Darren Randolph at a special event taking place at Hampden Park.

Every one of the league’s first team keepers will be present for a unique photo-call, and with them one lucky Steelman (or women) will have the chance to meet Darren and appear in the picture!

To enter simply visit Weatherseal’s dedicated competition page: http://www.insafehands-weatherseal.co.uk.

The rules are simple, but important so please read on: Entrants must be over 16 and available on the afternoon of Wednesday 23rd January to attend the event at Hampden Park. Attending goalkeeper is subject to change (in case of injury, illness etc).  Winners will be notified after 12pm on Friday 18th January.

You’re always In Safe Hands with Weatherseal as a proud partner of Motherwell FC.

Former ‘Well forward Jamie Murphy has been named Clydesdale Bank Premier League Player of the Month for December.

Murphy helped ‘Well to ten points from five games in December as they recorded three wins and one draw in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.  Motherwell began the month with an entertaining 3-2 win over Ross County, and then won by the same margin away to Hibs with Murphy scoring twice.

Motherwell then suffered a 2-1 defeat to St Mirren, however, they bounced back in style with a comfortable 4-1 win over Aberdeen, with Jamie Murphy again contributing by scoring a double for his side. Murphy’s impressive form continued as he scored in the 2-2 draw with Kilmarnock, in what turned out his last home game for the club before joining Sheffield United.

It was Murphy’s five goals and all round entertaining performances that led the panel to pick him as their Clydesdale Bank Premier League Player of the Month.

A panel of Scottish football experts chose the award winners from a shortlist which included the top three fans’ nominations from Clydesdale Bank’s football website, www.cbfootball.co.uk.

At Motherwell Football Club our aim is to provide young children with the best possible introduction to football that’s why our Mini Steelkids programme is so important to us.

Aimed at boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 5 the Mini Steel kids sessions aim to grow the child’s love of the beautiful game, and develop football skills and techniques. Just as importantly the programme aims to nurture balance, co-ordination, confidence, and sharing within a safe and fun environment.

The Mini Steelkids programme is also the first step on our player pathway that leads all the way through to the Motherwell FC first team squad.

We are looking for coaches to work within our expanding Mini Steelkids programme on a sessional basis. You will understand the needs of children, possess good communication skills and have a commitment to child development. You will also have coaching badges on the Scottish FA children’s pathway.

In return we can offer you an hourly rate of up to £10.00 per hour depending upon experience, a free ticket to Motherwell FC premier league home games, coaches training gear and the opportunity to work within and exciting environment.

Interested? Then drop us a line at community@motherwellfc.co.uk or call us on 01698 239 926.

Motherwell have taken Huddersfield Town forward Kallum Higginbotham on loan until the end of the season.

The 23-year old will be a familiar face to Scottish football fans having spent two years at Falkirk, culminating in a memorable Man of the Match performance against Celtic at Hampden in the Semi Final of the SFL Cup, winning him a move to his current club last January.

Shortly after his arrival, The Terriers parted company with boss Lee Clark and quickly replaced him with Simon Grayson. Despite making an encouraging start, the Salford-born striker found himself out the team and out on loan at Championship side Barnsley.

He has spent the first half of the 2012/13 campaign on loan again, this time at League One outfit Carlisle Utd which came to an end last month.

Subject to completing registration formalities, he will spend the remainder of the season at Fir Park, working to push the Steelmen towards the top-six and the battle for a return to European football.

[pullquote]My aim is to work my way into the first-team and hopefully help Motherwell finish as high up the table as possible.[/pullquote]

Speaking exclusively to MFC TV, the Englishman said: “I am really pleased and excited to be here and I want to thank the gaffer (Stuart McCall) and all the players for making me feel so welcome.

“Things haven’t quite worked out as well as I would have liked at Huddersfield but with eighteen months left on my deal there, this is a great opportunity to show what I can do at a great club in a strong, competitive league.

“My aim is to work my way into the first-team and hopefully help Motherwell finish as high up the table as possible.”

-WATCH HIGGINBOTHAM’S FIRST INTERVIEW ONLY ON MFC TV-

Matchday sponsorship opportunities still exist for our forthcoming matches against Dundee Utd (30th January) and Inverness CT (16th February).

Our premier package, with the high profile and level of service you would expect as the primary corporate sponsor on the day.

You and your guests will be welcomed and shown to your private dining area, the Joe Wark Lounge, for a drinks reception with a fantastic five-course meal to follow.

At kick-off time, use the private staircase to emerge at your prime centre-stand seats, where you will enjoy the match with the advantage of complimentary team lines and match programmes for all.

Half-time is time to refuel, with teas, coffees, pies and pastries in the Joe Wark Lounge, whilst acknowledgement of your sponsorship will be announced via the scoreboard, public-address system and a prominent advertisement in the match programme.

After the match, retire to your private lounge for the last time where you can debate the man-of-the-match for real over complimentary drinks. Once you’ve chosen him, he will be invited to the lounge to receive his award, a photograph of which will appear in a future matchday programme.

Your guests will leave with a lasting memento of their day in the form of a corporate gift courtesy of the club.

Package highlights:

• Available for a party of 20
• Private dining in the Joe Wark Lounge
• Complimentary Bar pre and post match
• Prime seating in the centre of the Phil O’Donnell Stand
• Complimentary programmes and team-sheets
• Half-time refreshments
• Man-of-the-match presentation
• Corporate gifts for each of your guests
• Your company logo on the front of the matchday programme
• A prominent advert inside the matchday programme
• Scoreboard and public-address system announcements
• Priority parking

Prices for the package start at £2,500+VAT. For more information or to book please contact Commercial Manager Diane Harvey on 01698 338062 or email diane.harvey@motherwellfc.co.uk. Matchball sponsorship package is also available for both of these matches plus our match v Hibernian on March 16th from just £650+vat for up to four guests.

Motherwell’s match away to Hearts, originally scheduled for Saturday 26th January, will now go ahead on Saturday 2nd March.

The fixture had to be rearranged due to Hearts’ participation in the Scottish Communities Cup Semi Final.

With both teams eliminated from the William Hill Scottish Cup, the match has been rescheduled for the first weekend in March, otherwise earmarked for 6th Round ties.

Kick-off is 3pm and ticket information will be available nearer the match.

The ‘Well Society have appointed three new board members to help them reach their target of fan ownership of the club.

Derek Watson, who works for Motherwell FC’s Community Trust, becomes the youngest member of the board at the age of 23, while Dee Cameron is the first woman on the board.

Colin Macinnes, a consultant in Clydesdale Bank’s private and bussiness banking sector, was also co-opted by the four board members who were voted into their positions in October.

The ‘Well Society, who have a 15% sshareholding in the club and will assume a controlling stake when they raise £1.5million, will now press ahead with the election of two representatives on to the Motherwell FC board.

Derek is a community engagement officer based at Fir Park and plays bass guitar in Motherwell indie band The Banter Thiefs, who will support The View on tour in February and headline their own Scottish tour in March.

He said: “My job is to build up better relationships between the Community Trust and the local community and tell people what we do.

“We are doing a lot of things from dementia cafes for older people to coaching kids from two or three years old.

“I think it’s very important that the ‘Well Society engages with the local community, especially going forward to reach the target of raising £1.5million.”

Derek has also played a central role in improving the atmosphere and colour at Mothewell games as part of a group of fans who congregate in the East Stand and follow the team across Scotland.

“Motherwell are quite a forward-thinking club and have embraced what we are doing in the East Stand,” he said. “There will be a lot of clubs who think we are not wanting these kids to make a racket and bring flags and a drum. But we have got a great relationship with the club.

“It’s very important that the younger generation are involved in the Well Society, that they have an input and are being listened to.”

Dee worked in the sponsor’s lounge at Fir Park for more than a decade until work commitments forced her to stop, and is relishing the task of getting involved with the club again.

She said: “It’s nice to have a female voice in the ‘Well Society because there’s a lot of female members.

“Kids are the future of Motherwell Football Club and we need to get kids involved in the club. If kids go then their mum and dads will want to go too.”

Dee, who lives across the road from Fir Park and is practice manager at the Glasgow-based Buckingham Clinic, added: “We are a relatively small club but we have fans with great hearts and even greater spirits.

“The targets are there and the fans can put the club on a sound financial footing for future generations.

“If we can make it a reality then we will be living and breathing and writing a new historical passage for Motherwell Football Club. I think that’s huge.”

Colin, who is originally from Hamilton but now lives in Renfrew, added:  “I first saw Motherwell back in the mid-1960s when my grandfather took me my first match.

“If we want to see that football is there for future generations then we need to make this work.

“The days of the individual benefactor are gone. It’s going to fall on individual supporters to keep their clubs going.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge. I don’t think it’s anything we can underestimate but if we want to see a successful club in the future we need to take steps.”

The three new members join chairman Graham Barnstaple, secretary Tom Feely, Brian McCafferty and Sandy Kilpatrick on the board.