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  • Club

    Paycare are our new main sponsors

  • Club

    Ticket office reopen

  • Club

    Club update on Covid-19 testing

  • Club

    Buy your Motherwell v Dundee United programme

  • Club

    We’re raising awareness for missing people

  • Club

    Test your season ticket stream login

  • Club

    Willie Hunter (1940-2020)

  • Club

    Six top tips on hydration for health

  • Club

    We’re working to tackle suicide

  • Club

    Our new shorts partner Document Solutions

  • Club

    Paycare are our new main sponsors

    Paycare are our new main sponsors

    Paycare are the new front of shirt sponsors of Motherwell Football Club.

    A leading not-for-profit organisation which provides cashback on everyday healthcare costs, as well as wider mental, financial and physical support, Paycare move from our back of shirt partners to become the main name on the front of our first team jerseys.

    “Paycare are absolutely delighted to continue our support of this amazing community club,” Kevin Rogers, CEO of Paycare, said.

    “As a not-for-profit organisation, Paycare’s mission is to do whatever we can to improve the lives of people in our communities and there is no better partnership for us than with a club like Motherwell, that is truly at the heart of its community.

    “We are excited to continue our work with the club, which started two years ago, to improve the health and wellbeing of its supporters and the wider community of North Lanarkshire.”

    Paycare have partnered with our club since 2018. Having initially been our shorts partners, they moved onto the back of our jersey for the 2019/20 season.

    “We’re delighted to be expanding our partnership with Paycare to have them become our front of shirt sponsor for the next three seasons,” Motherwell chairman Jim McMahon added.

    “They share our ambitions and values, and we’ve already enjoyed a lot of success together since our partnership began in 2018.

    “We would like to thank them very much for their continued support and commitment to the club.”

    Supporters who wish to add Paycare’s logo to their shirts can do so at our club shop from Friday, 21 August.

    Priced at £5, all money after costs from every sale will be donated to the mental health charity SAMH.

    “We are very grateful to Paycare and Motherwell FC for supporting Scotland’s mental health through SAMH,” a spokesperson for the charity said.

    “In these challenging times, it’s never been more important for us all to not only look after our own mental health and wellbeing, but the wellbeing of our family and friends.

    “We’re sending a heartfelt thanks from all of us at SAMH.”

  • Club

    Ticket office reopen

    Ticket office reopen

    The ticket office at Fir Park is now reopen from 10am to 2pm, Monday to Friday.

    In line with government guidelines, there will be enhanced measures in place to keep our supporters and staff safe.

    Only one person or one household will be allowed access at any time.

    Supporters will be requested to queue outside at a two-metre distance and a hand sanitising station will be available as you enter.

    Furthermore, for the safety of our staff and yourself, the wearing of face masks is mandatory.

  • Club

    Club update on Covid-19 testing

    Club update on Covid-19 testing

    We can confirm that a first team player tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week, as part of our regular testing procedures.

    However following two further tests – one through the NHS and another through our private testing facility – he has returned negative results.

    The player has not shown any symptoms at any point.

    Despite this ‘false positive’, the player will be in self-isolation for 10 days as a precaution. He will be tested again prior to his return to training.

  • Club

    Buy your Motherwell v Dundee United programme

    Buy your Motherwell v Dundee United programme

    Our match programme will remain available to buy across the 2020/21 season.

    Although we are starting the campaign behind closed doors, you can start by purchasing your Motherwell v Dundee United programme online now and have it delivered to your door.

    Priced at £3, head to Curtis Sport and make your purchase now.

    All in-stock programme are dispatched directly from Curtis Sport’s warehouse if ordered before 4pm, Monday to Friday.

    If you want to secure your programmes for the whole of the season, you can take out a subscription to receive them all to your door, even after we’re back in at Fir Park.

    Priced at £95, head to Curtis Sport and buy your subscription now.

  • Club

    We’re raising awareness for missing people

    We’re raising awareness for missing people

    We’ve teamed up with Paddy Power to launch a new campaign to help find missing people by filling a stand at Fir Park with ‘missing’ fans.

    In the time it takes to watch a football match, 35 people are reported missing in the UK.

    As Scottish Premiership action returns home this weekend, our south stand has been filled with the same cardboard cutouts you’ll have seen at games across Europe and that we have in our Cooper Stand.

    But, rather than showing the faces of cheering supporters, the Paddy Power cutouts are instead completely blank.

    That’s to represent the thousands of people across the UK, that are missing from their families – rather than just football.

    Spread across the stand, 1,190 silhouetted cut-outs have been installed by Paddy Power in time for our first home game of the season against Dundee United on Saturday.

    As part of the campaign, which is in conjunction with the charity Missing People, the silhouette stand will remain in place until fans return to the stadium.

    Spokesman Paddy Power said: “We all know fans are missing from football at the moment, but some are missing from wider life, too.

    “We hope this campaign, and striking image, can spark conversations across the country – as the majority of our customer base are young men, the demographic that’s most at risk of going missing.”

    Jo Youle, chief executive of Missing People, said: “This is a highly visible and needed opportunity for families in communities across the UK to raise awareness of their missing loved one – at a time when it is so hard to search due to Covid-19 restrictions.

    “We will also be getting the message out via Paddy Power stores to reach a key group of people at higher risk of going missing: men aged 18 to 39.

    “Important funding through this partnership will help more than 500 people in crisis through 24/7 support on our helpline (116 000), at a time when more people than ever are needing that support.”

    Suzanne Reid, head of commercial at Motherwell FC, added: “The club is delighted to support this campaign and the work of Missing People.

    “We hope the display helps raise awareness of the help that is available from the charity.”

    ABOUT MISSING PEOPLE

    Missing People supports people who are thinking about going missing, have gone, or after they return – and their loved ones. Our services give people the opportunity to talk through how to stay safe, connect them with a place of safety, and signpost them to additional local or national support services, if required.

    Missing People is one of a handful of charities providing a special Helpline assigned by Ofcom to protect the wellbeing of people in great difficulty. We are the only provider working with high-risk groups affected by ‘missing’ across the UK. We work in partnership with police forces, who refer vulnerable missing people and their relatives to our essential support services.

    If you have been affected, you can access support by calling of texting Missing People on 116 000. It is free, confidential and 24/7. Or visit missingpeople.org.uk.

  • Club

    Test your season ticket stream login

    Test your season ticket stream login

    We’re testing our live streaming service ahead of our first season ticket holder match this weekend.

    To make sure everyone is set up to watch Saturday’s game with Dundee United, we are asking you to log in to your account between 5pm and 8pm on Wednesday 5 August.

    When you sign in, click on the test event. You’ll see a preview video which tells you your login has been successful.

    If you experience difficulty logging in during this time, immediate help will be on hand by emailing tvsupport@motherwellfc.co.uk.

    Everyone who buys a season ticket before 2pm on Wednesday 5 August will be enrolled and able to log in. If you buy after this time, we will invite you separately to test your account.

    All season ticket holders will receive an email on Wednesday afternoon confirming your login details.

    How to sign in to the test

    First, head to live.motherwellfc.co.uk. Have your season card ready.

    Then press sign in in the top right corner and enter your details using the following example:

    Username: firstname-surname-customernumber
    Password: customernumber

    For example, Joe Bloggs’ customer number on his season ticket is 24141.

    He would sign in as joe-bloggs-24141
    His password would be 24141

    Please change your password after you sign in for the first time.

    Your customer number is displayed on your season card. If you don’t know it, please send a private message to @MotherwellFC on Twitter.

    If you have more than one season ticket in your family, you will each have your own login details. You may only receive one email if you share an email address on our system.

    If you have two first names on your season card, for example your name is Peter John Morrison, then please put a space between your first names in your username.


    For as long as we are playing behind closed doors or in front of reduced crowds at Fir Park, you’ll have access to this service free of charge.

    It’s important you don’t share your details with anyone else. Your stream will only work for one person at a time.

    We can’t wait to see you back at Fir Park soon.

    If you’ve any other questions or need help with the streaming service, please email tvsupport@motherwellfc.co.uk.

  • Club

    Willie Hunter (1940-2020)

    Willie Hunter (1940-2020)

    It is with regret that we learned of the death of former player Willie Hunter on Sunday at the age of 80.

    Hunter, or Billy to his friends and family, would become the darling of every Motherwell fan of a certain generation.

    Following a few years of typical Motherwell Football Club inconsistency, which included relegation, a major decision was taken between the boardroom and the manager’s chair during the summer of 1956.

    After a year in the Fir Park hotseat, Bobby Ancell implemented a policy of no longer signing ready made “seasoned” football players from other clubs, and going back to pursuing a strategy of developing talented youngsters from Scotland’s central belt in true Motherwell tradition.

    Of course this was a philosophy that had worked well in previous generations, which included producing league winners Stevenson, Ferrier and McFadyen.

    That close season would see the first moves to support the new thinking at Fir Park. Youngsters Bert McCann, William Cowie, Pat Holton and ‘keeper Alan Wylie all arrived from Queens’ Park, Kilsyth Rangers, Hamilton Accies and Penicuik respectively.

    To make way for the intake of exciting talent, nine players were freed including some Motherwell legends such as Wilson Humphries and Willie Redpath, who between them had made over 620 appearances for ‘Well, scoring 131 goals and winning the League Cup, the Scottish Cup, as well as delivering a Division B Championship.

    Whilst the named four signings went on to contribute to a decent season for the Fir Parkers, it was probably the youngster who had signed on from Edinburgh Norton, a year later that would go on to make his name in claret and amber shine more brightly than the others.

    That man was the aforementioned William Hunter.

    Within months it had became clear that the manager had snapped up a dazzling footballer who was both a brilliant ball player and a determined performer.

    As Willie was coming through Fir Park’s front door, another couple of Motherwell legends were heading out. Willie Kilmarnock and Johnny Aitkenhead had been at the club for 30 years between them, and when they left the average age of the first team dropped dramatically from 31 to 25.

    Willie began his Motherwell career playing, and starring, for the Fir Park reserves alongside fellow teenager Ian St. John.

    Such was the friendship that the young duo struck up “Sinjy” would often spend his Saturday nights in Edinburgh staying over with Hunter until the following day.

    On the Sunday afternoons they’d often play matches on waste ground against neighbouring “streets”, cultivating a partnership that would terrorise Scottish football for years to come. The highly enjoyable Sunday kickabouts came to a premature end the afternoon that the ball flew over a fence, and when the young laddie Hunter went to retrieve it, he found his manager Ancell holding the ball.

    Somebody had ‘grassed’ the young teammates in, and that was the end of the fun.

    Weeks later, he was brought into the first team at Dens Park in mid-October 1957. Although the result didn’t go to the liking of the travelling ‘Well fans, they had taken some solace from the performance of the young Edinburgh lad who had made the jump from amateur football to top division action within a couple of months with ease.

    His first appearance on Fir Park came a fortnight later when Falkirk visited and left with the points following a 5-2 defeat of the hosts. Despite the loss, the name of Willie Hunter was on the lips of every Motherwell fan as they made their way home the wet Saturday evening.

    His first goal came at Parkhead in April when netted the opener in a thrilling 2-2 draw between the teams. Eleven appearances for Motherwell was a good debut season for Hunter, as he tried to earn a berth in a terrific developing Fir Park squad under the guidance of Ancell.

    The summer of 1958 saw the last of the 1952 cup winners leave with the departures of Charlie Cox, Andy Paton and Archie Shaw, which brought the average age down again to a little over 22.

    When the team was announced for the opening day of the new season at home to Partick Thistle, Hunter’s name was included. Although it was goals from Ian St. John, twice, and Jim Forrest which won the game, it was Hunter who was man of the match having produced a sublime display.

    The start of the season had been promising, with only one defeat in the first six fixtures before Third Lanark arrived in North Lanarkshire. The team that day would always be remembered as a typical Ancell Babes XI: Hastie Weir, McSeveney, Holton, Aitken, Martis, McCann, Hunter, Sammy Reid, St. John, Quinn and Andy Weir.

    The Babes were on fire that afternoon, winning 8-1 as the Fir Park crowd began to realise their favourites were developing into something very special indeed.

    The young inside forward Hunter only missed four games in that season, scoring 13 goals, which saw Motherwell narrowly miss out on the league title.

    International honours were also on their way, with eight players being recognised in various squads, including Hunter who was capped for the Scottish league.

    Willie had become a forward of uncommon grace, which had won over the Motherwell fans with performances that could not be measured merely in goals and assists, but that glistened with the flair of an artist who could deceive defenders with a subtle touch or shimmy.

    The following season saw ground improvements at Fir Park raising the capacity to 40,000 and a training pitch at the Motherwell stadium to help protect the Fir Park surface, keeping it in top condition instigated by Ancell’s football ideals.

    Once again the Babes delighted people the length and breadth of the country, with Hunter an integral part of the team. Indeed Willie only missed one competitive game, a Scottish Cup firs round rout of Highland League side Keith, netting another seven times.

    Whilst it was another good season for the club, finishing fifth, it was arguably two glamour friendlies in April that summed up the season for the Fir Park faithful.

    18,000 punters clicked through the Fir Park turnstiles to see Athletic Bilbao despite torrential rain hammering down throughout the 90 minutes. A delightful Willie Hunter goal put Motherwell two goals up after just 25 minutes, before the visitors stunned the large crowd by levelling before the interval.

    However, an Ian St. John shot two minutes into the second period was enough to give the home side a deserved win.

    A couple of weeks later, it was Brazilian giants Flamengo who turned up at Fir Park on the back of an impressive 5-0 win over Manchester United. After the visitors opened the scoring six minutes in, the 25,000 crowd were saluting a wonderful goal by Hunter which seemed to inspire the Steelmen.

    A St. John hat trick and a Pat Quinn penalty were soon forgotten when Hunter produced a sublime finish to leave the Fir Parkers 6-1 up, and thoroughly entertaining a by now ecstatic home support.

    Another hat trick by St. John left the Brazilians shell-shocked as Motherwell trooped of the pitch having trounced the tourists 9-2. At the end of that season there was a definite air of disappointment that such a talented outfit could only finish fifth despite many memorable displays throughout the campaign.

    These inconsistencies remained over the next couple of years with fifth and then ninth place finishes, however it didn’t deter Hunter from turning in impeccable displays week in and week out.

    Only four games were missed by the Motherwell magician over these two seasons as he became a model of consistency within a talented squad. His good run of form came to an abrupt end in October 1962 at Fir Park during a 2-0 defeat to Celtic, when he fractured his forearm which kept him out of action for a full calendar year, where his recovery had to be aided with a bone being taken from his hip.

    When eventually he was welcomed back into the first team, it was amid a seven-goal thriller at Fir Park with the Steelmen edging out the visiting Hibees.

    Sadly his fitness lasted barely a month before he was back in the physio room, where he remained for the rest of that campaign. Season 1964/65 saw Willie getting back to his best, in an albeit declining Motherwell side, with 30 appearances before injury struck again in March 1965, leaving him sidelined once more until the December of that year.

    By the time he was available for selection to Ancell, Motherwell were struggling having only won twice in the league, and firmly entrenched in a relegation battle.

    Almost immediately the Fir Parkers saw an upturn in their fortunes with their talisman back in the fold, winning 10 games to finish 13th in the 18-team top division.

    The new season, in the wake of England’s World Cup triumph, would be Hunter’s last at Fir Park. Despite a 5-0 win over St. Mirren in Paisley, with Bobby Campbell scoring all five goals and hitting Dunfermline for six at Fir Park with Dixie Deans scoring a treble and Hunter notching a double, things weren’t looking great for the Steelmen as New Year approached.

    Hunter scored his final goals in claret and amber down at Somerset Park in March 1967 in a exciting 3-3 draw, before his final game at home to Hearts on the last game of that season, a game in which Deans scored the only goal.

    Relegation had never been a real threat that season, but it was obvious to everybody that an end of an era was upon us, and Ancell left for Dundee.

    Always amongst the goals for Motherwell, Hunter had in fact laid on far more than he had scored, which was a proud claim since he bagged more than 50 competitive goals for the Steelmen.

    Whilst at Fir Park he won three full Scotland caps, four Under 23 caps and four appearances for the Scottish League.

    The only black spot in his glittering Fir Park career was a string of troublesome injuries that prevented Hunter from hitting the 300 mark for appearances. He finally left North Lanarkshire in 1967, when Detroit Cougars paid £14,000 for his signature as the inaugural North American Soccer League was about to kick off.

    A little more than a year later, after the Cougars had folded, Willie came back home to his local club, who he’d always supported, when Hibernian snapped him up.

    Willie Hunter was a inside Ffrward who usually played on the left hand side, with the experience and knowledge of playing as a winger; a real craftsman, skilled in ball control and distribution.

    His coup de grace though was a marvellous body swerve, better according to many aficionados of the time, than the legendary Gordon Smith. After his playing career had come to an end following a brief stint in South Africa, Willie was appointed assistant manager to his friend and fellow ‘Well legend Ian St. John at Portsmouth.

    After three years on the south coast he took the opportunity to manage Queen of the South in 1978, which didn’t last long before his final stint as a manager took him to Inverness as he took over the reins of Caledonian in the Highland League.

    After he finished with the beautiful game, Willie showed he was just as comfortable with a pen as he had been through the years with a ball, writing a book about a trek his wife and he had made.

    More recently, Willie spent some time being an ambassador for Football Memories, the charity that seeks to help those with dementia find a link to the past through reminiscence of games, memorabilia and photographs.

    Willie had a brilliant football career in what was undoubtedly a tough school. His generous gifts to the game gave him little financial rewards, yet he continued to give to the game and his colleagues afterwards.

    He was a man of substance and opinions, who was the subject of much praise from those who played with, against, or indeed, watched him.

    This magical footballer was perhaps the most complete ever to pull our famous colours over his head, and is someone this club is proud to have played a large part in his life.

  • Club

    Six top tips on hydration for health

    Six top tips on hydration for health

    We are always being told to drink more water, but is it as important as we think?

    As we head into the summer months, with warmer weather on the rise, it gives us a great opportunity to bring our attention back to the basics around water and how increasing our intake can have hugely positive benefits to both our physical and mental health and wellbeing.

    Our partners Paycare have the following advice on the impact of keeping hydrated and drinking plenty of water has on our mental health.


    “Water is one of the key contributing elements that allow us to thrive,” Paycare’s wellbeing manager and mental health first aid trainer at Paycare, Kerry, explains.

    “Drinking the recommended amount of water every day is essential for taking care of our mental health. Dehydration can rapidly impact on how we think and feel, suggesting that there could be mood cognitive consequences.

    “We can often sometimes associate lack of drinking water with thirst, however, by the time you are thirsty, you have already hit a potential mood change. This of course, can then have an impact on work, concentration and potentially relationships too. Drinking enough water keeps our brain and overall health in check.”

    With water making up nearly two-thirds of our body – keeping our water levels up is a must, making it essential for our body to function properly.

    So we can explore the physical benefits of staying hydrated, this month we’ve teamed up with, friend of Paycare and healthcare expert, Laura Butler of WelLBe Coaching, who provides us with 6 top tips to staying hydrated.

    “Water influences and supports all of the vital systems in the body, meaning that the benefits of upping our intake are quite literally, endless,” she said.

    “Everything from increased brainpower to providing energy, promoting healthy weight management, flushing out toxins, improving complexion, boosting the immune system, preventing headaches, lubricating your joints and much more. In fact, quite often when you think you are hungry, you are actually dehydrated and craving water.

    “But how much is enough and what if you don’t like the taste? Here are my 6 top tips when it comes to increasing your water intake successfully.”

    How much should I be drinking?

    Depending on your unique body size, the amount of water your body requires will vary greatly, however the national recommended amount is between two to three litres per day.

    This can be affected by how much exercise you do, the more you sweat the more you need to re-hydrate, how much caffeine you drink, try going one for one on caffeine and water and whether you are in a hot climate. Super-hot summers require more water.

    How do I know I am drinking enough?

    Well, it seems a little graphic but when your urine is on the light side. If you’re going to the toilet and your sample is dark and there’s not much of it, then you’re likely not drinking enough water.

    If you have to empty your bladder about every two or three hours then you’re about right, but if you’re going constantly, you could be drinking too much water.

    Take note, when you first start to increase water consumption, you WILL need to go to the bathroom more often than you’re used to, but that will only last for a few days and then the body will adjust.

    Pimp your water

    I meet a lot of people who struggle early on to drink 2 litres of water au naturel every day, if this is you, here are my favourite ways to make water more exciting:

    • Add slices of lemon, lime, cucumber or orange to water
    • Apple cider vinegar
    • Add mint leaves to water
    • Use a fabulous drinking glass or goblet
    • Heat water and drink with lemon
    Make water a habit

    When you first try to increase your water intake you may find that even with the best intentions you can forget to drink your target amount throughout the day, but keep going.

    It takes time to embed a new habit and you can do yourself a favour by setting water reminders on your phone, leaving glass bottles of water in your car, on your desk, at home.

    Or keep a lovely jug of filtered water in your fridge at home or near your workspace containing the amount of water you want to drink each day or a time marked water bottle.

    Start the day the healthy way

    Drinking water first thing has so many health benefits including boosting your metabolism, especially if it is warm with a slice of lemon.

    I always recommend one to two glasses of water first thing in the morning. You’ve been asleep for six to 10 hours, so it’s time to hydrate. This can even replace morning coffee, as rehydrating the body and brain will lead to clearer thinking and better energy.

    Filtered water

    Filtering water improves the taste and smell of water, often by reducing chlorine, which is added to kill harmful bacteria. Some filters can also reduce other contaminants such as lead, benzene, MTBE, chloramines, and PCBs.

    There are many types of water filters as well as many types of water filtering technologies. Finding the “best one” depends on the amount of space you can afford to clear out for it, your budget, and the specific water contaminants in your area.

    If you can’t access a filter for your water, then let drinking water stand at room temp for an hour or more, this reduces the amount of chlorine in drinking water, as the chlorine will evaporate.

  • Club

    We’re working to tackle suicide

    We’re working to tackle suicide

    Almost one person every week dies by suicide in North Lanarkshire.

    This season, we are continuing our support of North Lanarkshire Council’s efforts to save lives.

    We are working in partnership with them to help tackle suicide in local communities.

    Our players will carry the Suicide Prevention North Lanarkshire logo on their sleeves throughout the 2020/21 campaign.

    As well as other initiatives, we will also be displaying helpline information around Fir Park Stadium.

    “Mental health worries have increased for many people during the coronavirus pandemic and the need to raise awareness about suicide prevention has never been greater,” Lynne MacDonald, Suicide Prevention Lead Officer at North Lanarkshire Council said.

    “Motherwell FC are long-standing partners in our campaign to prevent the tragedy of suicide in our communities. The club has always embraced the opportunity to raise awareness around this very sensitive subject.

    “Football provides a platform for reaching out to people. By displaying the suicide prevention logo on their strips, people across the county will see it.

    “We are so grateful to everyone at Motherwell FC for supporting this campaign. This partnership provides a visible and positive step towards improving the mental health and wellbeing of people across Scotland.”

    Alan Burrows, chief executive of Motherwell FC, added: “It is important to us as a club, and a central part of this community, to continue our support for this initiative.

    “Suicide affects so many families in this area and has had a direct impact on young supporters’ families in recent months. We want everyone to know that support is out there, and the first step towards it is to talk to someone.”

    For more information go to www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/safer or call 0800 073 0918.

  • Club

    Our new shorts partner Document Solutions

    Our new shorts partner Document Solutions

    Document Solutions are our new partners, taking pride of place on our first team shorts for the 2020/21 season.

    We’re delighted to welcome the company, who are innovative leaders within the industry of office, print and communications across Scotland and Ireland.

    Their diverse range of photocopiers, printers, MFDs and software solutions enables them to provide a ‘best fit’ solution for each client.

    “We care passionately about our clients and our staff, as well as significantly supporting many needy causes across Scotland and Ireland,” Gerry Strain, managing director of Document Solutions, said.

    “It’s really clear to me as the owner of Document Solutions that the excellent values of Motherwell Football Club in all that they do. How they conduct themselves is very much aligned with our own mission statement of honesty, integrity and trust.

    “As the club embarks upon a new season with the added excitement of European football, Document Solutions are delighted to support them fully and work in partnership with them. We wish them every success.

    “We are also keen to provide companies associated with the club some unique offerings for their business environments at extremely preferential rates and additionally, we’d like to invite supporters of Motherwell Football Club to follow us on our social media platforms for giveaways and competitions.

    “We trust that this partnership will prove beneficial for both parties and will be the beginning of a long, successful association.”

    Alan Burrows, chief executive of Motherwell FC, added: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Document Solutions as the club’s official shorts partner for the first team.

    “The company are well established in Scotland and Ireland and have premises in the Lanarkshire area, which make them a great fit for the club.

    “We’re very much looking forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”