| 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 |
Jens Berthel Askou discusses the latest transfer rumours surrounding his players, whilst also explaining by he has brought new striker Eythor Bjørgolfsson to the club.
Askou praises the recent home form his team have produced since October, encouraging that run to continue this weekend against Kilmarnock.
Oscar Priestman explains his reasoning behind moving to Scotland from Australia last summer. The midfielder explains what playing in Scotland has been like in comparison to his Australian football.
The 22-year-old discusses what life has been like in terms of adjusting to his new chapter.
We can confirm our fifth round match against Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup will take place on Saturday 7 February.
Kick-off is 7:30pm at Pittodrie. The match will be shown live on Premier Sports.
Both clubs were offered a night time kick off on Sunday 8 February but were in agreement that this was not a viable option for both sets of fans. We are aware that there are no trains travelling to Aberdeen past Dundee on the weekend of 7/8 February.
We sympathise with our supporters who will no doubt be wanting to travel and support the players in a crucial match. The club are running supporters buses that will be leaving Fir Park at 2:30pm and travelling directly to the stadium.
The price for a seat on the bus is £25, and you can buy online by clicking here.
Ticket details for the match have also been confirmed.
The confirmed pricing is:
You can buy your match tickets by clicking here.
Please note that postage will only be on until Tuesday 3 February at 4pm. This match will be physical tickets only.
It’s been almost a year since Jordan McGhee signed a pre-contract with Motherwell ahead of the 2025/26 season. Having put pen to paper on a deal, McGhee was excited for the next chapter in his career and was ready to pull on the claret and amber for the new season.
But what followed was a chain of events that led to McGhee being sidelined and unable to make his debut for his new club. He suffered a gruelling six months that took its toll on the 29-year-old. But staying strong and determined during the dark, lonely mornings in the gym by himself as his teammates were catching the eye of everyone in Scotland for their impressive displays, he fought to come back stronger than he was before.
Finally, his moment and reward arrived against Hibernian when he was able to come on as a substitute and register his first appearance for the club.
“It was an amazing moment, obviously,” he smiled.
“Obviously, it hasn’t been an ideal start to my career here at Motherwell, and it’s not gone how I’d have wanted it to so far, but I worked hard, and I just want to thank everyone in the club from top to bottom for being there for me and supporting me.
“That includes physios, coaches, manager and then obviously the players have been top class with me. They’ve all been understanding. Hopefully this is me over it all, and I can kick on from here.
“It’s probably been the worst six months of my life. I picked up the first injury and then lost two people in my family within the same week. Then, I got back and then needed to get surgery on a new injury. It’s been rough, but with the team doing so well on the pitch, it takes a bit of the darkness away. You’re coming into training, and everyone has a smile on their face, and you’re in a really good changing room, so it helps out a lot.
“I’ve got a great family at home with great friends, and I can rely on them all. It’s the same for every player; if you don’t have that strong network around you, it can be a dark place, and that’s why when it’s boys that are coming up from England or further, it’s imperative you make them feel welcomed because they may not have that strong group of people around them.
“I’ve had the same friends since I was young, and it’s something I’ve used throughout the low points in my career, as well as the high.”
Things looked a bit different at Fir Park when McGhee signed his pre-contract. Stuart Kettlewell was manager, St Johnstone had just knocked the Steelmen out of the Scottish Cup, injuries were plaguing the squad and results were proving difficult to come by.
Between January and the end of the season, Kettlewell would depart the club, and Michael Wimmer would become the new manager and also leave.
“There was a lot of change going on at the club, but it didn’t really faze me because I was always going to have change,” McGhee answered.
“I was coming from Dundee, a place I’d been at for six years and know inside and out. I knew I needed a fresh challenge, and once I knew Motherwell were interested, it was more a case of ‘Let’s get this done straight away.’ I knew all about the club, and I’ve got family who are Motherwell fans and stay in the area. So, it puts a bit more on it for me as well.
“It was always going to be change, and it was something that I was really looking forward to. The Gaffer has got his own style of play that I’m used to coming through at Hearts, so I’m looking forward to getting myself fully fit and keeping buying into his philosophy.”
With those managerial alterations at the club, McGhee was somewhat relieved when he first met Jens Berthel Askou and began to understand what would be expected from him.
But McGhee was always excited about joining the club, no matter who was in charge.
“There’s always the risk when it’s a new manager coming in, but my pre-contract was more of a club thing, really,” he explained.
“I knew this was the correct place for me to sort of develop as a player. I felt I could use my experience to benefit the club, and my playing style would suit the team. I spoke with the last two managers, and both came across really well, and then the gaffer came in. Everyone hit it off with him straight away, and it’s made it easy to buy into his philosophies, and we’re reaping the rewards on the pitch.
“I had initial conversations with Brian [Caldwell] about coming to Motherwell. The plans for the club were explained to me, and you can see that coming to fruition with the things going on off the field, and it’s something I buy into. Giving back to the community is important, and me being from the area, I know the history here. There’s always someone worse off than you, and this club is good at giving those the helping hand they need.”
Now back playing, the focus turns to the of the Scottish Cup and league campaigns for Motherwell, and McGhee is looking for a second cup run this season due to his absence for the semi-final match against St Mirren in November.
“The Premier Sports Cup campaign was great for the club, but it was horrible for me, I won’t lie,” McGhee added.
“I’ve been in quarter-finals numerous times in my career and then have been drawn against the Old Firm and then didn’t make it through. But it was a dark time for me, as I wasn’t back from injury, but to see the boys, the staff and the fans all putting in so much effort to get there was brilliant, and hopefully we create those memories again, and I can be a part of it and go another step further.
“Motherwell have had a good record in the cup competitions in recent seasons. Why can’t we do it again? Let’s go out there and create more memories. Ross County are a good team, and I watched their game last Friday night. League position may suggest that they aren’t doing the best this season, but the squad is competitive, and you can see they’ll be up for the fight.
“We’ll take this game like we do all games and go in looking to give it everything. It’s a game we need to win if we want to get into the next round, but they have some really good players and got a new manager bounce last week, so we need to keep doing what we’re doing and prepare properly mentally and physically, and hopefully we can get the job done.
“Your aim is to win the game no matter what competition it is; it can be friendly, cup or league. There’s no fallback for these games; it’s not something we can fix the following week, so it’s do or die in these types of matches. Everyone in this squad has that competitive streak in them, so no matter what game it is, we want to win.”
With his eyes firmly fixed on kicking on for the remainder of the campaign, McGhee feels that having watched every match in the stand so far, he has a strong understanding of the system and feels he will be able to add to the squad.
Familiar with a possession-based approach from his days at Hearts early in his career, the utility man is ready to get stuck right into the action.
“I grew up at Hearts, and our youth team manager at the time placed a lot of emphasis on not playing long balls and playing out from the back,” McGhee explained.
“Obviously came through the Scotland ranks too, playing games against European sides that try to play the way we play, so I’ve played centre-back in this style and have since played full-back and midfield. I don’t necessarily see myself in a single position; I’ll do the job wherever the manager needs me. As the weeks go by, the manager and I will end up working out where I’m needed most, but I’d imagine it’ll probably change week to week.
“I’m happy to play anywhere for this club, and I’ll give my all. The style is a big jump from what the club has been used to, but the way the manager came in, he produced presentations and adapted training to help us. It’s not a surprise it’s clicked this early because of that. Everyone goes out on a Saturday and knows exactly what they’re doing. Nothing has really changed since day one; he set out his stall, and that’s what we’ve stuck with to this point. Everyone at the club bought into it.
“We need to make sure we’re on it for the rest of the season to keep things moving forward.”
Striker Eythor Bjørgolfsson is our first signing of 2026, joining Motherwell on a two-and-a-half-year deal subject to international clearance.
The 25-year-old has arrived in Scotland following his departure from Swedish side Umeå FC, where he netted 15 goals in 29 appearances.
“Eythor’s profile has been identified by our recruitment department as a strong match for us,” Jens Berthel Askou stated.
“Watching him extensively, getting really good recommendations through our network in Scandinavia and looking at his standout data, we strongly believe that Eythor will be a valuable and strong addition to the team.
“He’s taken a different route than most younger Scandinavian talents, but his determination, resilience and steady development have led him to an exciting time in his career. We are delighted that he has chosen Motherwell FC, Fir Park and Scottish football to be his next stage.
“We look forward to seeing the output of his physicality and strong presence in the box in combination with our ability to produce chances.”
Born in Jessheim, Norway, Bjørgolfsson began his career with Norwegian side Ullensaker/Kisa IL Youth before moving to the United States to join the Kentucky Wildcats at the age of 18, where he also furthered his education.
Scoring five goals in his freshman year, which consisted of three starts and 19 appearances, he continued to thrive in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, taking his goal count to 24 for the Wildcats in total. He netted ten goals in his senior year.
Successful loan spells with Lardo FC and Vermont Green aided Bjørgolfsson in being drafted by MLS side Seattle Sounders in December 2022. Scoring six goals in ten games for Vermont Green, his career continued to travel in an upward trajectory as he made his Seattle Sounders debut against LA Galaxy in the U.S. Open Cup in May 2023 and spent most of the 2023 season with Tacoma Defiance, Seattle’s second team, where he continued to find the back of the net regularly.
In March 2024, Bjørgolfsson returned to Norway to join Moss FK in the second tier. Scoring three goals in 18 games, he joined IK Start six months later in the Norwegian top-flight before returning to Moss three months later.
His goalscoring record ensured a number of clubs were interested in securing his signature, with Bjørgolfsson opting for Umeå FC in Sweden, where, despite his side being relegated, he found the back of the net 15 times during the season. Eight of those goals came in his last five games for the club, with the forward finishing on a high by netting a hat-trick in his last game.
“I’m thrilled to be in Scotland and at Motherwell,” Bjørgolfsson said.
“Having watched the previous games, the way the team are playing is something I’m excited to be involved in. There has been so much success here so far this season, and hopefully I can make a quick impact. This is a new adventure for me, and I’m looking forward to my time here at Motherwell.
“I’ve met some of the players and walked around the stadium, and you can feel how special a place it is. I hope this is the beginning of a successful chapter for everyone involved.”
Motherwell return to league business on Saturday 24 January at Fir Park, facing Kilmarnock in the William Hill Premiership.
Kick off is 3pm.
You can buy tickets online here.
| Hunter Stand | O’Donnell, Cooper, McLean Stand | |
| Adults | £25 | £27 |
| (Over 65/ FT Student/ 18-21) | £21 | £21 |
| Young Adults (13-17) | £12 | £12 |
| 12 and under | £6 | £6 |
On Match days, the Ticket Office is open from 11am – the ticket office is open until kick-off with no pay gate facility.
If you are outside the UK, you can watch the game via Motherwell TV.
Should you be in the UK, it will be live commentary only.
Beatson Cancer Charity are collecting money via bucket collection at this match.
The beer garden will re-open for this match. Access is from 12pm.
We have been granted a licence by North Lanarkshire Council for the controlled sale of alcohol at this match between 1:30pm and 2:30pm.
These sales will be managed in full accordance with licensing regulations, with appropriate security and stewarding measures in place. The aim of this initiative is to explore how a managed approach to alcohol sales can contribute to a positive and safe matchday experience.
We’d like to remind supporters that alcohol may only be consumed within clearly designated areas and not in sight of the pitch, and all activity will be confined to clearly designated and monitored areas. Regular matchday safety protocols remain unchanged.
We hope this will add to the enjoyment of the matchday experience for supporters, and we appreciate your cooperation and support as we participate in this limited trial.
For queries, contact: Suzanne.Reid@motherwellfc.co.uk.
For the first time in Scotland, alcohol will be available during the half time interval. This will be a 15-minute period commencing from the whistle signifying the start of half time.
Motherwell made it eight consecutive clean sheets at Fir Park last time out, as they secured safe passage to the fifth round of the Scottish Cup.
Tawanda Maswanhise netted his 15th goal of the season, as the Zimbabwean international continued his impressive season. Motherwell have the upper hand against their opponents but were held to a 2-2 draw earlier in the season at Fir Park.
Kilmarnock have a new manager in the dugout, as Neil McCann was appointed manager earlier this month, replacing Stuart Kettlewell. An action-packed 1-1 draw with Livingston in McCann’s first game was followed up by a 2-1 defeat in the Scottish Cup to Dundee last weekend.
Killie are on a 16-game winless run in all competitions but have strengthened their squad already this month. The arrival of Kelle Roos between the posts should aid McCann’s limited goalkeeping options.
Tyreece John-Jules arrived on a short-term deal in the first-half of the season, but his strong displays earned him a new deal and his three goals sees him just one behind the club’s top scorers Bruce Anderson, Marcus Dackers, Ben Brannan and the injured Djenairo Daniels.
Esapa Osong has returned to his parent club, Nottingham Forest.
The forward arrived in the summer on a season-long loan deal, but an agreement between both clubs will see the 21-year-old return to the City Ground.
Osong made 10 appearances during his time at Fir Park.
“Esapa is a lovely young man who has worked hard and curiously since he arrived in the summer,” Jens Berthel Askou said.
“However, we have assessed that he needs more playing time now to accelerate his development even further.
“The communication with Owen Coyle at Nottingham Forest has been excellent all the way through, and we all hope that Saps will keep growing and make a bigger impact going forward.
“We thank him for his contribution, giving us a good start to the season, and wish him all the best taking the next steps.”
We wish Esapa all the very best for the future.
Taking a break from the William Hill Premiership, Motherwell faced Ross County in the fourth round of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup at Fir Park.
Labelled as heavy favourites against the Championship side, Jens Berthel Askou rotated his starting 11 and handed starts to Academy duo Matty Connelly and Luca Ross.
With Motherwell having over 70% of possession overall, it was largely one-way traffic for the duration of the game. The breakthrough arrived in the second half through Tawanda Maswanhise.
That goal ensured no frustrations came to the surface for Motherwell, and although Connelly had to make a late stop to deny a County leveller, the tie and result were never really in doubt as the Steelmen go marching on in the Scottish Cup.
Motherwell’s hard-fought return to action failed to reflect the scoreline, as Celtic prevailed at K-Park.
A resolute defensive display gave Motherwell a solid footing in the contest, but they couldn’t break down a structured Celtic side, who comfortably secured three-points in East Kilbride.
Claire Walsh broke the deadlock midway through the first-half before striker Saoirse Noonan doubled the visitors advantage.
Returning debutant Emma Thomson put on a particularly impressive performance, single-handedly keeping the scoreline intact, with an exceptional performance.
The young shot-stopper returned to ML1 after her loan was prematurely ended at the start of the season following a series of injuries at her parent club, Hearts.
Fellow January addition, Sophie Townsley also made her Motherwell debut, as a second-half substitute.
Celtic’s attacking threat immediately showed in the opening phase of the game, with Thomson pulling off a remarkable fingertip save to parry Maria McAneny’s long-range striker over the crossbar.
Celtic’s persistence was soon rewarded, with Walsh capitalising from a well-worked corner routine. Shortly after, Noonan drilled home from close-range to put the contest beyond doubt.
The second-half showed no signs of easing, as Celtic’s strikers pushed relentlessly for a third.
Motherwell rallied in the latter stages, with Carla Boyce latching onto a through ball in the final third, but the experienced forward couldn’t capitalise.
The 71st-minute marked the ling-awaited return of defender Jenna Penman, who received her first minutes since enduring a serious shoulder injury in the opening game of the season.
The women of steel will return to action next weekend, when they head north to face Aberdeen at Balmoral Stadium.
We will face Aberdeen away in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup.
Ties will take place on the weekend of the 7/8 February. All relevant ticketing and match information will be communicated in due course.
