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Manager Stuart Kettlewell was full of praise for Sunday’s opponents Rangers, having watched them overcome Real Betis in the Europa League on Thursday night. 

Kettlewell has reinforced the message that matches against the old firm are not Motherwell’s fight however, that doesn’t mean they will lie down and not show fight and spirit.

Stephen O’Donnell discusses his recent return to regular action and how much he has benefitted under Stuart Kettlewell.

Once a Scotland national team regular, O’Donnell says the manager’s detail and thoroughness towards his work ensures there is clear clarity when he steps onto the pitch.

With one of the most difficult matches of the season on Sunday, a trip to Ibrox, O’Donnell knows the challenge that awaits and says if Rangers are even the slightest bit off of their top form, that the Steelmen need to make the most of it.

It’s the most important time of the year for a professional football player, as they find out their ratings on the new EAFC game.

From finding out who is the fastest to who is the highest rated in the squad, the Motherwell players are shown their newest cards for the year.

Motherwell take on Rangers this Sunday at Ibrox. 

Kick off is 3pm.

How to follow the game

Ambulant supporters pay the age-appropriate price with carer free of charge. All wheelchair and ambulant supporters should contact the ticket office to purchase.

Tickets are on sale from the ticket office and online.

We have been sent physical tickets so no there will be no e-tickets available for this match, postage and collection from the Fir Park ticket office only. Postage will be available until Wednesday 20th September.

There will be no ticket sales at Ibrox. The Fir Park ticket office will be open from 10am to 12pm Sunday morning.

Tickets can be purchased online.

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.

Kit Watch

We will be wearing our home kit for this match.

Team News

Jon Obika, Calum Butcher and Mika Biereth all remain missing for this match.

Conor Wilkinson and Pape Souare are doubts. Paul McGinn returns from suspension.

Motherwell Fortunes

Despite a defeat in their last match against St Mirren, Motherwell have started brightly in this cinch Premiership campaign.

A second-half Scott Tanser volley was enough to ensure the three points went to St Mirren, however it was Motherwell who had all the chances and showed ample creativity throughout the 90.

It was the Steelmen’s first loss in the league this season and only Stuart Kettlewell’s fourth as Motherwell manager.

Last time out against Rangers, Stuart Kettlewell suffered his first defeat as Motherwell manager, when Rangers won the match 4-2. Kevin van Veen opened the scoring in the first three minutes of the match, before Bevis Mugabi drew the sides level in the second half.

Fashion Sakala scored in controversial fashion in the second half before Callum Slattery seen red for a supposed elbow on Todd Cantwell.

Opposition Report

Rangers got off to the worst possible start in the league this season, losing 1-0 to Kilmarnock on the opening weekend at Rugby Park.

Since then, the Gers have won five, drew two and lost in all competitions. They have dropped into the Europa League group-stage, where they begin their campaign at home to Spanish side Real Betis on Thursday night.

In their last outing in the league, Rangers beat St Johnstone 2-0 on the road, with Danilo and Robbi Matondo scoring, with the former picking up a head injury in the process.

With plenty new faces at Rangers this season, it has been a familiar one who has made a bright start to the season. James Tavenier is on four goals and one assist already this season. A revived Matondo will also be looking to add to his tally this season, with the Welshman on two goals and an assist in seven games.

With the September international break over, Motherwell returned to action at Fir Park. 

St Mirren made the trip through from Paisley, with the Steelmen looking to avenge the 1-0 defeat to St Mirren last month in the Viaplay Cup.

With both teams undefeated so far in the cinch Premiership, Motherwell continued where they left off prior to the break. With a continual stream of chances presenting themselves to the home side, nobody could find the breakthrough in the first half.

Those missed chances would cost Motherwell when Scott Tanser netted the opener after the interval, against the run of play.

The chances would keep coming for Motherwell with Theo Bair, Bevis Mugabi, Callum Slattery, Blair Spittal and Oli Shaw all having the opportunity to score, but nobody could.

A performance that warranted a win, Motherwell’s afternoon would be summed when substitute and debutant Georgie Gent rattled the bar with a half volley in stoppage time to somehow prevent Motherwell from getting on the scoresheet.

Stuart Kettlewell discusses today’s loss against St Mirren.

• The best we’ve played since February

• A draw would have been disappointing

• Avoiding this becoming a habit

Motherwell’s hopes of extending their fabulous unbeaten run to 11 games were ended as a rather fortunate St Mirren took all three points back to Paisley.

In a battle for second place, Stephen Robinson’s men survived a first half which the Fir Park dominated in terms of chances, before snatching the lead through Scott Tanser nine minutes after the interval.

Despite the Steelmen producing the bulk of the chances, they couldn’t find the killer touch in front of goal that would have earned them a point their efforts richly deserved.

Following some injury concerns to key players Stuart Kettlewell made only one change from the side which won at Tynecastle a fortnight ago, Shane Blaney replacing the suspended Paul McGinn.

With both sides boasting an unbeaten league record a tight contest was envisaged.

The Fir Park set the tone for the first half closing down Saints and pressing them deep into their own half.

And with Theo Bair warming to his role as target man, the Canadian’s touches released Blair Spittal and Callum Slattery on either channel.

Repeatedly the pair got in behind the Paisley side’s back three and a better final ball would have punished the visitors.

After 15 minutes Slattery’s deep cross was headed back by Spittal for the waiting Harry Paton but his firm strike on goal was blocked by Marcus Fraser with loud appeals for handball.

That move was repeated a couple of minutes later when Bair released Slattery on the right and his high cross found Spittal but from a tight angle he could only direct the ball straight at the Zach Hemmings.

A quick exchange at the edge of the box ended with Paton being blocked by Fraser. Spittal’s free kick was powerful but again straight at the waiting ‘keeper.

The ‘Well midfielder had another chance to test Hemmings following a fine pass from Lennon Miller but the Saints’ ‘keeper was well positioned too comfortably hold Spittal’s curing shot.

At this stage Liam Kelly was largely deployed as an additional defender sending searching passes deep into the visitors’ half.

The ‘Well ‘keeper was untroubled when Saints only chance of the half arrived after 30 minutes when his former team mate Mark O’Hara curled the ball high over the bar from 25 yards.

‘Well’s best chance came a minute later. A surging run from Stephen O’Donnell allowed Miller to thread a ball into Bair’s path. After advancing towards goal the striker dragged the ball beyond the advancing ‘keeper and a few inches beyond his far post.

There was still time before the interval for Bair to find Slattery who cut inside before presenting Spittal with a shooting opportunity only for his drive to be blocked.

Within a minute of the restart it was Spittal who was first to test Hemmings from 20 yards but again the Saints’ ‘keeper held firm.

A patient build up after 52 finished with Paton slashing the ball wide of target but ‘Well’s pressure a seemed likely to earn them the opening goal.

When the goal arrived, though, it was at the other end as Saints took the lead largely against the run of play.

Ryann Strain’s deep cross found Tanser lurking at the back of the six-yard area and his first time volley sent the ball racing past Kelly and into the far corner of the net.

That gave the Paisley Buddies in the Tommy McLean stand the chance to get on their feet for the first time.

They were almost silenced in the 63rd minute when Slattery’s curling free kick was sneaking inside Hemming’s left hand post until the ‘keeper at full stretch pushed the ball the behind.

As the Steelmen pushed for the equaliser Saints had chances to double their lead.

But it was the home side and Bair who passed up two chances to level. Firstly, the striker’s turn and shot from 15 yards was deflected behind. From the resultant corner Dan Casey nodded the ball down but Bair, from three yards out, could only nudge the ball to Hemmings.

That was his last opportunity as he was replaced by Oli Shaw after 78 minutes.

And within a minute the former Ross County man had an ideal chance to make it a dream home debut. But after Paton’s pass found him unmarked on the left of the penalty area, Shaw tamely side footed the ball to the waiting Hemmings.

Georgie Gent came on for his debut and his first contribution was whipping in a cross from the left which Shaw met but could only guide his header high towards goal allowing the ‘keeper to make yet another routine save.

In the final minute of regulation time, the on loan Blackburn Rover’s youngster was within inches of making it a dream debut.

His inswinging corner was only cleared as far as Paton. And when he lofted the ball back into the box it gave Gent an opening, only to watch his stunning left foot drive rebound from the underside of the crossbar and keep the Saints’ goal intact and leave the Paisley side with three points they scarcely deserved.

Our home match against Celtic will be shown live on our pay-per-view streaming service. 

The match will be available for £15.

You will be able to purchase online.

Kick off is 12.30pm on Saturday 30 September.

Brodie Spencer speaks to the press ahead of our return to competitive action against St. Mirren.

Fresh off the back of an international campaign, Northern Ireland defender Brodie Spencer is keen for redemption over the Paisley side.

“The good thing about football is you’ve always got another chance to prove yourself,” said Spencer.

“I think the lads need to do that. I wasn’t involved in the last game as I wasn’t here yet, but I think all the lads know that they need to win this time, they’re already one up on us so we can’t let them go again.

“Of course that’s very good for everyone’s confidence, but I think it’s still very early in the league, I think we need to keep our heads on and just stay grounded, humble, take each game by game and try to win every game we can.”

The Steelmen will refocus their attention back to league action this weekend following a short international break, with Spencer looking to develop upon his recent international experience.

“Going away with Northern Ireland is one of the best things ever,” Spencer explained.

“It’s everyone’s dream, so to be able to do that with the senior team is obviously unbelievable.

“Being around the best players in the country, I’ve learned so much from them and they’ve probably found me annoying with how much questions I ask them. I think going away with them is a massive learning curve and you just need to take everything you can from it.

“Northern Ireland are going through a sort of transition stage at the moment, a lot of young players coming through which is good for us but I think it’s the responsibility on the team, it’s going to be quite tough for a few years until people start getting a bit of experience in senior International football but I think they’re on a very good road.”

Several promising young Northern Irish talents have since thrived and built the foundations of their career in Scottish football in recent years, and Spencer is keen to build upon that list.

“I’m seeing other players from Northern Ireland in the league who are thriving and they’re really enjoying the football.

“They’re playing week in week out and getting the most out of the league that they can, so as soon as I see that, I think that’s what I want to be, that’s what I want to be doing; I want to be playing week in week out in a competitive league.

“I think the league is obviously very competitive, you can’t guess who’s going to finish where, so I think that’s what I wanted. Motherwell are a big club in in Scotland and a very competitive club and that’s what I think I needed.

“At some point in everyone’s career, especially as early on as you can get, you need to be exposed to that men’s football who fighting every week for three points, that’s another stepping stone in your career.”

Stuart Kettlewell speaks to the press prior to our return to competitive action against St. Mirren.

The Steelmen will refocus their attention back to league action this weekend following a short international break, as Motherwell look to preserve their unbeaten start to the 2023/24 campaign, with Manager Stuart Kettlewell keen to avoid complacency after a positive start.

“We’re always going to strive for more, we’re always going to think that we can do more”, said Kettlewell.

“We’ve had a good start that’s all it is. We’ve gave ourselves a decent platform, started the season relatively well and we now come into a real tough string of games.

“The one thing I know is that if we can keep applying ourselves and keep performing to the levels that we have done, we give ourselves a chance.”

Whilst the squad continue to make strides on the pitch, recent injury woes have continued to hamper the options at their disposal, but Kettlewell is hopeful to have more back to fitness in the coming weeks.

“We’ve not had our challenges to seek in terms of injuries”, Kettlewell explained.

“I think a lot of the long-term ones; John Obika, Mika Biereth, Connor Wilkinson, Pape Souaré, we know where they are, but unfortunately we had a few to add to that over the last week and a half.

“Blair Spittal, Liam Kelly, Shane Blaney, so again probably another three to add into the mix, but for those guys, they are edging closer towards fitness but again they remain doubts for the game unfortunately.

“It’s just a case of whether we can get enough work into them, get them on the park and see whether they are available for Saturday, but as it stands just now with all three, there’s absolutely no certainty on that.”

Goalkeeper, Liam Kelly has maintained an impeccable level of fitness in recent seasons, playing in 112 consecutive games, but a recent knock forced the Scotland international out of their recent Euro 2024 Qualifying campaign.

“He had a problem with his back, but he had to pull out of the squad”, Kettlewell announced.

“I think that anyone who knows Liam understand his professionalism and his will to play. He has been working away tirelessly since he left the Scotland camp, been through a few appointments and a couple of procedures, and it is just a case of how that settles over the next day or two.

“We’ll find that out, but he’s done a lot of travelling to make sure he’s seen the best people to put him in place to try and have a chance to play in the game, but I can’t confirm that at this minute in time unfortunately.”

One further squad departure in Joe Efford has limited Kettlewell’s attacking options, but insists that it has been a financially beneficial step for the club.

“There’s a couple of factors in the Joe Efford situation, it had been stop starts in my time coming in. Joe had a bad injury in his quad before I’d came in and was fighting his way back to fitness.

“Joe’s never been a problem with me and I need go on record in saying that, but I think sometimes in football you need a fresh challenge, you need a fresh start and that’s how I see it.

“My voice isn’t going to resonate with absolutely everybody. My message, my methods isn’t going to measure up with everybody. He’s been a kind of model professional in terms of how he goes about his business here, but sometimes you almost have to hold your hands up and say that there needs to be a fresh start and there needs to be a bit of change.

“Managers don’t get a lot of credit for it, but it’s the financial side it as well. Joe was one of the top-earners at the football club and I’m immensely proud with the work that’s been done over the summer in conjunction with the board, the chief executive, head of recruitment, myself and other members of staff at the football club, that will have managed to really kind of trim things down.”