Goalkeeping coach Craig Hinchliffe has left Motherwell to take up the role of Goalkeeping Coach at Dundee United.
The former Partick Thistle and Arbroath player joined Motherwell in 2017 and has worked with, and improved, goalkeepers such as Trevor Carson, Mark Gillespie and Liam Kelly in his stint at the club.
“I’m obviously disappointed to see Hinchy go, but he goes with nothing but full respect and affection from me,” Manager Graham Alexander said.
“He’s been brilliant to work with and played a big part in our success this season. I know how much the players liked him, especially the keepers who have all benefited from his expertise. We all wish him the best of luck for the future.”
We thank Craig for his efforts at the club and wish him all the best for the future.
Women
Last minute winner in SWPL1 finale
Sunday 15 May 2022
Motherwell secured a dramatic late victory after defeating Aberdeen 3-2 with the final kick of the game in a gripping season-finale at Park Alliance Park.
Gill Inglis fired Motherwell ahead with a precise finish before Francesca Ogilvie levelled the game minutes from half time. Ogilvie netted her second of the afternoon to put Aberdeen in the ascendency before Jemma Hughes restored the scoreline minutes from full time.
As the final whistle approached, Kaela McDonald-Nguah’s strike from distance nestled comfortably into the top right corner to secure maximum points for the hosts.
Following last weekend’s narrow 1-0 victory over Hearts, Paul Brownlie made two changes from the previous outing, with Jordan McLintock and Jemma Hughes replacing McDonald-Nguah and London Pollard who both dropped to the bench.
Looking to secure their season-long ambition of a top-six finish, Motherwell made a positive start, limiting the visitors to their own half.
Chelsie Watson’s accurate long ball caught the high Aberdeen defensive line off guard, leaving Carla Boyce to race through on goal, but the strikers drilled effort was superbly parried round the post by the keeper.
Motherwell continued to flood the Aberdeen penalty area and eventually found the breakthrough after 12 minutes. Inglis skilfully worked her way into the box with a clever nutmeg before curling a composed finish into the bottom left corner.
The women of steel continued to pile on the pressure and were convinced they should’ve been awarded a penalty after Inglis was hauled down deep into the Aberdeen penalty area, but the referee quickly waived play on, much to the bewilderment of the Motherwell technical area.
Despite a dominant first half display, Aberdeen found the equaliser on the stroke of half time.
Kelly Forrest’s direct through ball caught the Motherwell defence scrambling, and Ogilvie took full advantage as she coolly slotted her strike into the bottom left corner.
With the final 10 minutes remaining, Aberdeen took the lead, with Ogilvie netting her second of the game. Finding space on the left, the striker cut inside with relative ease before picking out the far corner from an acute angle.
With the women of steel chasing the game in the final few minutes, Katie Rice’s free kick sailed invitingly into the path of Hughes yards from goal, and the strikers audacious effort floated beyond the reach of the keeper to bring Motherwell level.
As the full-time whistle approached, McDonald-Nguah drilled a sensational effort from distance into the top-right corner to secure all three points in a dramatic season-finale.
A fitting finish to what has been a transformational debut season under Paul Brownlie. The women of steel’ will return to competitive action in July.
First team
Manager reacts to defeat at Celtic
Saturday 14 May 2022
“We are obviously disappointed today. But what we’ve achieved this season is something to be proud of.”
First team
Celtic 6-0 Motherwell
Saturday 14 May 2022
Motherwell failed to spoil the party at Celtic lifted the cinch Premiership title with a 6-0 win in the final game of the season.
A first-half double from Kyogo, either side of a David Turnbull goal, put the champions comfortably ahead at the interval.
Victor Nirennold and Bevis Mugabi came into the defence at the expense of Juhani Ojala and Liam Donnelly, with Stephen O’Donnell moving to left-wing back to accommodate the Frenchman.
But with Celtic in party mode as they prepared to lift the trophy, ‘Well were camped in for long spells in the opening stages.
‘Well defended resolutely but it would be a set play that would prove their undoing in the 22nd minute.
The corner kick that it came from was disputed but the resulting ball into the box saw Nirennold slip making his clearance at the back post, allowing Kyogo to steal in and thrash the ball low past Kelly.
Having absorbed the early pressure, Motherwell would gradually grow into it with a succession of set plays presenting opportunities.
A Goss free-kick from the left saw Mugabi head back across goal against the outstretched arm of Rogic. A corner was given, with the ball perhaps narrowly – and legally – striking the upper arm.
Carroll sent the ball back towards goal from the resulting corner and Mugabi was set to pounce to knock in from two yards before Hart’s reaction saw him arrive late and snatch the ball.
Slattery sent a shot from 30 yards wide and Cornelius steered a shot wide from the edge of the box as Motherwell got themselves up the pitch, but couldn’t take one of the chances they were starting to carve out.
Chances come at a premium without being punished at Celtic Park and it would be a favourite son who would make ‘Well pay.
Picking the ball up 30 yards out, Turnbull surged for goal, dancing through a succession of challenges before firing low into the bottom-left corner of the net to make it two with five minutes left in the half.
The champions would then go in three up at the break. A chipped ball over the top found the run of Kyogo down the right, who took the ball on the bounce to steer past a helpless Kelly.
Celtic continued to pile on the pressure but it was the visitors who should have netted next.
A Carroll free-kick from the right was half-cleared and Mugabi was on hand to react and knock the ball goalwards, but saw his effort drop past the left post.
Predictably, Celtic would make Motherwell pay. A sweeping move through the middle saw the ball eventually arrive at the feet of Jota, who steered the ball home from close range to make it four just before the hour mark.
Substitute Giakoumakis’ close-range overhead kick after Donnelly’s clearance into the air made it five, and the Greek netted again at the death as the season ended with defeat but European football secured.
Club
Well In scheme returns
Friday 13 May 2022
The Well In scheme, which was launched last summer to help families from low income and unemployed households continue to watch their team, will return again in 2022/23.
Beyond the challenges of Covid-19 and the recent energy and cost of living pressures, our area also faces economic issues in normal times. Our unemployment rate is higher than the Scottish and British average, and many other families and individuals are surviving on low incomes.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, our town was going through another crisis with high unemployment. Then, the club, the fans and local businesses rallied around to help people receive free tickets for matches. We displayed our community spirit and care for each other, ensuring people remained part of our family and stayed in contact with people, while they tried to get back on their feet.
Last summer, ‘Well fans, known for their generosity in all our charitable collections, got behind the idea and donated around £60,000. After match funding, that led to almost 750 people in the local area being able to watch their team when circumstances may had prevented them.
We are once asking supporters who feel financially able to donate towards the scheme this year.
All donations of any value are welcome, with 100% of the money going towards the purchase of season tickets. In return, the club will again match all donations to ensure as many season tickets as possible are made available to our community.
Season tickets for the 2022/23 campaign are now on sale.
You are able to renew or purchase your season ticket for the upcoming campaign here.
2021/22 saw a record number of you commit to getting behind the team and committing to a season ticket. The club are, as ever, hugely appreciative of your support.
Following a top-six finish and confirmation of our first-ever adventure in the UEFA Europa Conference League, a season ticket will not only guarantee you priority tickets, should they be limited, but also a discount on our first European match at Fir Park in a few months.
Our popular WELLevate scheme for free junior season tickets and our Well In scheme, providing free season tickets for the unemployed, will also be continued in 2022/23.
Get your 2022/23 season ticket now
If renewing, login to your ticketing account.
You should then have a notification to ‘renew now’ on your profile.
Then select ‘add to basket’ and follow the on screen instructions to complete the transaction.
It’s easy to buy new. Head here to our online ticketing platform and then press ‘season tickets’.
You’ll then be given the option to choose where in the stadium you would like to sit. From there, you can create yourself an account and then buy your season ticket for the 2022/23 campaign.
We’ve made a few changes to our pricing categories.
We have switched our Junior ticket so that you qualify if you are 11 and under. At the same time, we are expanding our discount offering on the Young Adult category to now include everyone from ages 12 through 17.
The other change is that we are increasing our concession ticket age group, bringing us into line with the rest of the Scottish Premiership clubs, to age 65 and over. However, any renewing season ticket holder currently aged 59 to 64 will continue to enjoy a concession discount until they reach the age of 65.
We are extending the option to pay your season ticket over a maximum of six standing order payments directly to the club, with no interest payments of fees, providing full payment is made by December 2022.
Prices
For those renewing their season ticket from 2021/22, concession tickets are for anyone aged 59 and over. For those buying new in 2022/23, it’s 65 and over.
In addition, concession prices also apply to full time students with a valid matriculation card.
The Early Bird discount will end on Friday 17th June 2022.
A message from the Chairman
First off, I want to thank you for your interest in purchasing a season ticket for the 2022/23 campaign.
Fir Park has always been a home from home for me, I’ve spent the last sixty years of my life coming to this ground, making memories, enjoying magical moments and, too often, dealing with despair. It makes football what it is.
This year we again ask you to help underpin the financial health of Motherwell FC by renewing your season ticket for the forthcoming campaign. I very much hope you will continue to do so with the same unwavering loyalty and generosity that Motherwell fans have demonstrated across the decades, but particularly so in the last few challenging years.
Our aim is to always do the right thing by you, our supporters and that was particularly true during the Covid-19 crisis. We stood by our promise to roll over season tickets from the ‘behind closed doors’ 2020-21 campaign, into the current 2021-2022 season.
That, together with our Well In scheme, which was backed so fantastically by other ‘Well fans and helped 750 supporters attend matches when they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to follow the team, combined to give us almost 5,700 season ticket holders. Our best total by some distance.
As we emerge from the pandemic, we do appreciate life is tough and pressures still exist. We’ve tried to make this season ticket easier and more flexible than ever to buy by increasing the option to spread interest free payments. But what is very true is that we need you now more than perhaps any time in our history.
Motherwell FC is fully fan-owned and therefore, fully fan-funded. Our determination to compete, our attempts to recruit the best players to maintain a challenge for the top-six and European football, our dedication to maintain our academy at elite status our willingness to continue to improve our facilities, depends entirely on your support and backing. We literally couldn’t do any of those things without you.
Clubs often say that season ticket holders are the lifeblood of the club. As a fan-owned club, that really is true.
For our part, the club will continue to examine new ways of generating additional revenue streams and look at ways to streamline costs and make the club more efficient. We will roll these out over the coming months.
But this needs to be done whilst remaining competitive in what is probably the most challenging top league in Scotland for decades. It is not an easy balance to get right, but it is essential that we do. Our club only works properly and with a chance of success when all the component parts – fans, owners, playing and coaching staff, the management team and the board – work in unison.
We have done that so well since the transition to fan ownership and I once again ask you to come with us on the journey for 2022/2023.
Thanks
Jim McMahon Chairman
WELLevate scheme
We are delighted to continue our WELLevate offer, which has been running now for a decade.
Any Adult or Senior Citizen Concession ticket can claim one free Junior ticket in the John Hunter Stand and Phil O’Donnell Stand and up to two in the Davie Cooper Stand.
We are making one small adjustment to the offering this season. On several occasions during the 2021/22 campaign, we have been unable to sell matchday tickets in the John Hunter Stand, with it being effectively ‘sold out’, despite a significant amount of seats lying empty, the majority of which are non-attending WELLevate tickets.
In order to try and avoid that, we are asking anyone wishing to take advantage of the scheme to do so at the point of renewing / purchasing and not on an ad-hoc basis during the campaign.
Pay by Standing Order
We are offering the option of paying for your season ticket through a standing order payment each month.
There is the option to pay your season ticket over a maximum of six standing order payments directly to the club, with no interest payments of fees, providing full payment is made by December 2022.
To set this standing order up, you must contact us directly.
The Well In scheme, which was launched last summer to help families from low income and unemployed households continue to watch their team, will return again in 2022.
After matched funding, that led to almost 750 people in the local area being able to watch their team when circumstances may had prevented them.
We are once asking supporters who feel financially able to donate towards the scheme this year.
Motherwell manager Graham Alexander is delighted that his side have qualified for the Europa Conference League with one cinch Premiership game left to play.
However, he insists that the job is not complete yet and they will go to Celtic Park looking for three points to finish fourth in the table.
First team
Van Veen: “We want to finish off in style”
Friday 13 May 2022
Striker and fan favourite Kevin van Veen is looking forward to representing on the European stage next season.
He says the team have shown resilience to finish in a European spot and now go to Celtic in the cinch Premiership looking to end the season on a high
Archive
Next Up: Celtic
Thursday 12 May 2022
We travel to Glasgow to take on Celtic on Saturday in the final cinch Premiership game of the season.
Kick off is at 12.15pm.
Match tickets are only available to season ticket holders. A limited number of restricted view tickets are available online now or visit the ticket office at Fir Park. No tickets can be purchased on the day of the game.
Ticket office opening times
Monday – Thursday 9am – 5pm and Friday 9-4pm
Ticket prices
Adults: £27 restricted view
Under16 & over65: £17 restricted view
Under 13: £9 restricted view
Wheelchair & carer: £20
Watch the game
The game will be live on Sky Sports main event, channel 401.
Tale of the tape
Both sides were celebrating midweek after the hosts won the league title and Motherwell clinched a European spot.
Graham Alexander will still believe his side have work to do as finishing fourth will be the aim, although the home side have been in formidable form.
Form guide
The Steelmen go into this on the back of two fine wins which eventually secured European football.
Celtic haven’t lost in the league since September and are undefeated at home domestically, conceding only six goals.
First team
Manager reacts to win over Hearts
Wednesday 11 May 2022
“I’m so proud that everyone dug in and kept believing. We fought together and that’s why we got what we deserved.”
