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The seventeenth issue of the Steelmen matchday magazine is on sale ahead of tonight’s league clash with Hamilton at Fir Park.

Here, we take a look at what can be found inside the 68-page programme.

Summer signing Jacob Blyth talks about the struggles of coping with injury, but talks about his aspirations as a ‘Well striker now that he’s back to fitness.

Stephen Robinson gives his thoughts ahead of the game in his second column as manager of the Steelmen. An update from club captain Keith Lasley, along with ‘Getting to Know You’ – where ‘Well legend James McFadden is profiled – both remain in the latest issue of the 2016/17 season programme.

The interesting feature ‘Well in Numbers’, where feature writer Andrew Paterson looks at some of the key numbers in Motherwell history, continues.

As part of the clubs aims to work closely with the Motherwell FC Community Trust and The ‘Well Society, regular updates are included in the programme.

This week’s main features on tonight’s opposition remain, including an in depth look at Accies as well as this season’s new ‘Tactics Board’, where we look at Martin Canning’s starting eleven from Hamilton’s win over St Johnstone at the weekend.

Our match report section looks back on the Fir Parker’s spirited performance as they drew 1-1 against a strong Rangers side at Ibrox.

An update on Stephen Craigan’s U20s side is included too, reporting on the youngster’s recent run of results.

All the latest news from Fir Park is included too, and you’ll get all the latest from the Ticket Office as well as an in-depth look at tomorrow’s match-officials.

All this and more is available for £3 and is on sale from the Club Shop as well as the usual sellers located in and around the ground pre-match.

You can also order back editions or take a subscription to the magazine for the rest of the season by visiting the website of our publishers, Curtis-Sports.

Tickets for the Steelmen’s Ladbrokes Premiership clash with Hamilton are on sale from the Fir Park ticket office now.

It is the third Lanarkshire Derby of the season following the Hogmanay draw and the historic 4-2 victory for Motherwell at Fir Park.

The match kicks off at 7:45pm tomorrow night and tickets will be available at the ticket office during the regular opening hours and all the way up to kick off. Fans can also purchase tickets from the cash turnstiles.

Motherwell sit just one point ahead of Hamilton ahead of the all important clash, and is one not to be missed.

Admission prices are as follows: 

• Concessions are listed as 65 and over and 16-17 year olds
• Juveniles are listed as under 16s
• Family ticket consists of one adult and one juvenile
• Cheaper priced tickets are for the John Hunter Stand only
• Fans who require ambulant or wheelchair access should contact Darren  on 07722912666 or email darren@mfcdsa.com

The last Lanarkshire Derby was a memorable won for both sets of supporters – but for different reasons.

Ten-man Motherwell snatched a last minute equaliser against local rivals Hamilton at the SuperSeal Stadium on Hogmanay.

It was a spirited performance from the Fir Parkers – and a thrilling conclusion to the calendar year.

An early red card for Lee Lucas reduced the visitors to ten after just 26 minutes and it looked as though the Steelmen would be on the receiving end of a 1-0 loss despite being the better team and despite being a man down.

Alejandro D’Acol gave the hosts the lead in the 54th minute but that was cancelled out by Louis Moult’s dramatic last minute header in front of the 2,103 travelling ‘Well fans.

But it was at the first whistle when Motherwell could have went 1-0 up. Scott McDonald looked set to give Mark McGhee’s men a very early lead when he got on the end of Moult’s superb cross, but Accies stopper Gary Wodds tipped over the bar superbly to deny the Aussie his third goal in three games.

Twenty minutes later, the Fir Parkers went even closer to taking the lead and it was Moult’s header from Lucas’ cross. The Englishman beat Woods but had to look on as it was hooked off the line by Accies skipper Michael Devlin.

It was the only notable chances of the first half, but the biggest talking point happened just two minutes after Moult was denied on the line.

Lucas, after taking too big a touch, lunged in on Massimo Donati and, while he appeared to win the ball, was given his marching orders for what was most certainly a dangerous foul.

The second half brought about more chances but it was Hamilton who took theirs.

They had the ball in the back of the net in the 53rd minute through Ali Crawford but the linesman’s flag cut the celebrations short.

The Accies midfielder was involved just seconds later though as the home side did take the lead.

Some good play by Crawford down the right afforded the midfielder a chance to get a good cross in to the box and D’Acol managed to arrive unmarked to head his side in front.

Despite being a man down, Motherwell continued to push and create chances and in the heart of midfield, Carl McHugh and youngster Allan Campbell, who earned his first start in the first team, worked tirelessly to make up the energy lost by the earlier sending off.

Craig Clay worked himself some space well in the 57th minute but his shot was blocked and turned behind for a corner – which was over hit by McDonald.

With just 21 minutes remaining, Woods produced a brilliant save to turn a low, goal bound effort from Moult around the post and keep his side ahead.

At the other end of the park, Stephen McManus did brilliantly to clear off the line and keep the deficit to one and in the final seconds of the match, ‘Well fans started their celebrations ahead of the New Year.

McHugh’s terrific tackle and cross was inch perfect for Moult, who headed low past Woods into the bottom left corner to secure a thoroughly deserved point.

It was a fantastic end to a fantastic few days for Motherwell, and will have left the Fir Park faithful eager for tomorrow night’s derby clash for the past three months.

The ‘Signing Zone’ continues this week prior to tomorrow night’s fixture against Hamilton at Fir Park. 

So why not come to Fir Park tomorrow night where Richard Tait and Zak Jules will be in The Well Shop’s ‘Signing Zone’ from 5.45pm until 6.15pm to meet fans, sign autographs and pose for selfies.

It provides an opportunity for the fans to meet the summer signing and the young centre back who joined in January on loan.

Each week, two different players will take their seats as the season progresses as part of the developing fan engagement programme here at Fir Park.

Share your pics on twitter @motherwellfc using #MFCSigningZone or facebook.com/motherwellfc

The club shop is situated at the Cooper Stand and is open from 9.30am.

Motherwell host local rivals Hamilton Accies tomorrow night – looking to follow up on Saturday’s draw against Rangers.

The Ladbrokes Premiership clash comes with added importance for both sides in the battle for survival, with a mere point separating Hamilton in 11^th from the Steelmen in 10^th.

It is the third Lanarkshire derby of the 2016/17 campaign and is Stephen Robinson’s third game since he was announced as the new ‘Well manager last month.

And as his side prepare for a crucial encounter with Hamilton tomorrow night, the Fir Park gaffer admitted he expects results to follow after some impressive performances in recent weeks.

Robinson said: “The performance for me merited three points on Saturday.

“The number of shots on target we had and the fact that their keeper got their man of the match award I think says everything about the performance, but at the end of the day we only got a point.

“It makes [tomorrow] night’s game a hugely important one for us.”

[pullquote]We want to show the same desire and drive that we showed on Saturday and in the previous three games before that as well.[/pullquote]

He added: “We have a certain style that we want to play because while we were aggressive and we won a lot of second balls at the weekend, I also think we played a lot of good football so we have to keep reiterating that.

“We want to show the same desire and drive that we showed on Saturday and in the previous three games before that as well.

“If we manage to do that then we’re confident the results will pick up.”

The ‘Well boss will be without Stephen McManus through injury, while Richard Tait, Louis Moult and Craig Clay face late fitness tests, with the former on his way back from a groin injury and the latter duo picking up slight knocks against Rangers at the weekend.

‘Well midfielder Chris Cadden believes that three points is within reach for the Steelmen tomorrow night if they perform like they did on Saturday.

The youngster admitted there was a sense of disappointment post-match at the weekend despite picking up an impressive draw at Ibrox.

And the Motherwell number 12 will be another influential star on the park for the Fir Parkers tomorrow night.

Speaking to the press yesterday as the ‘Well turn their attention to the Lanarkshire Derby, Cadden admitted the performance levels must be maintained for such an important match.

[pullquote]If we take the same attitude, performance and desire in to Wednesday night then there’s a chance of us getting all three points.[/pullquote]

He said: “It’s massive because I think it speaks volumes for the team that we’ve left Ibrox after 90 minutes and feel disappointed that we haven’t got the three points.

“With Wes Foderingham getting their man of the match award too it speaks wonders about our performance and how we played.”

He added: “If we take the same attitude, performance and desire in to tomorrow night then there’s a chance of us getting all three points.

“It’s a cup final tomorrow and we just have to take that in to the game and if we do we have a good chance of getting all three points.”

A single point separates tonight’s visitors from the Steelmen with just three games left before the split.

If it wasn’t for Alex D’Acol’s 89th minute winner on Saturday, three points would have separated the Lanarkshire sides heading in to tomorrow night’s Premiership fixture.

Events between St Johnstone duo Danny Swanson and Richard Foster may have stole the limelight somewhat from Accies, but the three points could prove crucial for Martin Canning’s side in the 2016/17 campaign.

With the match evenly poised going in to the break, the Saints were dealt a bizarre blow when teammates Swanson and Foster clashed with one another and were in turn shown red cards.

That left Tommy Wright’s side with nine men on the park and 45 minutes to hold out for a draw.

It looked as though the Perthshire outfit were on the brink of doing just that, but with seconds left at New Douglas Park, Hamilton forward Alex D’Acol snatched a vital winner for the home side.

That all-important goal gave Accies their fifth win of the campaign and only adds to the tantalising clash at Fir Park tomorrow evening.

With tomorrow’s visitors off the foot of the table and just one spot below the tenth placed Steelmen, tomorrow is a must win for both teams.

It is also a match that both sets of supporters will have been looking forward to since the dramatic Hogmanay clash three months ago.

On that day, ten-man Motherwell came from behind to secure a crucial point before the winter break.

With just seconds left on the clock, Carl McHugh whipped a terrific left-footed cross in to the box, begging to be turned towards goal.

Top scorer Louis Moult obliged – leaping high to power an unstoppable header beyond Accies keeper Gary Woods and send the travelling 2,301 ‘Well fans in to delirium.

Both Accies and ‘Well fans will be keen for tomorrow’s match up, eager to see their team go one better than a draw and pick up what is unquestionably a huge three points in the fight for survival.

The 2016/17 campaign has produced memorable Lanarkshire derbies so far, and with tomorrow’s match the most important of the lot so far, every spectator inside Fir Park will be eager to see how it pans out.

Accies arrive with momentum and, after making the short trip from across the other side of the M74, will be keen to maintain it and take it in to their next league clash – a home fixture against Ross County.

Motherwell will be the only team in their sights for now, and Fir Park awaits for Martin Canning’s men.

MFC TV’S Lewis Irons sat down to chat with ‘Well forward Louis Moult to analyse his header against Rangers on Saturday. 

The top scorer reflected on what was an important point for the Steelmen, and talked about his instincts as a striker.

The Motherwell number 9 said: “It’s a routine set piece that we had been working on and thankfully it’s come off.

[pullquote]For a set piece to come off is massive for us because it’s something that we do work really hard on.[/pullquote]

“For a set piece to come off is massive for us because it’s something that we do work really hard on.

He added: “I was really, really happy with that and so was Craig who I think actually tried to kiss me when we were celebrating.”

For more exclusive Motherwell content, subscribe to MFC TV’s official YouTube channel.

Extended highlights from Cappielow where the under 20s bow out of the Youth Cup, losing 1-0 to Celtic in the Semi-Final.

Under-20s manager Stephen Craigan expressed his pride for his players after a determined performance against Celtic tonight.

Unfortunately for the manager and his squad, the Glasgow side pinched a 1-0 win at Cappielow to end the youngster’s defence of the Youth Cup at the semi-final stage, but it wasn’t for lack of desire or work-rate, the manager admitted.

Speaking to MFC TV at full time though, Craigan spoke of his pride and the fact he believes the team will learn as professionals from the pain of defeat.

The Northern Irishman said: “I’m immensely proud of the young players.

[pullquote]I’m immensely proud of the young players… We knew that we were short in numbers, but we weren’t short in heart and spirit.[/pullquote]

“We were low in numbers tonight so we brought along some of the under-17s players, almost to fill the bench, but also to give them the experience of what it’s like to potentially play under-20s football.

“We knew that we were short in numbers, but we weren’t short in heart and spirit.”

He added: “Yes, we maybe lacked finesse in the final third when we just needed to relax a little bit and just play an extra pass, but we pushed a very good Celtic side tonight.”

You can watched Craigan’s full post-match interview at MFC TV’s official YouTube channel.

Motherwell under-20s defence of the Scottish FA Youth Cup ended at the second last hurdle with a 1-0 loss away to Celtic at Cappielow tonight.

And on another night, it may have been a different story for Stephen Craigan’s side, who battled hard for over 90 minutes and tested the Hoops on a torrential, rain soaked Monday evening.

Despite a competitive, evenly contested opening 45 minutes, Motherwell found themselves a goal down going in to the break.

A long ball down the Celtic right flank was won in the air by Anthony Ralston who flicked the ball beyond Livingstone in to the path of Michael Johnston.

The winger worked his way in to the Motherwell box before firing a dangerous low ball across the face of goal. Ollie Pain could only block the ball in to the path of Aidan Nesbitt – who lashed the ball in to the empty net on the stroke of half time.

Neither side created too much but an unlikely source nearly levelled the scoring early in the second half for Motherwell.

Collecting the ball just outside the Celtic box, the home side were too content to give full back Jack McMillan time on the ball and the youngster nearly took full advantage, skipping past his marker and lacing a low strike across goal, whistling narrowly past the far post.

Minutes later a clever ‘Well move carved the home side apart but couldn’t be turned beyond Conor Hazard in the Celtic net.

Dylan Mackin, slipped in at the edge of the box, looked as though he was shaping to shoot on goal but cleverly reversed a neat pass through to Allan Campbell. The pass took the youngster by surprise though and he couldn’t control it and get a shot away and Celtic cleared.

Down the other end of the park, the lively Johnston nearly doubled the hosts lead when he skipped in to the box and rifled a low effort on goal, only to be blocked by Barry Maguire.

Jack McMillan, after nearly finding the back of the net just ten minutes earlier, almost turned provider as he broke in to the box and fired a low cross in to the danger area, but Celtic steered it away.

It was the story of the final ten minutes of the match, with Celtic keen to wind down the clock and take the sting out of a surging, determined ‘Well side, but unfortunately the final whistle arrived too soon and the Steelmen, slumping to the floor, saw the defence of the Youth Cup come to an end.

Motherwell U20s: Pain, McMillan, Livingstone, Maguire, Armstrong, Campbell, Fry (Scott, ’75), Turnbull, Mackin, Hastie, Gordon

Unused subs: Pettigrew, Agyeman, Brown, Semple, MacDonald

‘Well midfielder Chris Cadden believes that three points is within reach for the Steelmen on Wednesday night if they perform like they did on Saturday.

The youngster admitted there was a sense of disappointment post-match at the weekend despite picking up an impressive draw at Ibrox.

Speaking to the press this morning as the ‘Well turn their attention to the Lanarkshire Derby on Wednesday night, Cadden admitted the performance levels must be maintained for such an important match.

He said: “It’s massive because I think it speaks volumes for the team that we’ve left Ibrox after 90 minutes and feel disappointed that we haven’t got the three points.

[pullquote]If we take the same attitude, performance and desire in to Wednesday night then there’s a chance of us getting all three points.[/pullquote]

“With Wes Foderingham getting their man of the match award too it speaks wonders about our performance and how we played.”

He added: “If we take the same attitude, performance and desire in to Wednesday night then there’s a chance of us getting all three points.

“It’s a cup final on Wednesday and we just have to take that in to the game and if we do we have a good chance of getting all three points.”

You can watch Chris’ full interview and enjoy more exclusive content by subscribing to MFC TV’s YouTube channel.