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The Under 20s return to SPFL Development League action when they take on high-flying St Johnstone at the Excelsior Stadium this evening.

Stephen Craigan’s men will buoyed by their comprehensive Youth Cup victory last Sunday, but face a stern test against Saints, who currently sit second in the table just two points off top.

The Steelmen have ten points and sit in tenth position, but with a game in hand over three of the teams above them, it’s an opportunity to get back amongst the mix.

The match will take place at Airdrie’s Excelsior Stadium on Wednesday 4th November, kick-off is 6pm. Entry to the match is free of charge.

As part of the new bonus benefits scheme, developed jointly by The Well Society and Football Club, any member meeting the qualification criteria* will automatically receive an exclusive virtual plot of the Fir Park pitch.

Each eligible member will receive a certificate including pitch diagram identifying location of their plot. As an additional bonus throughout the year we will be holding award ceremonies where members will be picked at random and invited to Fir Park to be presented with their certificate by the First team captain, player or a leading figure at the club.

*Qualification criteria:

• Founding member
  • A member who joined before January 2015
  • New member
    • A member who joined after January 2015, and
    • Contributed £100 or more in donations/one off payment, or
    • Has pledged a balance of £50 or more and is pledging monthly through Direct Debit or Standing Order
    • All Junior Steel members

There are a limited number of 1886 plots of the pitch, each one marking a year in which the football club has been in existence so membership of this scheme will be high in demand.

Brian McCafferty, The Well Society and Football Club Chairman said ‘To continue to support the club financially and build a capital reserve, it is vital that the society has 2000 members pledging a minimum of £10 per month.  However, this exclusive benefit is a token of both the ‘Well Society’s and Football Club’s gratitude to every founder members’ contribution and new members who meet the criteria.’

Echoing Brian’s words, Head of Marketing and Commercial Keith Campbell said ‘The Football Club are delighted to support this initiative. We recognise the level of commitment from supporters in meeting the criteria so by offering a piece of the pitch, albeit a virtual one, it’s a small gesture towards the very high regard in which we hold for our fans while acknowledging their fantastically positive contribution to the future success of their Club.’

For full details on the qualification criteria please review the Initiative terms and conditions by clicking here

If you haven’t already joined you can pledge today with pledges starting at only £10 per month by clicking here to secure your very own part in the history of Motherwell Football Club and Fir Park.

Firstly may I thank the many fans that have contributed to the future of your club by attending games, booking function rooms and joining the ‘Well Society.

I would also like to thank the many sponsors, large and small, who believe in the club and believe we can add value to what they are trying to achieve.

Last and by no means least, I would like to thank the wonderful staff at Fir Park who have joined the Board of Directors in making the changes necessary to improve your historic club.

Since I became involved with your club in January this year, the Board and myself have continued to work to achieve our three main objectives:

1. Stay in the SPFL Premiership.

2. Make Motherwell Football Club self-sufficient.

3. Transition the club to full fan ownership via the ‘Well Society.

As you know, things were not good when I took over, or immediately before, as I had to put £30,000 into the club to pay the bills before the deal was completed.

After the balance of my interest free loan of £650,000 was provided to the club, we set about the task of securing additional players, due to some eleven first team players being injured, which we did in January and February.

It became clear my initial loan would not be sufficient to add to the squad and make the necessary changes in the non-football side of the club and I provided a further £380,000 interest free loan. I am pleased to say the club recently repaid £180,000 of this loan.

When investigating the high frequency of injuries, we found an opportunity to introduce a full time sports science coach which, we estimate could save the club over £100,000 in recurring medical bills, but would also avoid the need for such a large squad of players this season.

We introduced a UK-wide network of scouts, who use Scout7 software to identify and track potential young talent.

We brought the Under 20 management under the Football Manager’s direct control to ensure there was a path for young players into the first team. Also, we were very pleased when Stephen Craigan agreed to re-join the club in the very important role as Under 20 Coach. Your Board also took the opportunity to protect the club’s tradable assets by securing a number of our talented young players to long-term contracts.

We managed to do enough to retain our position in the SPFL Premiership via the exciting play off games, for this, the club’s anniversary season.

The new 2015/16 season started brightly with the win at Inverness, which I was lucky enough to attend, but over a number of weeks it became clear things had to change if we were to enjoy this special season.

After a rigorous selection process of reviewing some 80 applicants, the Football Committee made a recommendation to the Chairman and myself.

When I subsequently spoke to Mark McGhee, I was delighted to offer him the role as manager of your club.

I look forward to long and detailed discussions with Mark next week when he visits me at home. We will be reviewing all aspects of the football side to ensure we have clear strategies and plans to achieve our football objectives. I am very encouraged by recent performances but Mark and I know further work is required to build consistency.

Now turning to the non-football activities. Alan Burrows and his staff have been very busy and I would like to thank Alan personally for his long hours and continued efforts to make the improvements to your club.

Firstly, we wanted to make sure of your safety at Fir Park and spent a significant sum fireproofing the Phil O’Donnell Stand, which took many months and is now complete.

When testing the floodlights it was obvious they had to be improved to allow you a clear view of play but also provide for better TV coverage.

Next, we turned to the pitch and surrounding area which has consistently been one of the poorest in the league. So, prior to the summer we worked with the Sports Turf Research Institute to develop a plan to establish and then maintain a much better playing surface.

During the summer, recently-recruited Head Groundsman Paul Matthew and his staff worked with an outside contractor to make the necessary changes, which have made a huge difference to the pitch, and we introduced new AstroTurf along the perimeter of the playing area.

To improve revenue, we hired a new sales and marketing manager, Keith Campbell, and he has been working with existing staff and has increased function room revenue by over 22%. In addition, Diane Harvey has recently secured long-term contracts for commercial use of most of the South Stand boxes and the Cooper Suite.

We are currently working on a new website, which will more accurately reflect the three pillars of the club: The MFC Community Trust, The ‘Well Society and obviously the club itself. You will see this rolling out in the coming weeks.

Our next project is to improve our communication with everyone who makes contact with any of the three pillars by creating a single database which will be much easier to manage than the current six and make the customer experience much simpler.

Also, I am pleased to say we are finalising our plans for the clubs 130th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of winning the Scottish Cup in 1991. There will be a range of events leading up to the big days later this season, which we will announce shortly.

I hope this information is helpful and you join me in thanking your Board for giving up so much time and energy to undertake this work for free.

The club is making good progress toward our objectives. You, the fans, can do your bit by joining the ‘Well Society for as little as £2.50 per week to make your dream a reality

I would ask you to support the Society as much as you can… It’s YOUR club! CLICK HERE for more information or to join the ‘Well Society.

Regards,

Les Hutchison
Vice Chairman and Majority Shareholder
Motherwell FC

Inverness CT visit Fir Park this Saturday  and we’ve a fantastic lunch menu in our hospitality suites available to purchase.

It’s a 3pm kick-off, so why not combine an afternoon meal with a competitive Premiership game against the ‘arry Rags in one of our atmospheric hospitality suites.

All hospitality packages include a ticket, match programme, team-sheet and half time refreshments.

On the menu will be:

• Carrot & Lentil Soup served with crusty roll and butter
•  Steak-pie served with baby potatoes and chef selection of vegetables
•  Chocolate fudge cake served with fresh cream
•  Cheese & Biscuits (South Stand and Sponsors only)
•  Tea, coffee and mints

You can choose from three packages:

Centenary Claret: Arriving at 1pm prompt for meal. Full service with access to a pay bar till kick off and then again for an hour post match. All this in the comfort of our Centenary Lounge. Book now from only £60 for an adult and £45 for a child under 16.

Centenary Amber: Arriving at 1pm prompt for meal. Full table service with complimentary bar and then again for an hour post match. All this in the comfort of our Centenary Lounge. Book now from only £99 for an adult and £55 for a child under 16.

Millennium Ticket: Enjoy a lighter bite with a complimentary bar for one-hour pre & post. Soup pre-match and half time refreshments, team sheet, match day programme for only £70 for an adult and £35 for a child under 16.

Remember, Season Ticket holders can upgrade to hospitality for just £25.

If you would like to book your place, please phone 01698 338 008 or email jennifer.reston@motherwellfc.co.uk.

Under 20s boss Stephen Craigan declared himself satisfied as ‘Well booked their place in the next round of the Little Big Shot Youth Cup.

The Steelmen scored five and probably should have had more in a game they dominated from the first minute to the last.

And given the Youth Cup hasn’t been kind to the Fir Parkers in the last ten years, Craigan’s first priority was to safely negotiate the tie and be in the hat for the last sixteen draw.

Speaking to MFC TV after the match, he said: “In any sort of Cup competition, be it first time or youth level, the first priority is getting through.

“We wanted to try and progress today with a little bit of style given the experience and quality we had in the squad. As a result, I expected us to win the match but how comfortable it may or may not have been was up to the players on the pitch.

[pullquote]We wanted to try and progress today with a little bit of style given the experience and quality we had in the squad. As a result, I expected us to win the match but how comfortable it may or may not have been was up to the players on the pitch.[/pullquote]

“It was always for them to go and dictate the game, particularly on this sort of surface which, when dry, can be a little slow and sticky.

“We perhaps weren’t as slick as I would have liked, but when you score five goals and safely progress, you have to be satisfied.”

Asked if he wanted to go on and try and win the tournament, the former ‘Well captain added: “There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be aiming for that, again that’s up to the players on the pitch.

“We are quite a young Under 20s side; this is pretty much a 1996 tournament but a lot of our lads are 97s, 98s or even 99s.

“But the fact we’re winning games and have managed our two Cup games well so far, stands us in good stead.”

Highlights from today’s 5-0 win over Stenhousemuir in the Little Big Shot Youth Cup at Ochilview. 

Motherwell U20s cruised into the last sixteen of the Little Big Shot Youth Cup with a comfortable 5-0 win against Stenhousemuir.

In truth, the result could and perhaps should have been even more convincing for Stephen Craigan’s side, who passed up a host of chances despite hitting the back of the net on five separate occasions.

In the end, a Dom Thomas hat trick, a Chris Cadden goal and an own goal from Liam McGroary separated the sides.

The Steelmen were able to call on the likes of Watt, Cadden and Thomas, all of whom have SPFL Premiership experience against a young Stenny side.

And the difference in experience and class was evident straight from the first whistle and it should have been 1-0 after just seven minutes. Jack McMillan’s run and low cross for Dylan Mackin was somehow screwed over by the big striker from close range.

However, it was a case of when, rather than if, Motherwell would get their noses in front and it finally arrived on the fifteenth minute.

It was the ever-impressive Allan Campbell who was the architect, sliding an inch-perfect pass for Dom Thomas who shot across the goalkeeper and into the far corner from just inside the area.

Motherwell doubled their advantage eight minutes later when Adam Livingston’s channelled ball found Thomas and after skipping past two challenges, his low drilled cross was fired past his own goalkeeper by defender McGroary.

It went from bad to worse for the Warriors as Motherwell made it 3-0 on the half-hour. This time Cadden was the creator, bursting down the right only for his low teasing cross to be gobbled up at the back post by Thomas.

Thomas passed up a chance for a hat trick but shot over, before the enigmatic winger teed up Mackin with a lovely pass, only for the striker to be denied by the outrushing Sean Robertson in the Stenny goal.

Motherwell started the second half on the front foot with Watt, Thomas, Campbell and Mackin (twice), passing up chances to extend the lead further.

However, with fourteen minutes left on the clock, ‘Well did eventually grab a fourth. Marauding wing work from McMillan was rewarded when his clever cutback found the supporting Cadden and he slotted under Robertson from fourteen yards.

Five minutes later, Motherwell added a fifth with the best strike of the game, Thomas completing his own personal treble with a well-taken volley from just inside the box.

Ben Hall should have made is six in the last few minutes, but headed over a Thomas corner when a goal seemed certain.

It was a comfortable afternoon for Craigan’s men, who progress into the last sixteen of the Cup for the first time in almost a decade.

Motherwell: Long, McMillan, Watt, Hall, Livingstone, Cadden, MacLean (MacLean – 63mins), Campbell, (R.Leitch – 78mins) Thomas, Mackin, Falconer (Hastie – 68mins)

Subs Not Used: Morrison, Maguire

Goals: Thomas (x3), Cadden, McGroary OG

Highlights from Rugby Park as a late Louis Moult strike earns the Steelmen all three points with a 1-0 win over Kilmarnock.

‘Well boss Mark McGhee praised his side for perfectly executing the game plan and taking all three points at Rugby Park.

The Steelmen, keen to build on last week’s result and performance at Pittodrie were compact and disciplined and restricted Gary Locke’s side to precious few shots at Connor Ripley’s goal.

At the same time, they looked a threat on the counter and would eventually grab the winner with three minutes left to play when sub Louis Moult poked home his sixth of the campaign.

The result may have been more emphatic, but Jamie McDonald was able to save from both Marvin Johnson and Moult in the dying seconds.

The win bunches ‘Well into the pack around mid-table with just four points separating six teams.

“It was a satisfying result, particularly when you are experimenting a little bit, which we are,” McGhee told MFC TV.

“It was a disciplined performance and they played exactly how we asked them to; it’s not a surprise to me that we’ve won the match.

“The modern game is you go away from home, look to remain solid and frustrate the opposition then play on the counter and we’ve got players who can do that.

[pullquote]“When you come to places like Kilmarnock, you’ve got to have a discipline about your shape and a determination about your work rate if you want to give yourself a platform to take all three points.”[/pullquote]

McGhee went for a very bold, attacking formation with McDonald and Robinson right up front, two attacking wingers in Johnson and Ainsworth on the flanks, with Pearson supporting from midfield.

With that amount of firepower in the side, it was particularly pleasing to keep a clean sheet and the Fir Park boss was quick to praise his side for doing so, the first since the last time the teams met back in August.

“That was the big question I asked of the players before the match, almost throwing down the gauntlet to them,” he explained.

“It was ‘Let’s see what you’ve got, let’s see how prepared you are to work for the team, work for the shape and formation with the sort of attack-minded players we had in the side’.

“And I think they answered the question empathically. They worked hard, they filled in the gaps all the time but still remained a threat going forward and that’s exactly what you want when that’s your game plan. No one let us down and that’s very pleasing indeed.”

Action images from today’s 1-0 win over Kilmarnock in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Snaps courtesy of SNSPix.

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