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Jay Gillies has joined Cumbernauld Colts on loan. 

The defender will spend the rest of the season with the Lowland League side.

Good luck, Jay.

Aaron Thomson has received a call-up to the Scotland Under 17 squad.

The young defender will be in the squad for friendly matches against Norway and Poland in Spain later this month.

• Scotland v Norway
• Wednesday 18 February
• 10am kick off (UK time)
• Pinatar Arena, Spain
  

• Scotland v Poland
• Saturday, 21 February
• 10am kick off (UK time)
• Pinatar Arena, Spain

Jack McConnell has joined Cowdenbeath on loan.

Under our co-operation agreement with the Lowland League side, goalkeeper McConnell will join up with his Motherwell teammates Nathan Lawson and Scott Williamson ahead of their match against Linlithgow Rose in the Lowland League Cup.

“We’ve secured an opportunity for first-team match exposure for one more of our young talents through our co-oporation agreements,” Jens Berthel Askou explained.

“We’re hopeful that this will accelerate Jack’s development even further and look forward to following his progress there while keeping him in our environment a couple of times a week.”

Good luck, Jack.

Campbell Forrest has joined League One side Hamilton Accies on loan. 

The young midfielder will join up with Darian MacKinnon’s side for the remainder of the campaign.

Good luck, Campbell.

We have a number of players currently out on loan. Let’s see how they have been getting on.

Scott Williamson

Scott Williamson and Cowdenbeath have only played a further two matches since our last update, taking his appearance count for the season to 16.

In those two matches against Albion Rovers and East Stirlingshire, Williamson started and played the full 90 minutes in both matches, keeping a clean sheet in one.

With a number of games called off in the Lowland League during the festive period, most teams have games to catch up on, but as it stands, Cowdenbeath are 10th in the standings.

• Appearances: 16
• Assists: 2

Kofi Balmer

Kofi Balmer joined Bristol Rovers on a loan deal until the end of the season. He came on for the final seven minutes to make his debut against Plymouth in the EFL Cup.

Balmer then came on for the last half hour against Colchester United before starting his first match against Salford City in League Two.

With Rovers 22nd in the table and only six points separating the bottom six sides in the division, Balmer could play a crucial role in his side’s battle against relegation.

• Appearances: 4

Ewan Wilson

With Lewis Stevenson out injured, Ewan Wilson has been getting increased minutes for Raith Rovers. Since our last report, he has played six matches.

Starting and playing 90 minutes in five of his last six matches, Wilson has impressed the Rovers fanbase with his recent displays.

KDM Evolution Trophy progress was secured with a 1-0 victory over Queen of the South, which was followed by a narrow defeat to Premiership side Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup. Wilson’s last match saw him assist Raith Rovers opener against Queen’s Park, before his side progressed to the semi-final of the KDM Evolution Trophy on penalties.

Rovers are sixth in the Scottish Championship table, with just a point separating 4th to 6th.

• Appearances: 15
• Assists: 1

Olly Whyte

Olly Whyte has been thriving in a Stenhousemuir jersey in the last five weeks, playing a further seven matches for the Warriors.

Scoring four goals in those seven matches, Whyte is loving life on loan. Goals against title contenders Inverness CT and East Fife were followed up with a brace against Stirling Albion in the KDM Evolution Trophy.

Stenhousemuir’s last defeat in the league came against Montrose midway through December. The Warriors have since won four games out of their last five games, without conceding a goal. That run of form has drawn Stenhousemuir level on points with Inverness at the summit of League One.

• Appearances: 29
• Goals: 5
• Assists: 1 

Dylan Wells

Dylan Wells joined League Two Stirling Albion in January for the rest of the campaign. He made his debut against East Kilbride, featuring in the second half.

Stirling are fifth in the table, two points outside the promotion play-off spots.

• Appearances: 1

Nathan Lawson

Nathan Lawson has started both matches for Cowdenbeath since our last report. He’s now on 16 appearances for the season.

Lawson played 66 minutes in the 1-0 win against Albion Rovers before playing the first 45 minutes in the 4-1 win over East Stirlingshire.

• Appearances: 14
• Goals: 2
• Assists: 2

We have a number of players out on loan at present. Here’s how they have been getting on. 

Ewan Wilson

Ewan Wilson has played four times since our last loan report with Raith Rovers. The young defender was subbed on against Alloa Athletic in the Scottish Cup and also played the last ten minutes against St Johnstone in the league, before coming on for the last six minutes against Ross County.

Wilson played the full 90 minutes against Hamilton in the KDM Evolution Trophy, with Rovers advancing to the next round thanks to a 5-2 win.

Dougie Imrie is the new Raith Rovers manager following Barry Robson’s departure last month.

• Appearances: 9
• Assists: 4

Scott Williamson

Scott Williamson is now up to 15 appearances for Cowdenbeath, with the 18-year-old playing five games since our last update.

Those four appearances were all starts, with Williamson playing the full 90 minutes in all matches.

Cowdenbeath won two and drew one match and lost two. Those results keep Cowdenbeath in the middle of the table on 26 points.

• Appearances: 15
• Assists: 2

Olly Whyte

Olly Whyte has also played a further five matches for Stenhousemuir, three in the league, one in the KDM Evolution Trophy and one in the Scottish Cup. Whyte has now passed the 20 appearances mark for the Warriors this season.

Stenhousemuir suffered just their second league defeat of the season against East Fife last month, before Whyte and Stenny drew with Hamilton. The midfielder started both of those matches. He came on in the second-half against Montrose where the Warriors lost 3-0.

Stenhousemuir remain in the hunt for the top spot, with just eight points separating the top five in League One.

Whyte then played the final 17 minutes in the Scottish Cup against Clachnacuddin, where Stenhousemuir won 4-1. Whyte’s featured against Annan Athletic in the KDM Evolution Trophy, where Stenny advanced to the next round thanks to a 2-0 win.

• Appearances: 21
• Goals: 1
• Assists: 1 

Nathan Lawson

There have been four more appearances for Nathan Lawson at Cowdenbeath over the last month.

The forward started in the 2-1 win over Celtic B, where Lawson got an assist. He also played the full 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw against Hearts B last weekend, before starting in the 1-0 defeat to Linlithgow Rose midweek. His most recent outing came against Bonnyrigg Rose, where Cowdenbeath lost 3-2. Lawson played 81 minutes and registered an assist.

• Appearances: 14
• Goals: 2
• Assists: 2

Colbi Mcquarrie has joined Stenhousemuir on a seven-day emergency loan. 

The young goalkeeper will join up with the Stenhousemuir squad ahead of their trip to Peterhead in League One on Saturday afternoon.

Good luck, Colbi.

Academy Director David Clarkson will be pleased with the progress the Motherwell FC Academy is currently making. Selling Academy graduate Lennon Miller for a club-record transfer fee in the summer was the icing on the cake for the club, in what was a remarkable rise through the ranks for the now Scotland international. 

But beyond the 18-year-old’s headline-catching move to Udinese, there have been other key points of progress for Clarkson. Jim Paterson has returned to Fir Park in the Head of Coaching role, the Motherwell B side have completed their maiden KDM Evolution Trophy campaign, more Academy graduates have made their first-team appearances and much more.

“Things have been going well,” David Clarkson said.

“There have been a few opportunities for young boys already this season. Matty Connelly got his first minutes, and Zander McAllister came on against St Johnstone. The gaffer has included a lot of them in training sessions as well, which is good for them and their development.

“Obviously Lennon Miller leaving and getting a great move has been a boost for us in the Academy. It shows us that if you stick with the plan and see your end goals, staying at Motherwell can give you a real pathway and opportunity to get your move after sticking in and getting first-team opportunities.

“The next bit is trying to get some more boys into the first-team over the next couple of years, and we’ve got a manager that’s come in and tried to do that.”

And that’s something that’s important to Clarkson. Having a connection and a strong relationship with the manager is key. The signs were positive very early on in Jens Berthel Askou’s tenure, as the new manager brought a large number of academy players to Delden for the pre-season campaign, with many getting minutes in the friendly against FC Twente.

“The manager and I have had conversations,” Clarkson stated.

“But there’s been chats with the Board too about the opportunities and the need for the players to keep pushing. Taking a lot of players away for the pre-season camp gave the manager an idea of where those players are at in terms of their development. The manager, with his previous roles at clubs, understands how the academy structure works.

“We speak day-to-day about different things and players. And I think that’s a real bonus for us, but again, it’s not going to happen overnight and might not happen every week, but in the long-term vision the manager and I have, we know how important this academy is and how important it’s been in the past.

“And he’s looking to continue that.”

‘Important’ is one word to describe the role the academy plays in the running of the football club. Lennon Miller’s move will bring sustained income over the next few years that will allow the club to invest in areas they see fit. But it also continues to enhance the already credible reputation the MFC Academy has for providing opportunity for young players.

But with Miller now in Italy, the focus quickly turns to the next up-and-coming star that supporters can call one of their own. And that is the job of Clarkson and his academy staff.

“The mindset is always there to try and find the next one we want to go and push into the first-team,” the academy director explained.

“It’s difficult because we lose boys along the way to other clubs that come in, and the players then want to seek other opportunities and feel other clubs are the path for them. So, it’s not as easy as bringing the next player through next year. The next one we might’ve had may be out at another club because unfortunately that’s the name our academy gets.

“People are aware of the infrastructure and the players that are coming through. If they can benefit from that and nick them earlier, so to speak, then they’ll try and do it. Some boys and parents take that opportunity, and that’s the difficult thing for us. We keep going, and it becomes the next one after that.

“We’ve got five or six boys at each age group that maybe can kick on. Things change month to month with development, but as Academy Director, that’s always the next step. How can we help these boys? As much as Lennon came through, that’s on him, I always think.

“Any boy that comes through and does well, we’re just here to facilitate their dreams really. The coaches are great; they’ve got the pathway, and they get help along the way. But you need the player to really want it. Those are the steps for us; it’s to try and produce players that the club can benefit from.”

Starting this season, there was a significant alteration in the Scottish youth divisions. This is the maiden season of the new Under 19s league, which was introduced, replacing the Under 18s league, to allow players to have an extra year of development, as it was concluded that the gap between Under 18 football and first-team was too large.

Also this campaign has seen the introduction of the Under 17s league replacing the Under 16s to avoid any age-group gap for players. The KDM Evolution Trophy also went under significant change this season, moving towards a UEFA competition-style league phase prior to the knockouts commencing.

Each team has played six league matches, with the top 22 teams qualifying for the next round. This reconstruction was introduced to support players in the ‘transition phase’ of ages 16-21.

“In terms of their development, these changes are going to be great for the players in the long-term” Clarkson emphasised.

“The first and second years have played the 19s games and the KDM matches. I think Luca Ross has been the only one who has been on the first-team and featured in those matches. It’s been a great learning curve for the boys playing against full-time players.

“We’ve got 15- or 16-year-olds playing against 30-year-old experienced men. It’s been great in terms of development, and that’s what we’re looking at. We want to push the players that are here already. And it’s the same for the Under 17s. We’ve pushed all our under-16s up to that age group, so the 2010s are all playing that. So results-wise, it’s difficult for them, but we feel in terms of nurturing the players in the long run, they’ll gain from playing against those that are older than them.

“As coaches, we can see that it’s going to be good for them, but we need the players to come along with us and understand why we’re doing it. If they want to go into the first-team, they’re going to be playing against older players, so the sooner we can introduce them to that, the better. So far, it’s been a good test.”

With a clear plan in place for how the coaches will develop and test players within the setup, staffing is key for Clarkson. Former Motherwell player and fan-favourite Jim ‘Step Over’ Paterson has returned to Fir Park and will take up the position of Head of Academy Coaching.

Teammates and friends from their playing days, Clarkson was delighted to get Paterson in the door and is excited by what he can bring to the table.

“Jim has been working in the academy for a while,” Clarkson mentioned.

“He’s been coaching with us for a while, and I think he’s got great experience with his background in playing and his management career. So putting that together and working with the youth in the academy, it strikes a good balance for the role he has come in to do in terms of helping other coaches as well.

“I think his experience and knowledge will help out coaches within the academy. He’ll be a good addition to the coaching staff because he’s enthusiastic, he’s keen and he’s speaking to the manager and staff every day. We’re always looking to bring good people into the club and people that understand the club. And I think that’s the good bit for me; Jim has been at the club and knows how it works here.

“It’s a tight-knit group and a real family club. It’s connected together, and I think Jim understands all that from playing here. He’s been excellent so far. Obviously, Richard Foster has moved on, but he was brilliant during his time at the club. He spent a lot of time with our young players, aiding their development on the training pitch and in the office. I thoroughly enjoyed working alongside him and think he’ll be a great addition for wherever he goes to next.  I wish him all the very best for his future.”

We have a number of players out on loan at present. Let’s see how they have been getting on. 

Matty Connelly

Matty Connelly returned to Motherwell to cover for the injury of Aston Oxborough. During his stay with Airdrie, Connelly made 11 appearances, keeping three clean sheets.

He signed off with a 1-0 win over Arbroath in his final match before returning to Fir Park. Airdrie parted company with their manager Danny Lennon after a turbulent spell in charge.

Scott Williamson

Scott Williamson has continued to feature for Cowdenbeath. He is now on 11 appearances for the Lowland League side, featuring across the backline.

He has started in four of Cowdenbeath’s last five matches. The match he didn’t feature in was due to suspension after the defender was sent off against Caledonian Braves.

Cowdenbeath remain mid-table and are only eight points off of fifth place.

• Appearances: 11
• Assists: 2

Ewan Wilson

Ewan Wilson has played a further two matches for Raith Rovers since our last update, taking him to a total of five appearances for the Rovers.

He has three starts to his name this season and was a half-time substitute in his last outing against Morton.

In a tightly congested Championship league table, Rovers are currently sixth. Only six points separate third from seventh in the standings. Barry Robson has left the club, with Paul Hanlon taking on a player-manager role.

• Appearances: 5 
• Clean Sheets: 2

Olly Whyte

Olly Whyte has started three of Stenhousemuir’s four matches since our last update and played the final ten minutes in the fourth match.

Winning one and drawing three, Stenhousemuir remain in the promotion playoff spots. Only eight points separate first to seventh in the table.

Whyte is now on 16 appearances this season for Stenhousemuir, starting 13 of those matches. Stenhousemuir were due to play Dumbarton in their final league-phase KDM Evolution Trophy match on Tuesday night, however the match was postponed due to the weather.

• Appearances: 16
• Goals: 1
• Assists: 1 

Nathan Lawson

Nathan Lawson made a big impact in recent weeks, scoring two goals in his last three matches for Cowdenbeath.

He has played in another three matches since our last report, featuring twice off the bench and earning his third start of the season in his last outing.

Lawson scored his first Cowdenbeath goal against Gala Fairydean at the start of November in a 2-2 draw. He then started against Civil Service, playing 84 minutes and scoring one goal in the 4-1 win.

• Appearances: 10
• Goals: 2

Richard Foster has departed the club to explore opportunities elsewhere.

Foster arrived in March 2023 and took up the role of Head of Academy Coaching. During his two-year stay, he became Lead Development Coach, working closely with the Under 18s group.

We wish him well for the future.

Jim Paterson has joined the club, taking up the position of Head of Academy Coaching.

A local boy, Paterson made his Motherwell senior debut in 2004 and went on to play over 100 games for the Steelmen.

Paterson joins the club to work closely with our future prospects.

“It feels like I’m coming home,” Jim Paterson said.

“Fir Park is a special place to me, and I feel proud to have been trusted with this key role at the football club. Motherwell Football Club has a reputation for producing our own talent.

“It’s an exciting time to be working here too. The manager has been implementing a brand new style of football with the first-team, and it’s an opportunity to learn that approach. The young players can develop so much using this style, and I look forward to working with all of them.”

Welcome back to Fir Park, Jim.