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Checking in on our boys out on loan. 

Olly Whyte

Olly Whyte has continued his 100% record of starting matches for Ayr United this season, with the midfielder now on seven appearances for the season.

In those four games since our September report, Ayr have won one and drawn one. The Honest Men are on 12 points after 11 games and sit seventh in the standings.

• Appearances: 7
• Starts: 7
• Goals: 0 

Luca Ross

Luca Ross has played five games for Alloa Athletic since our report four weeks ago, starting four of those five matches. Alloa lost two of the league matches Ross played in but has faired much better in the KDM Evolution Trophy, beating Hibernian B and drawing with Gala Fairydean Rovers and Annan Athletic.

Ross registered an assist in the 4-1 win over the Hibees last month, his first in Alloa colours. After ending a losing run against East Fife last weekend, Alloa are now sixth in the table on 12 points after 11 games, four points away from the promotion playoffs.

• Appearances: 7
• Starts: 5
• Goals: 0

Lucas Weir

Lucas Weir made his debut for Cowdenbeath at the start of the month in the Scottish Cup, coming on as a sub with ten minutes to play in a 4-0 win over Berwick Rangers.

Weir was on the bench for Cowdenbeath’s 2-2 draw with Bonnyrigg Rose as he continued to play for Motherwell B in the KDM Evolution Trophy.

• Appearances: 1
• Starts: 0
• Goals: 0

Aaron Thomson

Aaron Thomson came on as a second-half substitute for Spartans last weekend, as he made his debut for the League Two side against Spartans.

Thomson has continued to play for Motherwell B during their KDM Evolution Trophy campaign, whilst also missing games as he represented Scotland’s Under 19s.

• Appearances: 1
• Starts: 0
• Goals: 0

Zander McAllister

Zander McAllister also made his debut for Spartans in October and played a second time against Edinburgh City in a 3-1 win.

Spartans sit fourth in the table, on 15 points after 11 games.

McAllister has continued to play for Motherwell B during their KDM Evolution Trophy campaign, whilst also missing games as he represented Scotland’s Under 19s.

• Appearances: 2
• Starts: 0
• Goals: 0

We have five players away during this international window. Let’s find out where they will be playing. 

Alex Paulsen

Following their World Cup campaign, New Zealand are in friendly action four times over the next fortnight. This squad sees the inclusion of some of their World Cup stars but also some faces who missed out on the trip to the USA last summer.

The four matches will see New Zealand take on opposition from both ends of the FIFA World Rankings. First up is a match against Palestine in China, before facing China three days later.

The squad then take on Panama before rounding their camp off against either Japan or Ecuador. Alex Paulsen has eight caps already and will be looking to add more over the next two weeks.

• New Zealand v Palestine
• Friendly 
• Thursday 24 September 
• Chongqing, China

• New Zealand v China
• Friendly 
• Sunday 27 September
• Chongqing, China

• New Zealand v Panama 
• Friendly 
• Thursday 1 October
• Yokohamo International Stadium

• New Zealand v Japan/Ecuador 
• Friendly 
• Monday 5 October
• Tokyo International Stadium

Tawanda Maswanhise

Ramon Catala was named the new manager of Zimbabwe in August, and he has named Tawanda Maswanhise in his first squad as head coach.

It’s the start of a new qualifying campaign for the Africa Cup of Nations, with the Warriors placed in Group E alongside Sierra Leone, DR Congo and Equatorial Guinea. Maswanhise was a key component to Zimbabwe’s success in their last AFCON qualifying campaign.

They take on Sierra Leone away from home in their first match on Thursday 24 September, before facing DR Congo on home soil in their second match on Monday 28 September.

• Sierra Leone v Zimbabwe 
• Thursday 24 September
• 8pm Kick Off
• Location TBC

• Zimbabwe v DR Congo
• Monday 28 September 
• 5pm Kick Off
• National Sports Stadium, Harare

Aaron Thomson & Zander McAllister

It’s also been a period of transition at the Scotland National Team, which has seen a number of new appointments within the coaching ranks at various age groups.

For the Under 19s, Tam Courts will take the reins, accompanied by Lee Wallace. They have named their first squad since arriving last month, with Aaron Thomson and Zander McAllister both included.

This camp will see Scotland play three friendly matches, providing the opportunity for the squad to gel and get up to speed. Scotland face Finland, Czech Republic and Ukraine over the course of a week.

• Scotland U19s v Finland U19s
• Thursday 24 September 
• 11.00am
• Estadio Municipal Guillermo Amor

• Scotland U19s v Czech Republic U19s
• Sunday 27 September
• 3pm Kick Off 
• Estadi Olímpic Camilo Cano

• Scotland U19s v Ukraine
• Wednesday 30 September
• 11.00am Kick Off 
• La Nucía Mini Estadi

Jamie Knight-Lebel

Jamie Knight-Lebel has earned international recognition, with the defender named in the latest Canadian squad.

Knight-Lebel has three caps for his country already, and will be looking to add to that tally later this month.

Canada have three friendly matches lined up, taking on Chile first on Sunday 27 September. They then take on Peru on Saturday 3 October, before rounding off the international window with a game against the United States on Wednesday 7 October.

• Canada v Chile
• Sunday 27 September 
• 12am Kick Off
• BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario

• Canada v Peru
• Saturday 3 October
• 7pm Kick Off
• Stade Saputo, Montréal, Québec

• USA v Canada
• Wednesday 7 October
• 1am Kick Off
• Allianz Field, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA

We can confirm that we have entered into a Cooperation Agreement with League Two side Spartans. 

The system allows young Scottish players to join a club on loan, increasing their chances of gaining valuable first-team experience while allowing them to move freely between their parent club and the loan club throughout the season.

The club also has an agreement with the Lowland League side Cowdenbeath.

As part of this newly formed alliance with Spartans, Zander McAllister and Aaron Thomson will join Mixu Paatelainen’s side for the season.

“I’m pleased we have this agreement with Spartans,” academy director David Clarkson said.

“This new system has been a success so far for Motherwell, with young players gaining valuable experience during their time away from Fir Park.

“Zander and Aaron are the next two players to move under this agreement, and we look forward to seeing their progress this season. With increased minutes, the experience of being in that first-team environment will be crucial for them.”

Good luck, lads.

Aaron Thomson and Zander McAllister have been named in the Scotland Under 19 squad. 

The refreshed Scotland youth side will travel to Spain to take part in three friendly matches. Led by Tam Courts, Thomson and McAllister will take on Finland in their first match on Thursday 24 September.

Their second match will be against Czech Republic on Sunday 27 September, before rounding off the camp against Ukraine on Wednesday 30 September.

• Scotland U19s v Finland U19s
• Thursday 24 September 
• 11.00am
• Estadio Municipal Guillermo Amor

• Scotland U19s v Czech Republic U19s
• Sunday 27 September
• 3pm Kick Off 
• Estadi Olímpic Camilo Cano

• Scotland U19s v Ukraine
• Wednesday 30 September
• 11.00am Kick Off 
• La Nucía Mini Estadi

Our 2026 KDM Evolution Trophy fixtures are now confirmed. 

We will kick off our campaign against Kelty Hearts on Tuesday 11 August before facing Alloa Athletic on Tuesday 25 August. We then travel to take on Annan Athletic on Tuesday 8 September to take on Annan Athletic before facing East Fife on Tuesday 22 September.

Motherwell B then travel to Bonnyrigg Rose on Saturday 26 September before rounding off the group stage at Banks O’Dee on Tuesday 13 October.

All Motherwell B fixtures are away from home and match information will be confirmed in due course.

Fixtures in full

• Kelty Hearts v Motherwell B (Tuesday 11 August)
• Alloa Athletic v Motherwell B (Tuesday 25 August)
• Annan Athletic v Motherwell B (Tuesday 8 September)
• East Fife v Motherwell B (Tuesday 22 September)
• Bonnyrigg Rose v Motherwell B (Saturday 26 September)
• Banks o’Dee v Motherwell (Tuesday 13 October)

Eight Motherwell FC Academy players have signed their first professional contracts with the club. 

Goalkeeper

• Lewis McGahey

Defenders

• Samuel Ngandu
• Matthew Pettigrew
• Scott MacCrimmon
• Kai McFarlane

Forwards

• Joshua Clarkson
• Leo Lee
• Jude Henderson

“This is always a proud moment for the young players,” David Clarkson said.

“We’re proud of our academy setup here at Motherwell, and we’re always striving to develop our young players at the club. It’s always great to see our players penning their first professional deals, and they should be proud of their achievements so far.

“But the work doesn’t stop here, and if anything, this will be the hardest part of their journey. All eight are aware of what it’ll take to keep progressing, and being in a full-time environment requires dedication and application. We will support the players in any way we can, and our coaching staff are looking forward to working with them on a daily basis.”

As the first-team squad continue their pre-season preparations in Denmark, our Under 19s and Women’s Teams have also returned from their summer break ahead of the 26/27 season.

First-Team

Supporters will have their first chance to watch the Alfred Johansson era live on Sunday 5 July, as the Steelmen take on Danish champions AGF Aarhus. The kick-off is at 1pm UK time (2pm local time).

A guide on how to watch the match will be communicated shortly.

The squad return to Scotland on Monday 6 July, as they step up training ahead of Johansson’s first Fir Park match on Friday 17 July against Genk. Kick off is 7pm against the Belgian side, and you are able to buy tickets now by CLICKING HERE.

European football returns to ML1 for the first time since 2022 on Thursday 23 July, when Havnar Bóltfelag visits Fir Park in the UEFA Conference League. The second leg takes place seven days later in the Faroe Islands.

Tickets for both legs are on sale and can be purchased now. Purchase tickets for the home leg by CLICKING HERE.

Buy tickets for the second leg by CLICKING HERE.

Under 19s

Our Under-19s squad are also getting back up to speed following the summer break. The young team have a number of friendlies lined up for the month.

A match against Bellshill Athletic that was previously advertised has been cancelled. Their first friendly match will be against Millwall on Tuesday 7 July, before facing Queen of the South on Friday 10 July.

The squad continue their schedule with a match against Cork City on Wednesday 15 July and then travel to nearby Thorniewood United on Saturday 18 July. Kick off is at 1pm.

On Thursday 23 July they take on English side Walsall before they kick off their CAS Elite Under 19 League campaign against Hearts on Saturday 28 July at the Oriam. Kick-off time is TBC for the opening league match.

Women’s

Iain Robinson’s squad returned to training last week ahead of their SWPL campaign but have a comprehensive pre-season schedule to get match fitness ahead of the league action kicking off in August.

Their first pre-season friendly comes against St Johnstone on Sunday 5 July, before taking on Livingston seven days later. They then host Robinson’s former side Queen’s Park on Wednesday 15 July, before taking on Halifax Town on Sunday 19 July.

Despite being behind closed doors, supporters can follow the matchday coverage on the Motherwell FC Women’s social media channels. Live match updates will be available via the Motherwell FC Women’s X (formerly Twitter) account, with post-match reaction to follow.

Notable Dates

The draw for the third qualifying round in the UEFA Conference League takes place on Monday 20 July ahead of our tie against Havnar Bóltfelag. We are unseeded in the draw.

You will be able to watch the draw take place on the UEFA Conference League website.

Voting for all the categories at our Player of the Year event are now open. 

Season Ticket holders and Well Society members will now be able to cast their vote for Goal of the Season, Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Women’s Player of the Year.

Please check your inbox for all the details on how to vote. If you haven’t received an email with the details in the NEXT THREE WORKING DAYS on how to vote AND you are either a Season Ticket holder or Well Society member, please contact press@motherwellfc.co.uk.

Please check your spam/junk email before getting in touch.

Goal of the Season

The vote for the goal of the 25/26 season opened earlier this week. You can now vote for your favourite goal the Steelmen have scored this season, with 11 goals to choose from.

• A- Maswanhise v Morton
• B- Charles-Cook v Aberdeen
• C- Watt v Dundee United
• D- Just v Aberdeen
• E- Watt v Livingston
• F- Longelo v Livingston
• G- Watt v St Mirren
• H- Maswanhise v Kilmarnock
• I- Bjørgolfsson v St Mirren
• J- Slattery v Dundee
• K- Watt v Falkirk

Need a refresher of the goals? Click here before voting, or watch the video above.

Player of the Year

The big one that every player wants to win. Following a fantastic first season under Jens Berthel Askou, there are ten nominees for the Player of the Year award for 2025/26.

Nominees are:

• Calum Ward
• Stephen O’Donnell
• Paul McGinn
• Stephen Welsh
• Emmanuel Longelo
• Callum Slattery
• Lukas Fadinger
• Elliot Watt
• Elijah Just
• Tawanda Maswanhise

Who gets your vote? Check your emails to have your say.

Young Player of the Year

It’s also been a wonderful season for our younger players in the squad. This season, players aged 23 or under and have started a match, are automatically nominated for our Young Player of the Year award.

Those nominated are:

• Matty Connelly
• Tom Sparrow
• Oscar Priestman
• Luca Ross
• Tawanda Maswanhise
• Ibrahim Said

Women’s Player of the Year

Iain Robinson and the Women of the Steel are on track to remain in the top-flight this season, following a great run of results.

Nominees for our Women’s Player of the Year are:

• Bailley Collins
• Lucy Ronald
• Carla Boyce
• Gill Inglis

Pick your favourite by clicking here.

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

Aston Oxborough

Aston Oxborough has been loving life on loan at Dunfermline. Not only has the goalkeeper played five games and kept four clean sheets, but he is also preparing to represent the Pars at Hampden in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup.

Following their triumphant 3-0 win over Aberdeen in the quarter-final, Oxborough and the squad face off against Falkirk for a spot in the final.

• Appearances: 5
• Clean Sheets: 4

Jack McConnell

Jack McConnell is yet to make his debut for Cowdenbeath after joining the Lowland League side in January.

Appearances: 0

Scott Williamson

Scott Williamson has played one match for Cowdenbeath since our last report.

The defender featured off the bench at half-time in the 1-1 draw with Stirling Albion, taking his appearance count to 18 this season.

• Appearances: 18
• Assist: 2

Kofi Balmer

Kofi Balmer has continued to be a regular in the Bristol Rovers side, playing a further five matches since the last loan report, playing the full 90 minutes in all matches.

Of his 16 appearances so far, 15 have been as a starter.

Bristol Rovers are in a rich vein of form, winning four of those five matches, which has boosted Rovers well clear of the relegation zone. Moving up to 17th in the table and 14 points clear of the bottom, Rovers are looking more up than behind.

• Appearances: 16
• Goals: 2
• Clean Sheets: 2

Ewan Wilson

Ewan Wilson hasn’t featured since our last report. The defender has been an unused substitute in each of Raith Rovers’ last four matches.

• Appearances: 18
• Assists: 1

Jay Gillies

Jay Gillies has featured once for Cumbernauld Colts since the last report, taking his appearance count to three for the Lowland League side.

That appearance came in a 3-1 win over Gala Fairydean Rovers, with the defender playing the final 14 minutes of the match.

• Appearances: 3

Campbell Forrest

Campbell Forrest has played one match for Hamilton Accies in recent weeks, which came in a 3-1 defeat to Queen of the South.

The midfielder was subbed on for the final five minutes of the game.

Accies remain in the relegation playoff spot in League One, but despite the points deduction applied, they are three points off of 8th-placed Cove Rangers.

• Appearances: 5
• Assists: 1

Olly Whyte

Olly Whyte is now on 38 appearances for Stenhousemuir this season, with the Warriors pushing for automatic promotion to the Championship.

Whyte played the full 90 minutes in all three of those matches, which saw Stenhousemuir pick up seven out of a possible nine points.

Stenhousemuir are a point behind Inverness CT, who occupy first place in the table, and with a nine-point gap to third, it looks like a two-horse race for the title in League One this season.

• Appearances: 38
• Goals: 8
• Assists: 1 

Dylan Wells

Dylan Wells is back in action and has made a real impact for Stirling Albion.

The young midfielder marked his return to action against Annan Athletic, where he came off the bench with 25 minutes remaining. Stirling Albion were 3-0 down to Annan at half-time, and with the score 3-2 when Wells came on, he set up the equaliser as Stirling completed a wonderful comeback.

He subsequently started the next match against Forfar Athletic, where he played 65 minutes. He started his second consecutive match against East Kilbride last weekend, where he got his second assist of the season.

Stirling are two points clear of Dumbarton in the relegation playoff, as they look to remain in League Two for next season.

• Appearances: 4
• Assists: 2

Apostolos Stamatelopoulos

Apostolos Stamatelopoulos is now on seven appearances for Sydney FC, having played a further three matches for the A-League side, all of which were starts.

He scored his first goal against Melbourne City in a 2-2 draw. However, it was announced this week that manager Ufuk Talay had departed the club, and Patrick Kisnorbo would become the new boss, as Sydney look to go in a different direction for the final four games of the season.

Sydney have slipped down the table and are now ten points behind leaders Newcastle Jets.

• Appearances: 7
• Goals: 1

Nathan Lawson

Nathan Lawson is now on 20 appearances for Cowdenbeath, featuring a further three times in recent weeks.

All three of those appearances have come from the bench, with the Lowland League side drawing two and losing one of those three matches.

Cowdenbeath remain mid-table after 29 games, accumulating 38 points. With no fear over dropping down near the bottom, and the top six 17 points clear of them, the goal will be to finish as strongly as possible this season.

• Appearances: 20
• Goals: 2
• Assists: 2

Zander McAllister has earned his first call-up to the Scotland Under 19 squad. 

The Motherwell Academy graduate has featured four times for the first-team this season. Scotland begin their 2027 European Under-19 Championship qualifying campaign.

A new qualifying path has been put in front of Scotland, which starts with Round One this month, where Scotland have been drawn in Group A2 alongside Italy, the Republic of Ireland and Poland.

This first round has seen nations being split into League A and B, with seven groups consisting of four nations. Teams finishing fourth in their group will be relegated to League B for the second round, with League B winners being promoted to League A.

Round Two will involve more group action, with the fourth-placed teams eliminated. The winners of League B groups will take their place in the draw for Round Three.

The final round will consist of seven groups of four, where the group winners will qualify for the final tournament.

Scotland will host Group A2, kicking off their campaign against Italy on Wednesday 25 March. Their second match will be against Ireland on Saturday 28 March, before rounding off the action on Tuesday 31 March against Poland.

• Scotland U19s v Italy
• Wednesday 25th March
• 2pm Kick Off
• Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie

• Scotland U19s v Ireland
• Saturday 28 March
• 3:30pm Kick Off 
• Kirkintilloch Community Sports Stadium

• Scotland U19s v Poland
• Tuesday 31 March
• 7pm Kick Off 
• Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie